Military Pension Files

[Ian]

federal and state governments offer pensions to certain military veterans and their families. pension application papers can be a valuable source of genealogical information. they can include marriage certificates, birth records, etc. governments should maintain a pension file for each applicant.

many of our ancestors served in the military. it would be great to obtain copies of their complete pension files, if possible.

federal pension files from 1775 to 1915 are available at the national archives building in washington d.c. if anyone visits washington d.c., it would be great to visit the national archives building and make copies of the complete pension files for some of our ancestors.

alternatively, a copy of a complete pension application file (up to 100 pages) can be ordered online for a fee (currently $80), using form NATF 85D.

[Ian]

here is information for one ancestor:

jeremiah ervin served in the civil war. his wife/widow was rebecca ann opliger ervin. it seems that at least two pension applications were filed on behalf of jeremiah:

pension application filed 18 Feb 1888, application no. 640412, certificate no. 441692, state filed: indiana

pension application filed 28 Jun 1890, application no. 426577, certificate no. 470089, state filed: indiana

the second application (no. 426577) may contain the most information. tom ervin uploaded portions of this pension file at ancestry.com, and it includes a marriage certificate for jeremiah and rebecca as well as information regarding some of their children and other interesting documents.

[Ian]

some pension files are available online at fold3.com. so far i found pensions files for the following ancestors:

daniel opliger (private in the civil war)

william huntington (fifer in the revolutionary war)

jabez alexander (private in the revolutionary war)

[Tuly]

This is wonderful Ian. Thank you. I wish i could afford to subscribe you to fold3.

[Ian]

added two more pension files:

issachar mayo (private in the revolutionary war)

ichabod burgess (corporal in the revolutionary war)