Alexander G. Beatty

Alexander G. Beatty, a veteran and son of a veteran, was born at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on November 17, 1842. In 1.850 his family came to Iowa and he acquired his early education in a log schoolhouse, in Jones County. Later he was a student at Hopkinton Seminary. At the outbreak of the Civil War he enlisted as a private in Company D, Ninth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He was wounded twenty,three times in service. At the Battle of Pea Ridge his right arm was badly shattered, and for sixteen hours he lay on the battlefield without medical aid. In August, 1862, he was honorably discharged because of wounds. His military career at an end, he followed agricultural pursuits in Jones and Buchanan counties until 1882 when he moved to Independence to engage in the real estate and insurance business. There he was interested always in local affairs - serving as Justice of the peace, overseer of the poor, and Republican party committeeman. For more than a decade he served as Commander of E. C. Little Post No. 54, Grand Army of the Republic. At the Forty-fifth Annual State Encampment of the Grand -Army, held at Cedar Rapids in 1919, Comrade Beatty was elected Department Commander. Whether in office or out, he was always interested in the cause of the veterans, and worked for their best interests. He lived until October 5, 1928, attaining the ripe old age of eighty-six.

Rufus L. Chase June 1920 to June 1921

Rufus L. Chase, elected Department Commander in 1920, was a native of New York. Born in March, 1847, he was only fourteen years of age when Fort Sumter was fired upon. Accordingly, some three years passed by be, fore his enlistment in Company D, Third New York Cavalry, in August, 1864. At the close of the war young Chase returned to his native State, studied dentistry, and qualified himself for the practice of that profession. Perhaps it was in the decade of the seventies that he moved west - locating at Parkersburg in Butler County, Iowa, where he practiced dentistry for two years. He was then appointed Deputy State Auditor and moved to Des Moines, where he continued to reside until the end of his career in January, 1928. For almost fifty years Comrade Chase served the Grand Army of the Republic in an official capacity as a delegate to the State Encampment, member of the legislative committee, member of the Council of Administration, Assistant Quarter Master General, Assistant Adjutant General, National Assistant Adjutant General, and Department Commander. To National Grand Army matters he gave much time and attention. In civic matters, too, he was prominent for many years. It was largely through his influence that the National Encampments of the Grand Army of the Republic were held in Des Moines in 1922 and in 1926.

James B. Harsh  June 1921 to June 1922

Seventy,eight years - from September 8, 1845, to June 19, 1923 - was the span of life for James Birney Harsh, native of Clinton County, Ohio, who lived for a time in Bureau County, Illinois, and later became a pioneer and prominent citizen of Creston, Union County, Iowa. Having acquired a limited education and taught a country school, Harsh enlisted in Company K, One Hundred and Forty-ninth Illinois infantry, where he soon attained the-rank of sergeant. The war at an end, he attended college at Galesburg, Illinois, and in 1870 moved to Iowa, locating at Creston, where he engaged in the real estate and brokerage business, and a little later took up the practice of law. In 1872 he established the Creston Gazette. At various times he assumed the role of attorney, editor, merchant, and banker. He served one term as justice of the peace, and was twice Mayor of Creston. In 1887 he was elected State Senator, and four years later was reelected to that office. In 1894 he was chairman of the Republican State Convention and on various occasions was suggested as a candidate for Congress and for Governor. At the Forty,seventh Annual Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic, held at Waterloo, in 1921, he was elected Department Commander. "He was a man of great versatility, activity, and usefulness to his town, county and State". He will long be remembered as a man of influence and power.

Leonard J. Kron  June 1922 to June 1923

At the Forty-eighth Annual Encampment of the Iowa Department of the Grand Army of the Republic in 1922, Leonard J. Kron was elected Department Commander. Kron was born at Rockford, Illinois, on May 8, 1846, where he grew to manhood. He enlisted in Company F, One Hundred and Forty,second Illinois Infantry and re, enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and Fifty-third Illinois Infantry. He attained the rank of sergeant and was mustered from service at Chicago in September, 1866. Upon his return from military service Comrade Kron returned to Rockford and engaged in the lumbering and contracting business until 1877 when he moved to Franklin County, Iowa, where he engaged in farming. When he retired he moved to Hampton where he continued to reside until his death in December, 1927. Kron joined the Grand Army of the Republic in 1866, and later became a charter member of J. W. McKenzie Post No. 81, at Hampton. In 1882 he was elected Post Commander. He was honored with many offices in the Grand Army - Junior Vice Commander, Delegate at Large to the National Encampment, Aide 'on Staff of Commander,in-Chief, member of Department Council of Administration, and Department Commander. In all relations of life he was held in high esteem and. had the confidence of a large circle of friends.

William W. Gist  June 6 to June 8 1923

William Wesley Gist was born in Ohio, on February 28, 1849. During the Civil War he served in Company D, Twenty,sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was in the Atlantic campaign, and at the battles of Franklin and Nashville. After the surrender of Lee, the regiment to which Gist belonged formed a part of Sheridan's forces in the expedition to the Mexican border. Following the war, young Gist was graduated at Ohio University and attended Union Theological Seminary, in New York City. Later he became a professor at Willoughby College, Willoughby, Ohio, and at Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. From 1887 to 1899 he served as Congregational minister, and in 1900 he became Professor of English at the Iowa State Teachers College at Cedar Falls, where he served until the end of his career. Professor Gist was for many years an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic, with membership in Post 222, at Cedar Falls. In 1919 he was Chaplain of the Iowa Department, and Chaplain, in-Chief of the Grand Army. At the Forty-ninth Annual Encampment, held at Fort Dodge, in June, 1923, Comrade Gist was elected Department Commander. On the day following his installation - June 8, 1923 - death came. Thus for only one brief day did he serve as Department Commander. Yet he will long be remembered as a faithful member of the Grand Army.

Wilbert S. Freeman  June 1923 to June 1924

Wilbert S. Freeman was a native of the Green Mountain State, having been born at Essex, Vermont, on June 6, 1847. When, eight years of age he moved with his parents to Illinois where he was residing at the time of the outbreak of the Civil War. Although still a lad of tender years, he enlisted and served as a musician in Company B, Eighth Illinois Cavalry. Upon the completion of his military service, he returned to Illinois and remained there until March, 1869, when he came to Iowa and settled in Plymouth County where he continued to reside until the end of his career in February, 1930. From 1884 until 1887 Mr. Freeman served as recorder of Plymouth County, and during the years from 1906 to 1915 he served as postmaster at Le Mars. During all the years of his residence in Iowa he was interested in local political affairs and came to be a man widely known and highly respected in the community in which he lived. Comrade Freeman was a charter member of Mower Post No. 91, of the Grand Army of the Republic, organized at Le Mars on August 26, 1882. He served in various offices of that Post. On June 6, 1923, at the Annual State Encampment at Fort Dodge, he was elected Senior Vice Department Commander, and two days later upon the death of Commander W. W. Gist, he became Department Commander.