William McKinley Camp 21, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) was originally chartered in 1901. The original members were the sons of members of the Ben Butterfield post of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). The camp was re-activated in 2007 by a small group of descendants of Civil War veterans living in the Lancaster, Ohio area. Camp 21 members are involved in many patriotic and memorial observances throughout the year. We took the lead in raising funds and developing a permanent plan to preserve the “Sherman’ cannon, a 3-inch Parrott Field Rifle that was given to the Ben Butterfield post in 1882 by General William Tecumseh Sherman, then General of the U.S. Army. Camp 21 maintains membership in Main Street Lancaster, helping to create and increase awareness of downtown Lancaster’s many attractions. We also have relationships with the Fairfield Heritage Association and the Fairfield County Chapter, Ohio Genealogical Society. We see our primary purpose as that of helping our community to remember and understand its rich history, especially the history of its significant contributions to the Union victory in the American Civil War.

The Anne Mariah Sterling-Butterfield Ladies Auxiliary #77
provides material and logistical support that is vital to Camp 21’s ability to fulfill its mission.

The Mission of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War:
• To perpetuate the memory of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the men who
   saved the Union 1861 to 1865.
• To cooperate in doing honor to all who have patriotically served our country I any
   way; to teach patriotism, and the duties of citizenship,
   the true history of our country, and the love and honor of our Flag.
• To oppose every tendency or movement that would weaken loyalty to, or make for
   the destruction or impairment of our constitutional Union.
• To inculcate and broadly sustain the American principles of representative
   government, of equal rights, and of impartial justice for all.
• To assist in the preservation of documents and records pertaining to the Grand Army
   of the Republic and its members and to make those
   documents available for research.

The Ladies Auxiliary Mission:
• We strive to assist the Sons of Union Veterans in keeping alive the memories of our
   ancestors and their sacrifices for the maintenance of the
   Union.
• To care for helpless and disabled Veterans; to properly observe Memorial Day; to aid and assist worthy and needy members of our Auxiliary;
   to instill true patriotism and love of country; and to spread and sustain the doctrine of equal rights, universal liberty and justice to all.
• Our Auxiliary members, on national, state, and local levels participate in ceremonies and programs to commemorate events and honor leaders
   and personalities of the Civil War period and events important to the history to the Grand Army of the Republic.

Membership forms and information