Military pension records can provide a wealth of information about
your ancestors. Pension files for Civil War veterans are often filled
with details about the veteran and about his wife, and sometimes about
his family members. Unfortunately, some genealogists don't investigate
this research avenue as well as they should. There have been cases where,
had I checked the military service and pension files early in my research,
I could have saved myself many months and a great deal of frustration.
In "Along Those Lines . . ."
this week, let's discuss Civil War pension records, where to
find them, and let's examine a few examples of their contents.
Where Are Civil War Pension Files Located?
There are two essential places to check for military service records
for your Civil War ancestor: the National Archives and Records Administration
(NARA) and with the state archives of the state in which your ancestor
lived.
NARA is the repository for copies of all sorts of U.S. military records.
Materials have been microfilmed and indexed there. And while it may
take a while to receive copies from NARA because of the huge volume
of requests it receives, the results are usually worth the wait. NARA
maintains two types of records for the Civil War soldiers. These are
the military service records and the pension files. Copies of these
are available by filling out a Form 80, copies of which are free on
request from the Textual Reference Branch (NNR1), National Archives
and Records Administration, 7th and Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., Washington,
DC 20408.
Military service records contain information about enlistment or conscription,
dates of service, rank attained, details of assignment locations and
battles, and other military information. Seldom will military records
contain much in the way of family information. That does not, of course,
mean that you shouldn't obtain these records. For example, if you didn't
know where your ancestor lived before he joined the military—North
or South—the place of enlistment is a very good indicator of his
place of residence at the time.
Pension records often contain much more interesting information. They
reflect the soldier's life many years after the completion of his service,
and often include information about his spouse and family. In order
to apply for the pension, the veteran had to provide some proof of his
service. In many cases, this proof came in the form of a sworn affidavit
filed and signed by the veteran. Affidavits sworn and signed by other
soldiers who served with the applicant often were also used as proof.
Widows also applied for their husbands' pensions or for continuation
of the pensions after their husbands' deaths. In some cases, children
also applied for the pension or for a continuation of it. All of the
applications, correspondence and corroborating proofs are likely to
be included in the pension file.
State archives' files are not always duplications of what is stored
at NARA. While NARA has a great deal of information, you will find no
records there for soldiers who served in the State Militia rather than
as State Volunteers. (A militia was a state-organized and controlled
army whose purpose was to protect people and property inside the state.
State Volunteer regiments were formed by the state. They were then turned
over to their national governments, Union or Confederate, for service.)
Pension applications filed by veterans at the state level and housed
in the state archives may contain additional documents that NARA's files
do not contain. Depending on the court processing the paperwork and
the clerk, some documents may have been deemed too unimportant to be
sent with the file for processing of the pension application. Also,
incomplete applications and those that were denied or not approved at
the state level may never have been forwarded elsewhere.
The quality and quantity of the materials available from the state
archives varies. Some states, such as Virginia, Georgia, Pennsylvania
and New York, maintain large and well-organized collections. You may
find other states' collections less extensive or complete. I've found,
though, that the people who work at all the state archives I've dealt
with, are kind and helpful.
The point is that you should write both NARA and the state archives
for the state from which the soldier served. If you have submitted a
From 80 to NARA and received a reply indicating that no records were
found, don't give up. Write to the state archives. If they locate a
file for your ancestor, most states will provide a brief abstract of
what is contained in the file so you can make a decision about ordering
copies. As I was seeking Confederate military service and pension records
for my great-grandfather, I wrote the state archives in Georgia. They
responded that they had no files for him but that he had served as a
witness for his brother's pension application. This pointed me in another
research direction, and his witness record was another primary record
for my great-grandfather that I had to see.
Types of Information Found in the Pension
Files
Every pension file's contents are different. Some are huge volumes
containing page after page of sworn affidavits, hearing notes, letters
of appeal, the widow's application, and other correspondence. Others
contain only the veteran's pension application and a few other sheets.
There are many pension files at NARA containing detailed descriptions
of wounds suffered. These were part of application for invalid pensions.
Other files are indigent persons' pensions, filed because the person
was too old or infirm to support himself and his family. There were
a number of reasons for filing a pension application.
What is important is that each document is a primary document providing
more details about your ancestor. Let me share with you a few of the
findings I've encountered in Civil War pension files.
In a pension application filed in Floyd County, GA, the following personal
facts were found:
Applicant's date of birth, birth location, current residence and
current age.
Location and date of enlistment, unit in which he served, the duration
of his service, and the place of discharge (Appomattox, 9 April 1865).
Current medical condition indicated, through applicant's statement
and affidavits made by his brother and his physician, that he suffered
from heart trouble (mitral regurgitation) and disintegration of his
eyesight. This meant that he was unable to work to support himself.
Applicant's first wife had died and that he had remarried 13 years
before. Affidavit of a witness of the ceremony was accepted.
Applicant's wife was supporting him by working as a common field
laborer, and that they owned a cow, some hogs, and less than $300
of personal property.
Approval of the pension request and the annual sworn statements
of the applicant that his financial status had not changed.
In a widow's pension application filed in Caswell County, North Carolina,
the following personal facts were found:
Name of the widow, her date of birth, her current age, the date
of her marriage to the soldier, and her medical condition.
Sworn affidavits by two witnesses to the wedding.
Location and date of enlistment, unit in which her husband served,
the duration of his service, and the place of his death (Gettysburg,
PA, on 2 July 1863).
Sworn affidavits of men who had served with the soldier and one
who stated that he witnessed the death of the soldier.
Names and ages of the four children of the applicant and her deceased
husband.
Sworn statement by the applicant indicating that she was working
as a tenant farmer by herself, with the help of her oldest son, and
that they were unable to support themselves without some financial
assistance. Documents of the approval of the application, a power
of attorney appointing the widow's brother as her financial agent,
and annual document indicating payments were made until the time of
her death. A letter from her brother reporting the widow's death.
A pension application filed in New Jersey in February 1880 contained
the following information:
Applicant's date of birth, location and current age.
Location and date of enlistment, unit in which he served, the duration
of his service, and the date and place he was wounded (Shiloh, April
1862).
A detailed description of the wound he received that caused amputation
of the left leg, making him an invalid.
Sworn affidavit of one man who had served with the soldier.
Sworn statement by the applicant's brother regarding financial hardship.
Approval of the pension request and the annual sworn statements
of the applicant that his financial status had not changed.
A letter from the pensioner reporting his brother's death in 1909.
Conclusion
As you can see, there can be a great deal of genealogical and historical
information in a Civil War pension file. The records at the National
Archives contain a wealth of documentation that can help your research.
The state archives likewise contain additional materials not at NARA
and should be mined as well. I'm not saying that you won't be disappointed;
there are, of course, soldiers for whom there are no files. However,
it is important that you investigate these avenues as well.
Happy hunting!
George
A reader, Al Berger, was one of several professional photographers
who wrote to call attention to problems with black-and-white photographic
processing these days.
"I am a professional photographer and I would like to caution
you regarding your comment "Remember that black-and-white photographs
last longer than color ones. If you can, try to take at least one roll
of black-and-white film for posterity." Your comment would be true
except for the fact that the black and white paper now being used is
not as archival as the "old" paper our parents were sold.
Secondly, some labs will print black and white film on color paper and
make it look like black and white images to most people. You can have
black and white photographs made from color negatives. Most important
is to make sure your negatives are cataloged and stored in light tight
containers. They need to stay dry as well. Color photographs are subject
to loss of color from UV rays of light. So keep them out of the light.
If you see a color photograph shifting colors to a blue/green tint,
get it copied on black and white film as soon as possible."
Many thanks to Al for sharing this excellent insight on this topic.
I spoke with my local one-hour photo processing shop and they confirm
that they use the same paper and developing technique for black-and-white
film as for color film. As always, the best consumer is an educated
consumer.
The Genealogy Forum on America Online: The
Official User's Guide by George G. Morgan
The official guide to the Genealogy Forum on America Online has just
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What a great gift idea for all the online genealogists on your holiday
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Copyright 1998 George G. Morgan
All Rights reserved
"Along Those Lines ..." is
a weekly feature of the Genealogy Forum
on America Online (Keyword: ROOTS).
This column originally appeared in the Genealogy Forum on America
Online.
You may send e-mail alonglines@aol.com.
George Morgan would like
to hear from you but, because of the volume of e-mail,
is unable to personally respond to each letter individually.
He also regrets that he cannot assist you with
your personal genealogical research.
"Along Those Lines"
