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eLearning Series: Geneology
My Family Tree is Important to Me
( 50 articles in this series )
Researching
Ancestors Who Fought in Wars
Did
your ancestors ever serve in a war? If they did, you could
be overlooking a valuable resource leading
to vital statistics about them and their family members that
exist as a result of their military service. By figuring out
what conflicts, if any, that your ancestor served in, you can
proceed in researching the variety of military records at your
fingertips.
Military
pensions are one avenue of research. Not only veterans
but also their widows or minor children may have received benefits.
Information from family and friends may also be available in
the file, making it a source for genealogical information on
the family as a whole, not just the veteran himself. Due to
the information supplied by family members and acquaintances
in pension files, you should seek them for not only direct
ancestors but their relatives and friends as well who were
veterans.
When searching for your male ancestors who were veterans don’t
forget to look for female relatives who may have somehow been
involved in the military. The Daughters of the American
Revolution (DAR) provides information on female patriots who assisted
soldiers during the Revolution. Also look for both ancestors
you know are veterans and ancestors who could possibly be veterans.
If you believe an ancestor went to a military academy, get
a copy of his school records even if he did not graduate and
go into the military. School records provide interesting familial
information. Finally, don’t forget to look for ancestors who
served in the military but not during a war. These people still
have valuable records that you can access.
Approximately eleven armed conflicts occurred in American
History between 1775 and 1975. Each conflict can be researched
using different resources. The census, however, particularly
the 1930 census, is a good place to start. In 1930, your ancestor
would have indicated he was a veteran if he had served in the
Boxer Rebellion, Civil War, Mexican Expedition, Philippine
Insurrection, Spanish-American war, or World War.
Veterans of the Colonial Wars, which included various battles
fought before 1775, may be listed in state or county records.
The Society of Colonial Wars also provides information in the
form of books and other documents relating to the battles.
Many men, young and old, participated in the American Revolution,
which lasted from 1775 to 1783. The D.A.R. and the S.A.R.,
the Sons of the American Revolution, possess a large amount
of information on veterans of the Revolution. Veterans with
pensions are also listed on microfilm in numerous libraries.
Soldiers, who served their individual states, rather than the
federal government, would be included in state or county records,
and soldiers who fought in single battles may be listed in
battle records that could be available on the Internet.
The twentieth century was a turbulent time for Americans,
consisting of numerous conflicts beginning with the War of
1812. Veterans of the War of 1812, which lasted until 1815,
can be found in indexed records in the National Archives. They
may also be listed in county or state records, in pension records,
or in land records after receiving land grants. The Indian
Wars lasted between 1817 and 1898 and included a variety of
conflicts, such as the Seminole Wars and the Black Hawk War,
which can be researched in local and federal archives. Other
armed conflicts that occurred between the Indian Wars were
the Mexican War and the Civil War. The Mexican War lasted between
1846 and 1848. Pension files and service records have been
indexed on microfilm, and many soldiers received land grants
for their service. Some veterans of the Mexican War also served
in the Civil War. Many American men, both young boys and older
veterans of the Mexican war, served in the Civil War. Residence
in a Union or Confederate State does not guarantee that your
ancestor served on the same side of the war as his neighbors.
Pension records for Union Soldiers are located in the National
Archives and some are also online. Many confederate soldiers
did not receive pensions, and if they did, they received them
from the state. Records can be found in state archives and/or
adjutant general’s offices. The Allen County Public Library
and the National Park Service battlefields, cemeteries, obituaries,
and census records also serve as good resources for information
on Civil War Veterans. Finally, three more conflicts occurred
before World War I at the end of the twentieth century. Veterans
of the Spanish-American War (1898-1899), the Philippine Insurrection
(1899-1902), and the Boxer Rebellion (1900-1901) have pension
or service records, some of which are indexed and available
in the National Archives.
Veterans of World War I, which lasted from 1917-1918, can
be found through draft cards (easily found if you know where
your ancestor lived), Internet sites and archives of service
records, discharge papers, and, if you have your ancestor’s
service number, through the National Military Personnel Records.
Some World War II records, including National Military Personnel
Records are available. Online databases list soldiers who died
in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Wall in Washington, DC also lists deceased soldiers.
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by SolveYourProblem.com
: 2006
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