MN AHGP-Grant Co. Archives--Preston Post GAR
W. W. Preston Post No. 185, G.A.R.
In the fall of 1889 a number of the Civil War veterans of Grant county organized a post of the Grand Army of the Republic at Ashby. which flourished for many years and finally, on account of death and removal of so many of the comrades, was disbanded in 1903. This post was named W. W. Preston Post No. 185, Department of Minnesota, in honor of W. W. Preston, a member of the Third Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Cavalry, long a resident of this neighborhood. The first officers were: K. N. Olson, commander; Frank Wahldieck, adjutant; R. Beardsley, quartermaster and chaplain.
The membership of the post consisted of the following: K. N. Olson, Twenty-second Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry; Frank Wahldieck, Tenth Regulars; R. Beardsley, Fourth Wisconsin; A. D. Dewey, Twenty-second Wisconsin; S. G. Beebe, Fourth Wisconsin; M. M. Small, Bracketts' Battalion; Joseph Pennock, Sixteenth Illinois; Thomas Olson, Tenth Minnesota Battery; James Godward, Ohio Infantry; Ole O. Ike, Tenth Iowa; Thomas Rohann, Tenth Minnesota; Ole Sauby, First Minnesota; Jens Peter-son Lee, Tenth Minnesota; James H. Bowman, Fourteenth Wisconsin; C. E. Sandin, First Minnesota; August O. Melby, Fifteenth Wisconsin; E. C. Schow, Fifteenth Wisconsin; Henry Brown, Illinois Infantry; James O. Richardson, First Minnesota; K. N. Melby, Twenty-second Wisconsin; H. G. Lillemon, Sixteenth Iowa.
There were other veterans who belonged to this post but their names can not now be recalled, and the records are not available. The following members had served as commander of the post: K. N. Olson, S. J. Beebe, R. Beardsley and A. D. Dewey. At the time of mustering out the officers were as follow: A. D. Dewey, commander; R. Beardsley, quartermaster and adjutant; James Godward, chaplain.
� 2005 Minnesota AHGP