Show I William J Rutledge died in Jacksonville r Jackson-ville IlL a few days since at the age of SG years He Is credited with being the father of the Grand Army of the republic re-public Though the active work of organizing or-ganizing the Grand Army was done by Dr B F Stevenson who established the llrst G A R post at Decatur 111 April C 1SCG the inspiration for it came I from Rutledge Mr Rutledge was born I In Virginia he was in the ministry fiftysix years was one of the most widelyknown Methodists of the Mississippi Mis-sissippi valley was the Intimate friend of Abraham Lincoln and in the great war served as chaplain oC the Four teenthIllinois infantry |