Organized August 19, 1881, this Post was named to honor William M. Fenton of Flint. He entered service as Colonel of the Eighth Michigan Infantry, at organization in Detroit, for three years, at age 30, on August 7, 1861. He commanded the First Brigade, First Division, U. S. Forces on James Island, S. C. in July 1862. He commander the First Brigade, First Division, Ninth Army Corps from October 1862 to March 1863. He resigned and was honorably discharged March 15, 1863.

The Report of the Mustering Officer, dated August 22, 1881, lists 20 Charter Members. Following the installation of the Officers and the organization of the Post, John Dibble was elected a Member and mustered in with the appropriate ceremony, "carefully performed so as to save trouble in the work in future".

The first Post Commander was Dexter Horton. He entered service as a Captain of U.S. Volunteers and was discharged as a Major of U. S. Volunteers.

It appears that the Post always met at a building on North Leroy Street in Fenton. The name was reported as Grange Hall, Odd Fellows, Post or G.A.R. Hall, Ryan Bros. Hall, Durfee Hall and lastly as WRC Hall. It may be that all these groups met at the same building and that ownership may have changed from time to time.

The last Post Commander (reported in 1922) was Charles W, Sadden who served as a Private in Company A, 8th Michigan Infantry from August 22, 1861 to June 1, 1865.

There were no Reports filed between 1922 (with 16 Members) and 1933 (with one Member). The Report of December 31, 1935 indicates that the last two Members are I. H. Lawrence and Andrew Bly, a Charter Member. There was no Report filed for 1936. The final Report, December 31, 1937, indicates two members but no names.

The Post was disbanded in 1939.

Information obtained from the GAR Records Project of the Department of Michigan, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.

Col. Fenton Post #24 GAR

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