Frank,
I just looked in one of the published G.A.R. books, and it says that he gets the records from the Library of Congress & local State Historical Library (maybe the State has the
death roll journals or copies?). My two books are for IL, and IA, KS, & NE.

But it also states that a person couldn't ever join if they had ever beared arms against the United States. So I guess if Mr. Johnson was a Confederate first, then he couldn't join the GAR later on? That's how I'm reading it anyway.

Guess we'll have to come up with another idea here.
Ann