Genealogy Information in a Civil War Pension File - Military Monday

If you'd like to learn more about my experiences with a Civil War pension file, scroll down to "Post Topics" on the left side of this page and click on "Civil War Pension File."

As I transcribed Ellis's file I realized that the only forms in the file were ones that he or his attorney had submitted or that the pension office had collected (as in surgeon's reports). There were no forms that had been sent to Ellis.

Below, in chronological order of filing, are the most helpful documents for genealogy purposes in a Civil War Pension File. Below each document name/date is the information I found.

Claim for Disability Pension, filed July 19, 1890
(Click on image at right to enlarge it.)

• Attorneys handling his claim
• Company, regiment, state of enlistment
• Enlistment and discharge dates
• City and county of residence in July, 1890
• Age, height, complexion, hair color, eye color
• Place and date of birth
• Ailment and reason for requesting pension
• Occupation in July, 1890
• Occupation at time of enrollment in military
• Signature
  

Form 3-111 c (probably a Surgeon's Certificate), filed July 11, 1894

• Post Office address (which was different than in 1890)
• Height, weight, age
  

Form 3--402, completed July 4, 1898

• Current wife's first and maiden name
• Current wife's previous surname (she was a widow when she married Ellis)
  
• Marriage date and location, who performed the marriage
• Previous wife's first and maiden names (Ellis's first wife & my gg-grandmother)
  
• Location and date of death of previous wife
• Names of living children
• Birth dates of living children
  

Soldier's Application, Declaration for Invalid Pension, dated December 16, 1901

• City, county, and state of residence as of this date
• Age, as of this date
• Location of discharge from military service
  

Surgeon's Certificate, Form 3--155, dated June 4, 1902

• City of residence
• Birthplace, age, height, weight, complexion, eye color, hair color, occupation
  

Soldier's Application, Declaration for Invalid Pension, dated November 30, 1904

• Age
• Street, city, county, state of residence
  

Declaration for Pension, Form 3--014, dated February 25, 1907

• Age
• City, county, and state of residence
• Birth date and location
• Cities of residence from birth to date of form
  

Certificate of Death, dated June 29, 1907

• Date of death
• Cause of death
• Street, ward, township, county, and state of death
  

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