MILITARY SERVICE

Civil War Pension Index

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Source: Ancestry.com

Description:
One of the defining events in American history, the Civil War involved millions of men who served the United States and the Confederate States. Millions of these men, or their dependents, applied for pension support from the federal government. These application cards (for Federal, not Confederate pensions) were indexed by the Pension Office and kept by the National Archives. This database is an index to nearly 2.5 million of these application cards. Each record includes the veteran's name and state in which he, or his dependents, filed the application. If a widow or a child filed the application, their name is provided. Because these pension files were for federal benefits, this collection only contains the names of Union veterans. To researchers of Civil War ancestors this database can be a useful source of detailed information. In addition, the index contains a link to a digitized image of the index card itself, which will contain additional information on the individual, such as unit of service, date of filing, and application and certificate numbers for the pension case file housed at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington D.C.

Extended Description

Requirements for a pension varied according to congressional amendments after the original 1862 legislation. Each amendment extended the benefits by more liberal terms. Veterans, widows, parents, and minor dependents were eligible for pensions under certain conditions, and each was required to file an application. The files contain much military service and family information. Included are a declaration by the claimant, a statement of service from the War Department or the Navy Department, a personal history questionnaire, a family questionnaire, and affidavits by comrades-in-arms, relatives, and neighbors attesting to the validity of the claimant's declarations. Where disability and need were factors in the decision, medical reports of physical condition were included. Contrary to custom of several years ago, the medical documents were not withheld and are routinely part of the general file.

Taken from Chapter 9: Research in Military Records, The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy by Johni Cerny; revised by Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck and David Thackery; edited by Loretto Dennis Szucs and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking (Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry Incorporated, 1997).

After locating an entry in the Civil War Pension Index, researchers may follow the Images Online link to a scanned image of the index card itself. This index card contains the name of the Civil War soldier (occasionally listed with alias) and the names of any dependants such as a widow, child, etc. Also listed in the service section of the card will be the unit or units where the soldier served, usually abbreviated ("cav" for cavalry, "inf" for infantry, "vol" for volunteer, and so on). The bottom half of the card will list dates of filing and certificate numbers, which researchers will use if they request the full casefile from the National Archives and Records Administration.

Occasionally index cards will have a slightly different layout as the nature of the service dictated that different information be recorded.

Source Information:
National Archives and Records Administration. Civil War Pension Index. [database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2000. Data indexed and imaged from National Archives and Records Administration. General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934. T288, 544 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.

What Do I Do Now?
After locating an ancestor in the Civil War Pension Index, researchers are urged to request a copy of the casefile referred to by the index.

According to the National Archives, "...the number and type of documents in the Civil War and later series vary greatly from file to file; they are often numerous. The documents of greatest genealogical interest include the declaration of the veteran, the declaration of the widow, the statement of service from the War or Navy Department, the personal history questionnaire, and documents relating to the termination of pensions."

Photocopies of casefile contents are currently requested by submitting NATF Form 80 to the National Archives and Records Administration, Attn: NWCTB, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20408-0001. You can request NATF Form 80 by submitting your name and postal address, the form number (NATF Form 80), and the number of forms you require (limit 6 per request) to inquire@nara.gov.

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Database: Civil War Pension Index

HALSEY

Abraham W. Halsey -- Image: 3570 State Filed: New York
Agnes F. Halsey -- Image: 3568
Albert A. Halsey -- Image: 3569 State Filed: New York
Albert H. Halsey -- Image: 3567 State Filed: New York
Widow: Mary C. Halsey
Alexander Halsey -- Image: 3565 State Filed: New Jersey
Alexander Halsey -- Image: 3566 State Filed: Louisiana
Alonzo D. Halsey -- Image: 3564 State Filed: Iowa
Ansolem Halsey -- Image: 3563
Widow: Antoinette Halsey
Barker W. Halsey -- Image: 3479 State Filed: New York
Widow: Sarah M. Halsey
Barkley Halsey -- Image: 3562 State Filed: Ohio
Brazile W. Halsey -- Image: 3561 State Filed: Montana
Breston R. Halsey -- Image: 3478 State Filed: Oklahoma
Widow: Susan A. Halsey
Channcey W. Halsey -- Image: 3550 State Filed: Oregon
Charles A. Halsey -- Image: 3558 State Filed: New York
Widow: Ella C. Halsey
Charles B. Halsey -- Image: 3557
Widow: Caroline Halsey
Charles H. Halsey -- Image: 3554 State Filed: Indiana and Ohio
Widow: Henrietta A. Halsey
Charles H. Halsey -- Image: 3555 State Filed: New York
Charles Halsey -- Image: 3559 State Filed: Missouri and Oklahoma
Widow: Sarah L. Halsey
Minor: Comments: Sarah L. Littlepage, Gdn.
Charles L. Halsey -- Image: 3553
Widow: Sarah Halsey
Minor: Comments: William Halsey, Gdn.
Charles W. Halsey -- Image: 3552 State Filed: New York
Widow: Rachel Halsey Relative:
Chauncey T. Halsey -- Image: 3551 State Filed: Califoria
Clifford N. Halsey -- Image: 3549 State Filed: California
Colvin C. Halsey -- Image: 3560 State Filed: Pennsylvania
David K. Halsey -- Image: 3547
Davius Halsey - Image: 3548 State Filed: Oregon
Widow: Caudis M. Halsey
Dustin E. Halsey -- Image: 3546 State Filed: Ohio
Dwight Halsey -- Image: 3545
Relative: Mother Louisa Avery
Edmund D. Halsey -- Image: 3544 State Filed: New Jersey
Elmer Halsey -- Image: 3543 State Filed: New York
Widow: Mary E. Halsey
Enos Halsey -- Image: 3542
Widow: Harriett A. Halsey
Erastus E. Halsey -- Image: 3541
Francis Halsey -- Image: 3540
Widow: Abby A. Halsey
Francis M. Halsey -- Image: 3539 State Filed: New York
Frank Halsey Mills -- Image: 3456 State Filed: Kansas
Widow: Virginia M. Mills
Franklin C. Halsey -- Image: 3538 State Filed: Michigan
Relative: Mother Calista Halsey
Father John J. Halsey
Franklin N. Halsey -- Image: 3537
Widow: Sarah E. Halsey
Gamaliel Halsey -- Image: 3536
George B. Halsey -- Image: 3533 State Filed: Michigan
Widow: Amanda Halsey
George C. Halsey -- Image: 3532 State Filed: Wisconsin
Widow: Mary E. Halsey
George F. Halsey -- Image: 3531
Minor: Comments: George F. Halsey: Washington DC R-9758 615 M ST NE
George Halsey -- Image: 3534 State Filed: New Jersey
George Halsey -- Image: 3535
Minor: Comments: M. A. Brown, Gdn.
George R. Halsey -- Image: 3530 State Filed: Califoria
George W. H. Halsey -- Image: 3526 State Filed: New York
Widow: Esther A. Vail
George W. Halsey -- Image: 3527
Widow: Huldah A. Halsey
Minor: Comments: Hulda A. Fry, Gdn.
George W. Halsey -- Image: 3528 State Filed: Ohio
George W. Halsey -- Image: 3529 State Filed: Indiana
Harrison Halsey -- Image: 3525 State Filed: West Virginia
Harry J. Halsey -- Image: 3524 State Filed: Pennsylvania
Harvey M. Halsey -- Image: 3523
Relative: Mother Sarah Halsey
Henry A. Halsey -- Image: 3521 State Filed: Connecticut
Widow: Josephine C. Halsey
Henry H. Halsey -- Image: 3520 State Filed: Califoria
Henry Halsey -- Image: 3522 State Filed: Washington
Henry M. Halsey -- Image: 3519 State Filed: New York
Henry W. Halsey -- Image: 3518 State Filed: New York
Widow: Amanda T. Halsey
Horace A. Halsey -- Image: 3517 State Filed: New Jersey
Isaac B. Halsey -- Image: 3516
James F. Halsey -- Image: 3513 State Filed: California
James F. Halsey; Charles F. Halsey -- Image: 3512 State Filed: California
Widow: Sarah M. Halsey
James F. Halsey; Charles F. Halsey -- Image: 3556 State Filed: California
Widow: Sarah M. Halsey
James H. Halsey -- Image: 3511
James Halsey -- Image: 3514
Minor: Comments: James H. Buck, Gdn.
James Halsey -- Image: 3515 State Filed: Wisconsin
Widow: Marla Halsey
James M. Halsey -- Image: 3510
Widow: Juliet S. Halsey
James S. Halsey -- Image: 3509 State Filed: Indiana
Widow: Minerva H. Halsey
Jasper Halsey -- Image: 3508
Relative: Mother Hannah Halsey
Jeremiah Halsey -- Image: 3507
Jerome Halsey -- Image: 3506
Jesse L. Halsey -- Image: 3505 State Filed: Oregon
John D. Halsey -- Image: 3502
John F. Halsey -- Image: 3501 State Filed: Nebraska and Louisiana
Widow: Rosanah C. Halsey
John H. Halsey -- Image: 3500
John Halsey -- Image: 3503 State Filed: Indiana
John Halsey -- Image: 3504 State Filed: Kansas
Widow: Sallie Halsey
John J. Halsey -- Image: 3499 State Filed: Califoria and New York
Widow: Martha Halsey
John M. Halsey -- Image: 3498
John W. Halsey -- Image: 3497 State Filed: Illinois
John W. Halsey; John W. Halsey -- Image: 3496 State Filed: New York
Widow: Annie M. Halsey
John W. Halsey; John W. Helsey -- Image: 125 State Filed: New York
Widow: Annie M. Harey
John W. Halsey; William Dorsey -- Image: 306 State Filed: Maryland
Widow: Catharine Halsey
John W. Halsey; William Dorsey -- Image: 3495 State Filed: Maryland
Widow: Catharine Halsey
Joseph C. Halsey -- Image: 3494 State Filed:
Widow: Theresa M. Halsey
Minor: Comments: Theresa M. Remington, Gdn.
Menzo D. Halsey -- Image: 3493 State Filed: Michigan
Widow: Margaret V. Halsey
Milton W. Halsey -- Image: 3491
Nathan W. Halsey -- Image: 3489
Nelson Halsey -- Image: 3488 State Filed: New Jersey
Widow: Mary J. Halsey
Newton J. Halsey -- Image: 3487 State Filed: Oklahoma
Widow: Matilda V. Halsey
Newton L. Halsey -- Image: 3486
Norwood A. Halsey -- Image: 3485 State Filed: New Jersey
Widow: Laura V. Halsey
Nulton W. Halsey -- Image: 3492 State Filed: Iowa
Oleroy Halsey -- Image: 3484
Oliver Halsey -- Image: 3483 State Filed: District of Columbia
Widow: Agnes F. Halsey
Ollie B. Halsey -- Image: 3482 State Filed: Michigan
Oren C. Halsey -- Image: 3481 State Filed: Wisconsin
Widow: Amelia A. Halsey
Oscar H. Halsey -- Image: 3480 State Filed: New York
Widow: Arminta Halsey
Minor: Comments: Arminta Mintern, Gdn.
Robert H. Halsey -- Image: 3475
Robert Halsey -- Image: 3476 State Filed: Georgia
Widow: Precilla Halsey
Robert Halsey -- Image: 3477 State Filed: New Mexico
Salin Halsey -- Image: 3474 State Filed: Wisconsin
Widow: Ella M. Halsey
Samuel M. Halsey -- Image: 3473 State Filed: New York
Widow: Mary A. Halsey
Silas E. Halsey -- Image: 3472 State Filed: Michigan
Widow: Martha A. Halsey
Stephen Halsey -- Image: 3471
Widow: Mary E. Halsey
Tappen Halsey -- Image: 3470 State Filed: Illinois
Thomas E. Halsey -- Image: 3468
Minor: Comments: Robert P. Ross, Gdn.
Thomas H. Halsey
Image: 3467
Minor: Comments: George Halsey, Gdn.
Thomas Halsey -- Image: 3469 State Filed: Indiana
Widow: Anna A. Halsey
Minor: Anna A. Halsey
Thomas J. Halsey -- Image: 3466
Thomas S. Halsey -- Image: 3465 State Filed: New York
Walter C. Halsey -- Image: 3462 State Filed: New York
Widow: Gertrude N. Halsey
Wesley W. W. Halsey -- Image: 3461 State Filed: New York
Weston D. Halsey -- Image: 3460 State Filed: New Jersey
Widow: Julia Halsey
William A. Halsey -- Image: 3459 State Filed: Utah
Widow: Margaret A. Halsey
William B. Halsey -- Image: 3458
William F. Halsey -- Image: 3456 State Filed: New Jersey
Widow: Matilda J. Halsey
William F. Halsey, Jr.-- Image: 3457 State Filed: Pennsylvania
William G. Halsey -- Image: 3455 State Filed: New York
Widow: Annie A. Halsey:
William H. Halsey -- Image: 3452 State Filed: New Jersey
Widow: Hilah Halsey
William H. Halsey -- Image: 3453 State Filed: Michigan
Widow: Martha Halsey
William H. Halsey -- Image: 3454
Widow: Esther M. Halsey
Minor: Comments: C. Whitney, Gdn.
William L. Halsey -- Image: 3451 State Filed: New York
Widow: Emily M. Halsey
William M. Halsey -- Image: 3450 State Filed: New York
Widow: Maria T. Halsey
William N. Halsey -- Image: 3449 State Filed: Kansas
Widow: Mary P. Halsey

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This page was last updated January 14, 2004.