U.S. National Archives & Records Administration

 

 

Pension Application Files

 

Pension application files are a very rich source for family history and biographical research. The National Archives holds pension application files and records of pension payments for veterans, their widows, and other heirs based on service in the armed forces of the United States between 1775 and 1916 (excluding Confederate duty, 1861-1865; refer to Pension Information Available from Other Sources, below). There are three basic reasons why the Federal Government paid pension payments for military service:

 

1.       The former soldier became disabled and was unable to support himself, or he became an invalid because of wounds or illness which occurred while he was in the Service.

2.       The soldier was a volunteer whose State unit saw Federal Service.

3.       A widow’s pension was awarded to a woman and children whose husband and father served in the war.

 

Pension Documents Packet Contents

 

The pension documents packet will contain, to the extent that these documents are present in the file, eight documents that contain genealogical information about the pension applicant including any of the following items that are in the file:

·          declaration of pension

·          declaration of widow's pension

·          Adjutant General statements of service

·          questionnaires completed by applicants (numbered forms)

·          "Pension Dropped" cards

·          marriage certificates

·          death certificates

·          discharge certificate

 

Types of Pension Applications

 

There are three types of pension applications: veteran’s, widow’s, or minor child’s.

 

1.       A veteran’s application typically contains the veteran’s name, rank, military unit, period of service, residence at time of application, place and date of birth (or age), and property.

2.       A widow’s application typically contains more detail, including all of the veteran’s information plus her name, age (or date of birth), residence at time of application, maiden name, date of marriage, and veteran’s date and place of death.

3.       A minor child’s application may contain all of the veteran’s and widow’s information as well as the heirs’ names, dates and places of their births, residence(s) at time of application, and date of their mother’s death.

 

Pension Application Files at the National Archives

 

The National Archives in Washington, DC holds pension application files for the following wars and conflicts:

 

·          Revolutionary War

·          Old Wars

·          War of 1812

·          Indian Wars

·          Mexican-American War

·          Civil War

·          Other conflicts before World War I

 

These pension application files may be obtained by ordering from this web site.

 

Pension Information Available from Other Sources

 

Refer to these sources for information on the following:

 

·          Confederate Pension Files: Go to http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/military/civil-war/confederate/pension.html for additional information about Confederate pension records.

 

  • List of State Archives that have Confederate Pension Files

 

·         Alabama Department of Archives & History, 624 Washington Avenue, Montgomery, AL  36130-0100

·         Arkansas History Commission & State Archives, One Capitol Mall, Little Rock, AR  72201

·         Florida State Archives, R.A. Gray Building, 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, FL  32399-0250

·         Georgia Department of Archives & History, 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260

·         Kentucky Department for Libraries & Archives, Kentucky State Archives, 300 Coffee Tree Road, Frankfort, KY  40601

·         Louisiana State Archives, 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, LA  70809-2137

·         Mississippi Department of Archives & History, Charlotte Capers Building, 100 South State Street, Jackson, MS  39201

·         Missouri State Archives, State Information Center, 600 West Main Street, Jefferson City, MO  65102

·         North Carolina State Archives, 109 East Jones Street, Raleigh, NC  27601

·         Oklahoma Department of Libraries, State Archives, 200 N.E. 18th Street, Oklahoma City, OK  73105

·         South Carolina Department of Archives & History, South Carolina History Center, 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia, SC  29223

·         Tennessee State Library & Archives, 403 Seventh  Avenue North, Nashville, TN  37243

·         Texas State Library & Archives Commission, 1201 Brazos Street, Austin, TX 78711-2927

·         The Library of Virginia, 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA  23219-8000

 

 

  • Pension Applications from World War I and Subsequent Service:  Documentation of pension applications and pension payments for World War I and subsequent service are in the custody of the Veteran’s Administration.

 

  •  Modern Military Service Records: Documentation of military service in World War I and subsequent service are in the custody of the National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records, 9700 Page Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63132-5100.

 

  • To order Modern Military Service (Personnel) Records:

 

 

·          Other requestors should use Standard Form 180 obtainable from http://www.archives.gov/facilities/mo/st_louis/military_personnel_records/standard_form_180.html.