These are more of the vintage "snapshots" related to Chariton's Dungan family that arrived at the museum last week --- recording a gathering of 34th Iowa Volunteer Infantry veterans at the Dungan home on North Grand Street during one of the great regimental reunions held in Chariton during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The 34th consisted of 951 men organized into 10 companies when mustered at Camp Lauman, Burlington, during October of 1862. Three of these companies had been raised in Lucas County, four in Warren County, two in Decatur County and one in Wayne.
Chariton attorney Warren S. Dungan (left) had been a principal Lucas County recruiter and because of the respect the men had for him, was elected captain of Company K during the summer of 1862. In Burlington that fall, however, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and remained as second in command of the entire regiment during the remainder of the war. Col. George W. Clark of Indianola was commander. At war's end, Dungan was brevited a full colonel.
The first of the great reunions of the 34th, involving hundreds of veterans, was held in Chariton during September of 1886 and they continued every other year for about 25 years in one or another of the four counties --- until death had severely diminished the number of survivors.
The reunions of 1886, 1894, 1903 and 1911 were held in Chariton. Others were held in Indianola, Humeston, Corydon, Grand River and Leon. I think, for a variety of reasons, that these photos were taken during the September 1894 reunion, but can't be absolutely sure of that.
All scheduled events during the three-day reunion were held in the Lucas County Courthouse --- brand new in the fall of 1894 --- and the park surrounding it. But the hundreds of men who attended the reunions were for the most part housed and fed by volunteers who had opened their homes to them.
As the family of one of the most prominent veterans of the 34th, the Dungans --- Warren and his daughters --- entertained separately at their home on North Grand Street on various occasions. This snapshot shows the Dungan dining room decorated for a reunion meal.
At other times, the veterans gathered on the big lawn south of home where a tent had been erected to commemorate camp life during the war. The exposure on the final two photographs is not good --- I think afternoon shade was a factor since North Grand at the time was lined by big elm trees.
But you can get an idea of what some of these gentlemen who had marched away to war as young men more than 30 years earlier looked like by then. Warren was 40 years old in 1862, so he certainly was among the oldest men at the reunion, notable in all of the snapshots for his distinguished white beard. None of the other men are identified.
As the family of one of the most prominent veterans of the 34th, the Dungans --- Warren and his daughters --- entertained separately at their home on North Grand Street on various occasions. This snapshot shows the Dungan dining room decorated for a reunion meal.
At other times, the veterans gathered on the big lawn south of home where a tent had been erected to commemorate camp life during the war. The exposure on the final two photographs is not good --- I think afternoon shade was a factor since North Grand at the time was lined by big elm trees.
But you can get an idea of what some of these gentlemen who had marched away to war as young men more than 30 years earlier looked like by then. Warren was 40 years old in 1862, so he certainly was among the oldest men at the reunion, notable in all of the snapshots for his distinguished white beard. None of the other men are identified.
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