Military Records
-Davideen DemskeI.
GENEALOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF MILITARY RECORDS
A. Personal Information
1. Age
2. Birth Date And Place
3. Physical Description
4. Medical History
B. Family Information
1. Spouse, Date & Place Of Marriage
2. Names And Birth Dates Of Children
3. Parents Or Closest Living Relative
4. Residence At The Time Of Enlistment & Pension Application
5. Relatives Who Served And Left Clues About Family (Collateral Genealogy)
C. Military Service Information
1. Type Of Governing Body: Local, State, Confederate Or Federal
2. Branch of Service: Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force
3. Name Of Unit: Regiment, Company (Records Often Arranged By Units)
4. Dates Of Service Or Participation In War
5. State Of Residence: Enlistment, Pension/Bounty Land Applications
6. Rank: Enlisted Or Officer
II.
QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE GETTING STARTED
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
III.
STATE OF ENLISTMENT - What State Was Did The Individual Enlist In?
DATES OF SERVICE - Are The Dates of Service Known? Was It In War Or Peacetime?
FEDERAL OR STATE - Did The Individual Enlist In A Federal Or State Unit?
BRANCH - What Branch of Service Did The Individual Enlist In? Was It A Volunteer Unit?
REGIMENT - What Regiment And Company Was The Individual Assigned?
RANK - Was The Individual An Enlisted Soldier Or An Officer?
PENSION - Did The Individual Or Members of His Family Apply For Pension? What State?
BOUNTY LAND - Did The Individual Apply For A Warrant At The Federal Or State Level?
RESEARCH PROBLEMS
A. No Single Method: Dependent On Veteran’s Branch of Service
B. Records Varied With War And Branch Of Service
C. Records Will Be Found In Different Record Groups: Adjutant General Office, Departments of
the Treasury, War, Treasury, Commerce, State, Interior
D. Records Split Between National (Washington & St. Louis) And State Archives
E. Records Often Arranged by Unit (Regiment, Company)
F. Gaps In Records Due To Fires Or Lost Records
G. Surname Variations
IV.
PRELIMINARY RESEARCH RESOURCES
A. Family Sources
1. Family Stories
2. Personal Papers: Journals, Letters, Postcards
3. Photographs
4. Relatives Who Also Served & Left Clues About Your Family (Collateral Research)
B. County, State & Federal Sources
1. Military Discharge Papers (Not Kept By Military Until After 1944)
2. County Records: Vital Records, Military Discharge (Only Required For WWI & WWII)
3. Published Histories: County & Military
4. County: Museums & Historical Societies
5. Newspapers: Obituaries & News Articles
6. Membership: Veteran & Lineage Societies
7. Military Biographies
8. Burial Records:
a. National: Applications For Military Headstones, National Cemetery
Administration/Nationwide Gravesite Locator
b. Local: Cemeteries, Headstone Inscriptions
9. Federal Censuses: 1840, 1890, 1900-1940
V.
MILITARY RECORD RESEARCH STEPS - FEDERAL & STATE
A. Federal Records
1. Record Types
a. Compiled Service Records (CMSR), 1798-1902
b. Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF), 1902-Present
c. Pension Application Files, 1775-1934
d. Bounty Land Warrants, 1775-1855
e. Unit Histories: NARA, Military Historical Centers, Library of Congress
2. National Archive And Records Administration (NARA) Repositories
a. Late 18th Century-Early 20th Century
1) National Archives in Washington, DC Building (NARA)
a) Old Military and Civil Records / Washington, DC (formerly Archives I)
2) National Archives at College Park, MD
a) Modern Military Records / College Park, MD ( formerly Archives II)
b. Late 19th Century-Present
1) National Archives at St. Louis
a) National Personnel Record Center (NPRC)
1. Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF)
b) Other Military Records Not In Military Service Records
3. Military Historical Centers (Unit Histories, Record Databases)
a. Army: U.S. Army Center Of Military History
b. Navy: U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command
c. Marine Corps: U.S. Marine Corps History Division
d. Coast Guard: U.S. Coast Guard Historian’s Office
e. Air Force: U.S. Air Force Historical Research Agency
B. State Records
1. Record Types
a. Records For State-Created Units: Volunteer, Militia, Confederate, National Guard
b. Pension Records (Filed in the State Where The Application Was Made)
c. Bounty Land Warrants (Filed In The County Where The Property Was Located)
2. Repositories: State Archives, Adjutant General Office, Historical Societies, Museums
VI.
MILITARY RECORDS - LATE 18TH CENTURY TO EARLY 20 TH CENTURY
A. Army: Volunteer Army Records 1775-1916
1. Compiled Military Service Records (CMSR), 1798-1902
a. Compiled Only For Volunteer Soldiers
b. Primary Information: Name, Enlistment & Discharge Dates, Unit, Rank, Birth Date &
Place, Hospitalizations
c. Other Information: Muster Rolls, Returns, Pay Vouchers, Orders, Absence From Unit,
Capture & Prisoner Of War Release, Court-Martial, Death And Personal Papers
d. Does Not Contain Battles
2. Pension Files, 1775-1916 (See Pension Section)
3. Bounty Land Warrant Files, 1775-1855 (See Bounty Land Section)
4. Carded Medical Files (In Compiled Military Service Records Files From 1898-1902)
a. Contains: Contains: Name, Rank, Organization, Illness, Name of Hospital, Date of
Admittance & Discharge, Death or Date Returned To Duty
b. Arranged By State, Branch Of Service, then Numerically By Regiment & Type of Unit
(Company) And Then Alphabetically By The First Letter of Surname
c. From 1898-1902, the Cards are in the Compiled Military Service Records Files
5. Volunteers Were Enlisted Men & Officers Whose Military Service Was Performed During
An Emergency And Whose Service Was Considered To Be In The Federal Interest
6. Not The Same As The Regular Army
a. Volunteer Units Were Not Integrated Into Regular Army Units.
b. Often Referred To As The United State Volunteers or U.S.V. In 1898 They Were
Officially Called the Volunteer Army of the United States. Volunteer Regiments Were
Named After Their Home State or Their Commanding Officer (Two Examples: 1th
Connecticut Volunteer Artillery, Battery C And Capt. W.H. Cobb’s Company, U.S.
Volunteers)
c. Not Used After 1902
B. Army: Regular Army Records (Enlisted Personnel In Peacetime)
1. Regular Army Enlistment Papers, 1798-1894 [RG 94, Entry 91]
a. Contains: Name, Date, Date, Place & State of Enlistment, Recruiter, Age, Place Of
Birth, Occupation, Personal Description, Regimental Assignment, Certifications of
Examining Surgeon & Recruiting Officer
b. Arranged Alphabetically By Surname
c. Multiple Enlistments Papers For Soldiers If Signed Up For Reenlistment
2. Enlistment Papers, 1798-1912 [RG 94, M233]
a. Contains: Name, Place & Date of Enlistment, Recruiter, Age, Place of Birth,
Occupation, Physical Description, Unit Assigned (Regiment, Company), [Includes
Indian Scouts]
b. Records Often Consolidated For Soldiers Who Served Two Or More Enlistments
c. Arranged Alphabetically by Surname
3. Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914 [RG 94, M233]
a. Contains: Name, Date & Place of Enlistment, Period Of Enlistment, Place Of Birth, Age
Occupation, Physical Description, Organization & Unit (Regiment, Company),
Discharge or Death Date
b. Arranged Chronologically By Enlistment Date And Then Alphabetically By Surname.
Should Consult Muster Rolls For More Detailed Information Frp, 1784-1912 [RG 94,
Entry 53]
c. Note: The Register Was Compiled From Enlistment Papers And Muster Rolls. Only As
Accurate As The Documents In Existence At Time The Register Was Compiled.
4. Muster Rolls Of Regular Army Organizations, 1784-1912
a. Arranged By Branch Of Service, Numerically, Alphabetically By Company Or Troop,
And Chronologically By Date
b. See Records Of The Adjutant General’s Office, 1780’-1917: Orders, Muster Rolls, And
Returns At NARA, Record Group 94: M29, M617, M654, M665, M690, M691, M727,
M728, M744, M851, M852, M1094, T1085, T1114, T1115
[http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/094.html]
5. Carded Medical Records, 1821-1884; 1894-1912
a. Records For 1821-1884
1) Contains: Name, Rank, Organization, Nature Of Complaint, Date Of Admittance,
Name Of Hospital, Date Returned To Duty, Deserted, Discharged, Sent Another
Hospital, Or Death
2) Although The Records Covered Both Enlisted And Officers, Only Officers Had The
Information Included In Their Service Files.
3) Arranged By Branch Of Service, Numerically By Regiment, Type Of Unit And Then
Alphabetically By The First Letter Of Surname.
b. Records For 1894-1912
1) Contains: Name, Rank, Organization, Age, Race, Birthplace, Date Entered Service,
Date Of Admittance & Discharge, Name Of Hospital, Cause Of Admission
(Whether Sustained In The Line Of Duty)
c. Caveat: The Two Record Groups Had A Different Arrangement With Regard To The
Units That Came After The Regimental Designations.
6. Pension Files, 1775-1916 (See Pension Section)
7. Court-Martial Records, 1809-1938 (Included Both Enlisted Personnel & Officer)
8. Additional Information For Officers
a) Post-1789 Records
1) Frances B. Heitman’s Historical Register and Dictionary Of The United States Army,
From Its Organization, September 29, 1789 to March 2, 1903
2) Consult Adjutant General Office Letters, 1805-1889 (several series)
3) Unit Returns, 1800-1916
1) Provides List of Company Commander & Officers
2) Unit Strength
3) Listed Number of Men Present, Absent, Sick, On Extra Duty, Confined
4) Post Returns, 1800-1916
a. Provides Names & Duties of Officers
b. Number of Officers Present & Absent
c. Unit Strength
d. Provides List Of Units Stationed At Post & Their Function
b) Post-1863 Records Adjutant General Office (AGO) (Only Compiled Records Since 1863)
1) Letters, 1863-1894 (indexed) (Deal With Matters Relating To Individual Soldiers)
2) Commission Branch (CB), 1863-1894
3) Appointment, Commission & Personal Branch (ACP), 1871-1894
c) Post-1890
1) Index To Gen. Correspondence of AGO, 1890-1917
2) Unit And Post Returns, 1800-1916
3) Officer Pay Cards, WWI (1917-1921)
C. Navy Records
1. Pension Files, 1775-1916 (See Pension Section)
2. Rendezvous Reports, 1846-1891 (Weekly Recruiting Station Reports)(RG & film,see below)
a. Information
1) Name
2) Place of Birth
3) Date & Term Of Enlistment
4) Rating
5) Previous Naval Service
6) Occupation
7) Usual Place of Residence
b. Indexes Arranged Alphabetically
c. Record Group 24: 1855-1891 (M1953),1846-1861 & 1865-1884(T1098),1861-1865
(T1099)
3. Keys To And Register of Enlistment Returns, 1846-1902 (RG 24, Entry 224)
a. Name Of Enlisted Who Signed Up At Recruiting Stations Or On Ships
b. Shows Enlistment Information & Summary Of Service
c. Arranged Chronologically
4. Jackets of Enlisted Men, 1842-1885 (RG 24, Entry 204)
a. Information In Jacket: Correspondence, Applications for Certificates And /Or
Honorable Discharge
b. Arranged Alphabetically
c. Men Who Made A Pension Application, 1842-1885 (1885-1941
d. For Men Who Made A Pension Application Records Kept In 1885-1941 (St. Louis
Archives)
5. Payrolls, 1798-1956 ( See Note Under Muster Rolls Below)
a. Information
1) Name
2) Station
3) Rank
4) Beginning Date of Service
5) Terms of Service
b. Arranged by Ship Or Station, then Chronologically
6. Muster Rolls, 1798-1970 (Enlisted Personnel)
a. Information
1) Name
2) Rating (Occupation/Specialty)
3) Service Number
4) Date Reported For Particular Duty Or On Board
5) Date Of Enlistment
6) Name Of Ship, Station, Or Activity
7) Ship Number Or Other Numeric Designation
8) Date Of Muster Roll
b. Muster Rolls:, 1939-1971-Records of Bureau of Naval Personnel (M1030) 1939-1949ARC ID: 594996 of Bureau of Navy Personnel/ NARA-Maryland
c. Arranged By Ship Or State, Then Chronologically By Date
d. Reports Kept Daily & Generated Quarterly.
e. Enlisted Personnel Information: Muster Rolls from 1939-1956 Only Provided
Information On Enlisted Personnel. Officers Were Added In 1957.
f. Location Of Records:
1) 1846-1891: RG 24-1855-1891 (M1953), 1846-1861 & 1865-1884 (T1098), 1861-1865
(T1099)
2) 1891-1939: 1891-1900 & 1895-1939: RG 24 (M1030)
3) 1939-1949: ARC ID: 594996 Of Bureau Of Navy Personnel-National Archives At
College Park, MD / Online At FamilySearch
4) Contact NARA For Pre-1939: Archives I Reference Section In Washington, DC
5) Contact NARA For 1939-1970: Contact NARA at archives2reference@nara.gov
g. Location of Payroll Records
1) Four Series of Pay Rolls & Muster Rolls: 1798-1859, 1860-1900, 1898-1939, 19401956
2) See Naval Records Collection Of The Office Of Naval Records And Library [ONRL]
7. Personnel Diaries, 1798-1938
1) Documented Changes in Status & Assignments Between Quarterly Muster Rolls
(Name, Date of Personnel Change, Explanation)
2) NARA Does Not Have Possession Of The Records - FOIA Request Needed
3) Location of Records: Same As Muster Rolls
a. 1939-1970: Contact NARA at archives2reference@nara.gov
b. 1939-1949: ARC ID: 594996 of Bureau Of Navy Personnel-National
Archives at College Park, MD / Not Online
8. Deck Logs, 1801-1947 (Officer Roster)
a. Information
1) Name of Officers, Assignments, Transfers, Desertions, Deaths, Injuries, CourtMartial Records
2) Ship’s Performance, Location, Weather Conditions
b. Arranged by Ship, Name of Commander, Division
c. If Ship Is Unknown Search The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships To Verify
Dates of Service (Several Ships In Different Periods Had Same Name)
9. Medical Records, 1812-1929 (Same As Army Medical Records/Treated At Army Hospitals)
10. Court-Martial Records, 1799-1940 (Both Enlisted Personnel & Officers)
11. Additional Information For Enlisted Personnel For Navy & Marine Corps
a. Ship Muster Rolls And Pay Rolls, 1798-1956
b. Registers Of Enlistments, 1845-1854
c. Weekly Returns Of Enlistments, 1855-1891
d. Quarterly Returns Of Enlistments, 1866-1891
e. Continuous Service Certificates, 1865-1899
f. Personnel Record Cards, 1901-1917
g. Card Abstracts of WWI Service Records, 1917-1919
12. Additional Information For Officers
a. List of Officers of the Navy of the United States and the Marines from 1775-1900 By
Edward W. Callahan
b. General Register of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, 1782-1882
c. Abstracts of Service Records, 1798-1924
d. Examining & Retiring Board Files, 1861-1903
13. Preferred Genealogical Records Due To Lack of Compiled Records
a. Pensions
b. Muster Rolls & Payrolls: Arranged Alphabetically By Ship Or Station Then By Year
c. For Recent Records Apply For Information Through A FOIA Request
B. Marine Corps Records
1. Case Files, 1798-1905 (Enlisted Personnel)
a. Includes Enlistment, Military History, Conduct Records, Discharge Documents
b. Two Series
1) Enlisted Prior To 1895: Arranged By Date Of Enlistment/ Washington
2) Enlisted After 1895: Arranged Alphabetically / St. Louis
2. Alphabetical Card List Of Enlisted Men, 1798-1941 (If Enlistment Date Unknown)
3. Muster Rolls, 1798-1958 (T1118 & T977)
a. Information (Arranged By Year, Month, Station)
1) Name
2) Rank
3) Enlistment & Muster Dates
4) Enlistment Time Period
5) Station: Name of Ship or Post
6) Medical Information: Illness, Treatment, Injuries
7) Discharge Date Or Death Date
8) Court-Martial, Disciplinary Action, Desertion
9) Last Date Of Pay
b. Arrangement Is Chronological By Post Or Ship Detachment Except During WWI When
The Records Were Divided Into Posts, Stations And Mobile Units
c. Muster Roll Records
1) Muster Rolls of the U.S. Marines Corps, 1798-1902 (RG 127, T1118)
2) Muster Rolls of Officers and Enlisted Men of the U.S. Marine Corps, 1893-1942 (RG
127, T977)
3) Muster Rolls, 1798-1958 (Taken from RG 127 T1118 & T977; plus NARA-ARC ID
922159)
4. Pension Files, 1775-1916 (See Pension Section)
5. Court-Martial Records
6. Additional Information For Enlisted Men (See Same Heading Title Under The Navy Section)
7. Additional Information For Officers
a. List Of Officers Of The Navy Of The United States And Marines from 1775-1900 by
Edward W. Callahan
b. Various Registers (1819-1904) (with gaps)
c. Muster Rolls, 1798-1958
8. Historical Note: The Continental Marines And The Continental Navy Were Created In 1775
But Were Dissolved In 1783. The Marines Were Reestablished In 1798 And Placed Under
Control Of The Navy. In 1953 The Marine Corps Became An Independent Branch Of The
Armed Services.
C. Coast Guard Records (includes Predecessors)
1. Lighthouse Service, 1821-1912 (Became Part of the Coast Guard in 1939)
a. Information
1) Registers Of Lighthouse Keepers, 1845-1912 (Arranged Chronologically)
2) Correspondence Concerning Keepers And Assistant Keepers, 1821-1902 (Arranged
Alphabetically)
2. Revenue Cutter Service, 1791-1919 (Became Coast Guard in 1915)
a. Information (All Records Arranged Alphabetically By Ship)
1) Shipping Articles, 1863-1915 (Arranged Alphabetically By Ship/Not Indexed)
2) Muster Rolls, 1833-1932
a) Name, Rating, Date & Place Of Enlistment, Place of Birth & Age, Occupation,
Physical Description
b) Military Status: Dates of Transfer, Detachment, Discharge, Desertion & Death
3) Pay Rolls
b. Additional Information For Officers
1) Officer Personnel Files, 1791-1919 (Arranged Alphabetically)
2) Commissions, 1791-1910 (Arranged Chronologically)
3. Life Saving Service, 1866-1913 (Became Coast Guard in 1915)
a. Service Record Cards, 1900-1914
1) Information: Name, Residence, Birth Place, Status, Salary
2) Arranged Alphabetically
b. Register Of Employees, 1866-1913
1) Information: Name, Address, Birth Year, Military Service, State Of Appointment,
Salary, Discharge Date & Reason For Leaving
2) Arranged Alphabetically
c. Articles Of Engagement, 1878-1914
1) Information: Name, Terms Of Employment & Salary
2) Arranged Chronologically
4. Coast Guard, 1915-Present (See Revenue Cutter Service Records
a. Service Records
b. Muster Rolls, 1833-1932 (See Section Under Same Name Revenue Cutter Section)
c. Payrolls
d. Additional Information For Officers: Proceedings Of Officer Personnel Boards
5. Historical Note: Coast Guard Created In 1915 By Combining The Revenue Cutter Service &
The Life Saving Service. In 1939 The Lighthouse Service Was Added To The Organization.
D. Air Force Records (Part Of Army Until 1947)
1. Army Signal Corps, Aeronautical Division, 1907-1918
2. Army Signal Corps, Aviation Section, 1914-1918
3. Army Air Service, 1918-1926 (Combined Aeronautical Division and Aviation Section)
4. Army Air Corps, 1926-1941
5. Army Air Forces (AAF), 1941-1947
6. Air Force, 1947-Present (In 1947 Made Independent Branch of Armed Services)
a. NPRC Fire in 1973 Destroyed 75% Of Discharge Personnel From 1947 To 1964
b. Records From 1964 Are Only Available To Veteran And His Next-Of-Kin
VII.
MILITARY RECORDS - LATE 19th to PRESENT
A. Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF) - All Branches
1. Contents Of An Official Military Personnel File (OMPF)
a. Date The Type Of Enlistment/Appointment
b. Duty Stations And Assignments
c. Training & Qualifications
d. Awards & Decorations
e. Disciplinary Actions & Court-Martial Records
f. Emergency Information
g. Health And Medical Records
h. Date & Type Of Separation (Honorable, Death Or Retirement)
2. Not Included In OMPF File
a. Participation In Battles
b. Medical Records Housed By The Veteran Administration
B. Records Not Available
1. Non-Archival OMPF - Records Less Than 62 Years From Date Of Separation
2. Select Records Held by National Archives at College Park, MD-Modern Military Records
3. Records In 1973 Fire Destroyed Records For Army & Air Force Personnel
a. Army - 80% - Discharged From 1 Nov 1912-1 Jan 1960
b. Air Force - 75% - Discharged From 25 Sep 1947-1 Jan 1964 (Surnames Hubbard-Z)
C. Non-Archival Information - Holdings
1. Army Morning Reports (includes Army Air Corps, Army Air Forces) - 1912-1959, 1960-1974
2. Army Unit Rosters, 1912-1959, 1960-1974
a. Exception: Rosters In 1944, 1945 And 1946 Were Disposed Of In The 1970’s
3. Air Force Morning Reports, 1947-1966
4. VA Index Cards, 1917-1940 & 1940-1972
VIII.
PENSIONS
A. In General
1. Best Source Of Genealogical Information Along With Bounty Land Warrant Files
a. Has Family Information And Documents Not Found In Other Military Service Records
b. Claimant Could Have Applied Under Several Pension Acts
c. May Contain Applications From Several Claimants-Wife, Children, Dependents
2. Types of Records Used To Find Pension Information
a. Pension Files
b. Pension Application Files
c. Pension Lists
d. Censuses
e. Veteran Schedules
B. Pension Application Files, 1775-1916
1. General Information
a. Payment Based On Service Between 1775-1916
b. Application Required Throughout The Years Due To Different Pension Acts
c. Pension Applications Were Kept Even If The Veteran Was Denied A Pension
2. Typical Pension Application File
a. Documents Submitted As Evidence Of Identity
1) Family Bibles Pages
2) Copies Of Birth, Marriage, And Death Certificates
b. Documents Submitted As Proof Of Service
1) Discharge Papers
2) Narrative Of Service
3) Depositions Of Witnesses
4) Affidavits Of Witnesses Attesting To Service
5) Questionnaire Completed By Veteran
c. Record Of Action Brought By Multiple Claimants
1) Widow
2) Minor Children
3) Dependent Family Members (Parents)
3. Pension Application Files Information
a. Veteran
1) Name
2) Date And Place Of Birth
3) Residence
4) Enlistment & Discharge Date
5) Period Of Military Service
6) Rank
7) Military Unit (Regiment & Company)
8) Proof of Service: Discharge Papers & Adjutant General Statement of Service
9) Nature of Disability Or Proof Of Need
10) Pension Application Date, File Number, Acceptance Letter, Certificate Number
11) Names of Dependents (Wife, Children, Parents)
12) Bounty Land Information
b. Widow (Widows’ Pensions)
1) Married Name
2) Maiden Name
3) Date And Place Of Birth
4) Marriage Certificate
5) Date & Place Of Veteran’s Death
6) Residence
7) Names Of Surviving Minor Children (under 16)
c. Dependent Minor Children Applications
1) Marriage Certificate Of Parents
2) Birth Certificate (Copy)
3) Names Of Other Surviving Siblings
4) Date & Place Of Mother’s Death
5) Residence
6) Information From Veteran & His Wife’s Files
4. Information of General Importance
a. Disability Pensions: Requirements Changed Frequently
b. Service Pensions: Awarded On Basis Of Time Service & Rank
c. Widows’ Pensions: Awarded To Women Who Lost Husbands During A War Or Whose
Husbands Met Specific Service Requirements
5. Confederate Pensions
a. Records At State Level - Not National Archives
b. Were Issued By The Following States: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Texas, And Virginia
c. Eligibility: Based On Residence At The Time Of The Pension Application
d. States’ Pension Laws Varied Widely As To Effective Dates, Qualifications, And Benefits
6. Pension Indexes
a. Revolutionary War Pension Index
b.Old War Pension Index, 1781-1926 (Regular Army, Navy, Marine Corps)
c. War of 1812 Pension Index
d. Indian War Pension Index, 1817-1898 (Arranged Alphabetically)
e. General Index To Pension Files, 1861-1934 (Civil War -1934) (Arranged Alphabetically)
f. Post 1934 Records: Contact Department of Veteran Affairs or Submit FOIA Request
C. Pension Lists (State & Federal)
1. Lists: 1792-95, 1813, 1817, 1818, 1820, 1823, 1831, 1835, 1840, 1849, 1857, 1883, 1899
2. Information: Name, Wife, Children, Age, Death Date & Service Information
3. Published In The U.S. Congressional Serial Set / Library of Congress
IX.
VETERAN SCHEDULES & FEDERAL CENSUSES
A. Veteran Schedules - 1840 & 1890
1. 1840 Veteran Schedule Information (Also Known As Revolutionary War Pensioner Census)
a. Information
1) Name Of Veteran If He Served In The Revolutionary War
2) Age
3) Persons Or Family Members Living With The Veteran
b. Unlike The 1840 Population Schedule, Which Listed Only The Name Of The Head Of
Household, This Special Census Listed The Name Family Members Who Resided With
The Veteran
2. 1890 Veteran Schedule Information (Special Schedule)
a. Information
1) Name Of Veteran Or Widow
2) Army: Union or Confederate
3) Branch & Regiment
4) Rank
5) Enlistment & Discharge Dates
6) Length Of Service
7) Residence, Mailing Address Or Post Office Box
8) Type of Disability
b. Problems
1) Not All Veterans Were Listed
2) Majority of Schedules Destroyed
B. Federal Censuses – Federal Population Census Schedules
1. Military Questions: 1910, 1930, 1940
a. 1910: Asked Whether A Survivor Of The Union Or Confederate Army Or Navy.
1) Abbreviations Indicate What War & What Military Branch
2) Example: UA Would Mean Union Army Or CN Would Mean Confederate Navy
b. 1930: Asked If A Person Was A Veteran Of The U.S. Military Or Naval Forces Mobilized
For Any War Or Expedition? If Yes, Which War Or Expedition?
c. 1940: Long Form Asked If A Person Was A Veteran, And If So, What War?
2. Special Enumeration of Military Installations, 1900-1940
a. Military Personnel Were Treated As Residents Of The Posts Of Duty
b. Included Military And Naval Installations, Ships, Military Hospitals (Home & Overseas)
c. 1940 Overseas Census: Originals Do Not Exist
X.
BOUNTY LAND WARRANTS, 1775-1855
A. Bounty Land Warrants Granted To Veterans (Or Heirs) As Repayment For Their Military
Service (Based On Service Length & Rank)
1. Warrants Gave the Veteran A Right To Free Land In The Public Domain.
2. All Warrants Were Assignable That Were Used Before 1852 (Exception: War Of 1812)
B. Genealogical Significance
1. Locates Information About A Veteran & His Family
2. Gives Information On An Individual’s Military Service
C. Federal Land Bounty Acts
1. Revolutionary War Warrants / U.S. Military District in Ohio (1788, 1803, 1806)
a. Only Privates & Non-Commissioned Officers From Any State Who Fought In The
Continental Army
b. Initially Only For U. S. Military District in Ohio. Eventually Included The Private Tracts
Owned By The Ohio Company And Judge Symmes (Symmes Purchase aka Miami
Purchase)
c. Due To The Shortage of Land In 1832 Warrants Were Allowed To Be Traded For Scrip
Negotiable At General Land Offices in Ohio, Indiana & Illinois
d. Fires Destroyed Files in 1800 & 1814. If Veteran’s Name Is Known, The Veteran’s
Revolutionary War Pension File May Contain His Application.
e. Assignable
2. War Of 1812 / U.S. Military Districts In Illinois, Arkansas, Missouri (1811, 1812, 1814, 1842)
a. Not Assignable Except By Inheritance
b. Only For Privates & Non-Commissioned Officers Until 1850
3. Applications For Bounty Land Scrip (1830, 1832, 1833, 1835, 1852)
a. Initially The Scrip Was Restricted To Unused Warrants in Ohio, Indiana & Illinois
b. Acts of 1933 & 1842 Made Them Unrestricted
4. Mexican War Bounty Land Warrants (1847)
a. Only For Privates & Non-Commissioned Officers
b. No Military District Restriction Due To The Shortage Of Land
c. Assignable
5. The Acts of 1850-1855 (1850, 1852, 1855)
a. Used Not To Encourage Enlistment But Reward Former Service
b. Open Warrants Up To Officers & Enlisted Men Who Had Previously Received Land
c. Rank & Length of Service Determined Amount of Land Awarded
d. Assignable
D. State Bounty Land Warrants / Revolutionary War
1. Nine States Issued Warrants: Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York,
North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia (Not DE, RI, NH, NJ)
2. Five States Offered Land In Their State: Georgia, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania and
South Carolina
3. All The States Except Massachusetts Allowed Veterans To Receive Both Federal & State
Bounty Land Warrants
4. States That Offered Land To Veterans Outside of Their State Boundaries
a. Virginia: Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana
b. Massachusetts: Maine
c. North Carolina: Tennessee
5. Criteria Differed By State
a. Connecticut: Gave No Land To Soldiers But Gave Land In Ohio To Citizens Who
Experienced Property Loss
b. Georgia: Offered Land To Civilians Who Remained Neutral
E. Typical File Contains (Wide Variation In Submitted Documents)
1. Applicant Information
a. Name & Age
b. Birth Date And Birthplace
c. Residence
d. Unit (Regiment, Company) & Rank
e. Period Of Service
2. Service Information
a. Muster Rolls
b. Discharge Papers or Depositions Or Affidavits From Witnesses
3. Relationship Information
a. Birth, Marriage, Death Certificates & Wills
b. Family Sources: Bible Pages & Family Letters
c. Affidavits & Supporting Documents
d. Obituaries & Newspaper Articles
4. Other Applicants
a. Surviving Widow information
1) Age
2) Residence
3) Maiden Name
4) Date And Place Of Marriage
b. Dependent Children Or Parents
F. Location of Federal & State Patents
1. Federal Patents: General Land Office (GLO) (under the Bureau of Land Management)
2. State Land Patents: State Where Patent Was Awarded
G. Complications
1. Variety of Federal Bounty Land Acts - Each With Different Criteria
2. Land Awarded Often Not In The State The Veteran Served Or Resided
3. Can Contain Multiple Applicants In A File
4. Fraudulent Conveyances Common (Became A Problem For The Federal Government)
5. Warrants Could Be Sold And Assigned To A Different Person Who Is Not A Relative
6. Sometimes Sold Without Endorsing The Back Of The Documents
7. Deed Records In Counties Won’t Include Military Land Grants, Only The Deed Transfers
Subsequent To The Original Sale Or Possession Of The Land
XI.
DRAFT REGISTRATIONS
B. Genealogical Significance Increased With Time
C. Drafts Prior To World War I
1. Revolutionary War
a. Continental Congress Had No Power To Draft Or Conscript Men Into Service
b. Individual States Drafted Men From Their Own Militias To Serve In The Continental
Congress
2. War of 1812 - None
3. Civil War - 4 Drafts (1863-1865)
a. Major Problems
1) Need To Know Congressional District
2) Records Are Incomplete
3) Problematical Indexes
4) Draftees Could Hire Substitutes To Avoid Service
D. World War I & World War II Drafts
4. World War I
a. Three Drafts
1) 1st Draft: 5 Jun 1917 (Ages 21-31)
2) 2nd Draft: 5 June 1918 (Age 21) (Men Who Turned 21 Since The 1st Draft)
3) 3rd Draft: 12 Sept 1918 (Ages 18-21 & 31-45)
b. General Information Requested
1) Full Name
2) Serial Number
3) Home Address
4) Date And Place Of Birth
5) Country Of Citizenship If An Alien
6) Naturalization Status (Declaration, Petition)
7) Status of Citizenship: Native Born, Naturalized or Alien
8) Occupation And Employer’s Name & Address
9) Physical Description: Height, Weight, Eye/Hair Color, Complexion, Disability, Race
10) Additional Information: Address Of Nearest Relative, Marital Status, Dependent
Relatives, Father’s Birthplace, Previous Exemption From Service
c. Other Notes
1) Non-Citizens Required To Register But Did Not Have To Serve
2) If Not Living In Home Town, The Draft Card Sent To Home Draft Board
5. World War II
a. Seven Drafts
1) 1st Draft: 6 October 1940 (Ages 21-31 Years) (Native Born, Naturalized, Or Alien)
2) 2nd Draft: 1 July 1941 (Age 21) (Men Who Turned 21 Since The 1st Draft)
3) 3rd Draft: 14-16 February 1942 (Ages 20-21 And 35-44)
4) 4th Draft: 25-27 April 27 1942 (Ages 45-64) (Manpower Inventory Only)
5) 5th Draft: 30 June 1942 (Ages 18-20)
6) 6th Draft: 10-31 Dec 1942 (Age 18) (Men Who Turned 18 Since The 5th Draft)
7) 7th Draft: 16 November-31 December 1943 (Ages 18-44) (Men Living Overseas)
b. Only Draft Registration Cards Available To The Public
1) Fourth Draft: (“Old Man’s Registration”)(Destroyed: AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN)
2) WWII Draft Cards (Young Men), 1940-1947: Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, North
Carolina [See Ancestry.com]
c. General Information Requested
1) Full Name
2) Serial Number
3) Home Address, Mailing Address, Telephone
4) Date And Place Of Birth & Age
5) Country Of Citizenship
6) Occupation And Employer’s Name & Address
7) Name And Address of Person Who Will Always Know Registrant’s Address
8) Physical Description (Race, Height, Weight, Eye/Hair Color, Complexion, Remarks)
XII.
MISCELLANEOUS
B. Soldiers Homes (Officially Called National Military Homes For Disabled Volunteer Soldiers)
1. Number of Homes: 55 Homes In 43 States
2. Historical Registers of National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866 – 1938
a. Registers Divided Into 3 Sections: Military, Domestic & Home
b. Information:
1) Military-Enlistment, Rank, Company, Regiment, Discharge
2) Domestic: Birth Place, Age, Height, Religion, Occupation, Residence, Marital
Status, Address Of Nearest Relative
3) Home: Rate Of Pension, Date Of Admission To The Home, Discharge, Death Date,
Burial Date
C. Information For The Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) Will Provide
1. Burial Information
2. Place Of Death (Possibly Even A Report Of The Action In Which The Veteran Died)
D. Veteran & Lineage Societies
1. Organizations Exist For All Wars (See Cyndi’s List Or Wikipedia)
E. FOIA Request-Freedom Of Information Act
1. Provide The Following Information In Addition To The Information You Are Requesting
a. Activity Code (If Known)
b. Ship/Base Or Unit Designation(s)
c. Beginning And End Date Of Interest
d. Type Of Information Sought
e. Officer Or Enlisted Or Both Officer And Enlisted
f. Quarterly Roster Entries/Personnel Diary Entries Or Both
g. The Name(s) Of Specific Person(s) (If Applicable)
h. Note: The More Specific The Information The Quicker A Request Will Be Processed.
2. Types of Information Important To The Request To Reconstruct Records From 1912-1959
a. Pension Payment Vouchers (Lists Name, Service Number, Dates Of Service)
b. Morning Reports (Army/Navy) (Army Air Corps & Army Air Force)
c. Personnel Diaries (Navy)
d. Unit Rosters & Muster Rolls
e. Hospital Records (Created By U.S. Army Surgeon General’s Office)
f. Final Pay Vouchers
XIII.
MILITARY WEBSITES
A. Major Websites
1. Ancestry: http://www.ancestry.com
2. Ancestry / NARA Collections: http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1572
3. Fold3: http://www.fold3.com/
4. FamilySearch: https://familysearch.org/
5. Heritage Quest: http://www.heritagequestonline.com/hqoweb/library/do/index
6. World Vital Records: http://www.worldvitalrecords.com/contentlisting.aspx?cat=military
7. RecordsBase: http://www.recordsbase.com/
8. Cyndi’s List www.cyndislist.com
B. National & State Archives Websites
1. National Archives: http://www.archives.gov/research/military/
2. National Archives/Access To Archival Databases: http://aad.archives.gov/aad/
3. National Archives/ Recommended Websites: http://thegscc.org/wpcontent/uploads/2010/08/NARA.pdf
4. National Archives/Veteran Service Records: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/
5. Locator of Personnel Records on US Military News Portal (Location Table )
a. Army: http://military-veteran.com/records/army.html
b. Navy: http://military-veteran.com/records/navy.html
c. Marine Corps: http://military-veteran.com/records/marines.html
d. Coast Guard: http://military-veteran.com/records/coastguard.html
e. Air Force: http://military-veteran.com/records/airforce.html
6. Master Index Of Army Records: http://www.history.army.mil/reference/records.htm
7. American Battle Monuments Commission: http://www.abmc.gov/search/wwi.php
8. Veterans Affairs Grave Locater: http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/j2ee/servlet/ngl_v1
9. Veterans History Project: http://www.loc.gov/vets/ (Library of Congress)
10. Military Indexes: http://www.militaryindexes.com/index.html [Part Of Researchguides.Net]
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Pritzker Military Museum & Library: http://www.pritzkermilitary.org/
Civil War Soldiers And Sailors System: http://www.civilwar.nps.gov/cwss/
Mary’s Genealogy Treasure/ Military: http://www.telusplanet.net/public/mtoll/usmil.htm
Bureau Land Management: http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/default.aspx
USGenWeb: http://usgenweb.org/ [Individual State Pages]
Links To State Archives: http://www.archives.gov/research/alic/reference/statearchives.html or http://www.statearchives.us/index.htm
C. Other Websites
1. Rootsweb: http://searches.rootsweb.ancestry.com/
a. Researching Military Ancestors (Hotlinks To FamilySearch):
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tqpeiffer/documents/war%20ve
terans%20research%20&%20resources.htm
2. Specific Wars (not comprehensive)
a. Revolutionary War Links: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ars/arw.htm
b. Revolutionary War Pensions Statements & Rosters: http://revwarapps.org/
c. Valley Forge Legacy: http://valleyforgemusterroll.org/
d. War Of 1812: https://www.uscg.mil/lantarea/docs/WAROF1812DOC.pdf
e. Indian Wars, 1805-1858: http://genealogybybarry.com/genealogy-early-indian-wars1815-1858-researching-and-finding-military-records/
f. Civil War: http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/genealogy/
g. Civil War /Soldiers & Sailors Database: http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/soldiers-andsailors-database.htm
h. The War Of The Rebellion: http://ebooks.library.cornell.edu/m/moawar/waro.html
i. World War I Draft Registrations:
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rwguide/wwidraft.html
j. Korean War Project: http://www.koreanwar.org/
k. Naval History / Index: http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/Naval.html
l. Index To Microfilmed War Records In The National Archives
1) http://www.lhaasdav.com/learningcenter/narsindex.html
2) http://www.lhaasdav.com/learningcenter/narsindex2.html
3) http://www.lhaasdav.com/learningcenter/narsindex3.html
4) http://www.lhaasdav.com/learningcenter/narsindex4.html
m. Ancestors / Military Records:
http://www.byub.org/ancestors/records/military/intro.html
n. Pamphlets On Microfilm Publications In the National Archives Library / Civil War
1) http://www.archives.gov/research/alic/reference/military/civil-war-servicerecords-pamphlets.html
2) http://www.archives.gov/research/military/civil-war/resources.html
3) http://www.archives.gov/research/military/civil-war/microfilmed-servicerecords-volunteers.pdf
3. Other
a. Genealogybranches: http://www.genealogybranches.com/military.html
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
4.
5.
6.
7.
The Olive Tree Genealogy: http://www.olivetreegenealogy.com/mil/usa/span_amer.shtml
Linkpendium: http://www.linkpendium.com/
Access Genealogy: http://www.accessgenealogy.com/
Genealogy Quest: http://genealogy-quest.com/
Guide: http://www.barbsnow.net/Military.htm
Steve Morse One-Step:
http://stevemorse.org/fhl/websiteslist.php?file=weblinksunitedstates&mode=fhl
Veteran & Lineage Organizations
a. Cyndi’s List: http://www.cyndislist.com/societies/lineage/military/
b. Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/list_of_hereditary_and_lineage_organizations
Veteran Homes
a. National Association of State Veterans Homes: http://www.nasvh.org/index.cfm and
http://www.acronymfinder.com/National-Association-of-State-Veterans-Homes(NASVH).html
Record Selection Tables
a. General
1) https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/US_Military_Record_Selection_Table
2) http://www.buffalolib.org/sites/default/files/pdf/genealogy/subjectguides/Record%20Selection%20Table.pdf (very specific)
3) http://www.familychronicle.com/records.html
4) http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~moyer/Class/RecordSelection-Table.pdf
b. Military
1) FamilySearch:
https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/US_Military_Record_Selection_Table
Books
a. Military Service Records At the National Archives By Trevor K. Plante (Reference
Information Paper 109): http://www.archives.gov/publications/ref-infopapers/rip109.pdf [download book from link] [NARA Reference Paper & Book]
b. History of Military Pension Legislation in the United States By William Henry Glasson:
https://archive.org/details/historyofmilitar00glasrich
c. Law of the United States governing the Granting of Army and Navy Pensions: ebook
d. Pension Payment Cards, 1907-1933:
https://archive.org/stream/veteransadminist0258unit#page/n1/mode/2up &
https://archive.org/details/veteransadminpensionpaymentcards
e. Pensioners On The Roll, January 1, 1883:
https://archive.org/details/listpensionerso00buregoog
f. VA History in Brief By The Department of Veteran Affairs:
http://www.va.gov/opa/publications/archives/docs/history_in_brief.pdf
g. U.S. Military Records: Guide to Federal and State Source, Colonial America to Present,
Ancestry, 1994 By James C. Neagle
h. How To Locate Anyone Who Is or Has Been in the Military: Armed Forces Locator
Directory By Richard S. Johnson (San Antonio, TX: Military Information Enterprises
Publishing, 1993)
i. World War 2 Military Records: A Family Historian's Guide By Debra Johnson Knox
(Spartanburg, SC: MIE Publishing, 2003)
j. The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy. (Chapter 11) Ancestry, 2006.
k. Archive.org: Free books that are available from the government
l. Prologue Magazine / NARA online publication:
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/genealogy-notes.html#mil
8. PowerPoint Presentations
a. http://www.slideshare.net/ancestry/finding-your-us-military-heroes-on-ancestry
b. http://www.slideshare.net/medinalibrary/military-records
c. http://www.slideshare.net/LukeSprague/how-to-order-us-military-servicerecords?related=1
XIV.
MILITARY SELECTION TABLES [3 charts]
[https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/US_Military_Record_Selection_Table]