United States, National Homes For Disabled Volunteer Soldiers - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States

What is in This Collection?
These are registers of members who resided in the twelve regional homes. Pages in the registers are divided into four parts for each veteran: Home numbers 1-5064 from the home in Bath, New York, are not currently available.
 * Military history
 * Domestic history
 * Home history
 * General remarks

The National Asylum for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers was established on March 3, 1865, for volunteer soldiers who had received disabilities while serving in the Union forces in the Civil War. Initially, the Asylum, later called the Home, was planned to have three branches: the northeast, the central area north of the Ohio River, and the northwest (now the upper Midwest). Seven more branches were added between 1870 and 1907 as broader eligibility requirements allowed more Veterans to apply for admission. Veterans admitted into the Home were recorded in "Historical Registers," which were maintained at various branches. These registers are now at the National Archives in Record Group 15, Records of the Veterans Administration. A home number was assigned to each individual upon admission. The member retained his original number even if he was discharged and later readmitted to the branch. The records cover the years 1866 through 1938.

The records were created to keep track of the disabled war veterans who were being housed and provided for in the Homes. They are generally reliable and a great place to research Civil War veterans.


 * Related Articles
 * Trevor K Plante. The National Home for Disable Volunteer Soldiers'' Prologue: the journal of the National Archives (Spring, 2004): 56-61 FS Library 973 B2p
 * Richard G. Sayre. The National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers-The Records. National Genealogical Society 29 (May/June, 2003) 46-48 FS Library 973 D25ngs


 * Veterans Administration. National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. (7/21/1930 - 10/1/1930) Organization Authority Record

Home Histories - National Archives  Case Files - National Archives 
 * National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers Locations
 * National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. (1873 - 7/21/1930)
 * Eastern Branch, Togus,Maine, 1866-1934 Registers of Members, 1866-1934 NAID 2124650
 * Central Branch, Dayton,Ohio, 1867-1935 Registers of Members, March 26, 1867-March 28, 1934 NAID 2124641
 * Northwestern Branch, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1867-1934 Registers of Members, 1867-1945 NAID 2124660
 * Southern Branch, Hampton, Virginia, 1871-1933 Registers of Members, January 1871-September 1933, NAID 2124714
 * Western Branch, Leavenworth, Kansas, 1885-1934 Registers of Members, 1885-1934 NAID 2124725
 * Branch, Sawtelle, California,1888-1933 Registers of Members, May 1888-October, 1933 NAID 2124681
 * Marion Branch, Marion, Indiana, 1890-1931 Registers of Members, 1890-1931 NAID 2124654
 * Roseburg Branch, Roseburg, Oregon, 1894-1932 Registers of Admissions, 1908-1932 NAID 2124697
 * Danville Branch, Danville, Illinois, 1898-1934 Registers of Members, October 1898-March 1934 NAID 2124644
 * Mountain Branch, Johnson City, Tennessee, 1903-1932 Registers of Members, October 1903-May 1932 NAID 2124656
 * Battle Mountain Sanitarium, Hot Springs, South Dakota,1907-1934 Registers of Members,March 1907-March 1934 NAID 2124638
 * Bath Branch, Bath, New York,1876-1934 Registers of Members, December 1878-June 1934, NAID 2124634
 * Pacific Branch, Sawtelle, California,1888-1933
 * Eastern Branch. Togus, Maine, 1866-1932
 * Mountain Branch, Johnson City, Tennesse, 1904-1934
 * Southern Branch, Hampton, Virginia. Case Files of Veterans Temporarily Housed, 1922 - 1938.
 * Southern Branch, Hampton, Virginia. Sample Case Files of Members, 1869 - 1933.
 * Southern Branch. Hampton, Virginia. Case Files of Veterans Temporarily Housed, 1922 - 1938.
 * Mountain Branch, Johnson City, Tennessee, 1904-1934

 Burial Records - National Archives 
 * Applications for Headstones for Soldiers Buried at Soldiers' Homes, 1909–1923
 * Eastern Branch. Togus, Maine. 1892-1938
 * Pacific Branch, Sawtelle Branch, Grave Registration Plats, 1889 - 1965

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: • 3

How Do I Search This Collection?
To begin your search you will need to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The rank your ancestor held in the military
 * The company in which your ancestor served
 * The regiment in which your ancestor served
 * The branch of the military
 * The approximate dates of service

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the age to calculate an approximate birth date
 * Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of birth to locate census, church, and land records
 * Use the death date to search for death certificates, mortuary, or burial records
 * It may be helpful to compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as your ancestor. This is especially helpful if the surname is unusual
 * If you are having difficulty finding your ancestor, look for variations in the spelling of the name. If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names
 * Additional information may be found in pension files General Index to Pension Files, 186101934
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * You may need to compare the information of more than one family or person to make this determination
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the United States.
 * United States Guided Research
 * United States Record Finder
 * United States Research Tips and Strategies
 * US Military Basic Search Strategies
 * Beginning Research in United States Military Records
 * Beginning United States Civil War Research

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Western Branch. Leavenworth, Kansas. Registers of veterans at the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, Western Branch in Leavenworth, Kansas, 1885-1934
 * Western Branch. Leavenworth, Kansas. Death/burial records of National Home for Disabled Volunteers, 1927-1937


 * Central Branch. Registers of veterans at the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, Central Branch in Dayton, Ohio, 1867-1934
 * Central Branch. Dayton, Ohio. Muster roll for Pennsylvania soldiers at the National Home for disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1869-1880
 * Central Branch, Dayton, Ohio. Records, ca. 1861-1936
 * Central Branch. Dayton, Ohio. Soldiers' Home administrator's docket: cases, 1878-1906 (Montgomery County


 * Southern Branch. Registers of veterans at the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, Southern Branch in Hampton, Virginia, 1871-1933
 * Southern Branch. Hospital records, 1872-1921 ; indexes, 1880-1933.
 * Southern Branch. Hampton Virginia. Records of examination, 1908-1919


 * Registers of veterans at the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers at Battle Mountain in Hot Springs, South Dakota, 1907-1934
 * Hot Springs. South Dakota. State Soldiers' Home, death register, 1890-1977
 * Hot Springs. South Dakota. State Soldiers' Home, case book
 * Hot Springs. South Dakota. State Soldiers' Home, record of board meetings, 1885-1905 and 1911-1955


 * Pacific Branch. Registers of veterans at the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, Pacific Branch in Sawtelle, California, 1888-1933


 * Northwestern Branch. Registers of veterans at the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, Northwestern Branch in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1867-1934


 * Mountain Branch. Registers of veterans at the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, Mountain Branch in Johnson City, Tennessee, 1903-1932


 * Eastern Branch. Registers of veterans at the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, Eastern Branch in Togus, Maine, 1866-1934
 * Togus National cemetery records


 * Registers of veterans at the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Roseburg, Oregon, 1894-1937


 * Registers of veterans at the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Marion, Indiana, 1890-1931


 * Registers of veterans at the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Danville, Illinois, 1898-1934


 * Registers of veterans at the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Bath, New York, 1878-1934

 State Solder Homes
 * United States Soldier's Home. Washington, D.C. Register of deceased soldiers of the Army of the United States : with the amount of their pay, clothing, effects, etc. received for Army Asylum Fund, 1851-1880
 * Marie C. Concannon, Index of residents State Federal Soldiers' Home of Missouri, St. James, Missouri, 1899-1946Columbia, Missouri : State Historical Society of Missouri, 1998 FS Library 977.8 M22i
 * Oregon Soldiers Home applications (Roseburg, Oregon), 1894-1933
 * Pennsylvania soldiers and sailors homes, 1864-1872
 * Philadelphia soldier's home records, 1866-1883
 * Washington. Member files at the Soldiers Homes, 1891-1945

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * Report of the board of managers (National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers)
 * Report of the officers of the Soldiers' Home in Vermont Rutland, Vermont : Tuttle Co, 1888-1916
 * History of the "Soldier's home," Washington, D.C. : with many facsimiles of official documents and letters New York : G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1914

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

Estados Unidos, Lares Nacionais para Soldados Voluntários Incapacitados (Registros Histórico do FamilySearch)