Shortly after the end of the Civil War, Union veterans formed a fraternal organization known as the “Grand Army of the Republic” or G. A. R.  Thousands of local “posts” were established across the country, including at least a dozen in Bradford county.  I recently learned that Perkins Post in Athens was organized in February, 1870, “in the Universalist church parlors.”

Three of the twenty-six charter members of Perkins Post were members of the Athens Universalist Society, including Edwin A. Spalding, who was elected the post’s first Commander.  At least five other members of the Athens and Sheshequin churches were active in the Post.

Veterans joined the G. A. R. primarily for the camaraderie, but the national organization was also politically active, supporting Republican candidates for office.  Among its activities and accomplishments were establishing Memorial Day (May 30) as an annual national commemoration and advocating for pensions for veterans.

Perkins Post began holding Memorial Day events in Athens in 1871.  The Athens Gleaner reported:

“At sunrise a National Salute was fired, and the bells tolled while comrades visited and planted a national flag at the head and an evergreen cross at the foot of every soldier’s grave.”

At 1 o’clock in the afternoon, members of the G. A. R. and other soldiers marched to the public square, where they were joined by representatives of local churches, including the Universalist Sunday school children.  The entire group then went to the Athens and Tioga Point cemeteries, where they put flowers on the soldiers’ graves.

In the 1890s Perkins Post held Memorial Day ceremonies in both Sheshequin and Athens.  Services were held in the Sheshequin Universalist church, and the Sunday school students participated in the event.

In December, 1885, construction of a new G. A. R. Hall in Athens was completed.  It was a three-story brick building at the southeast corner of Bridge and Elmira streets, where the parking lot by the Athens Guthrie Clinic is today.  The first two floors were probably rented out; Perkins Post’s meeting rooms were on the third floor.

During the winter of 1885-1886, the Athens Universalist meeting house was closed for renovations.  Perkins Post Commander Charles T. Hull offered the Post’s new meeting rooms for the church’s use, and worship services were presumably held there until the renovations were completed.

Perkins Post was less active as its members aged and died.  By 1925 fewer than ten members were still alive.  On May 2, 1925, seven members of the Post voted unanimously to surrender their charter.  The last surviving member, John D. Fice, died on Oct. 11, 1933, at the age of 88.

Many Civil War relics from Perkins Post’s collection are in the Tioga Point Museum.