United States, Headstone Applications for U.S. Military Veterans - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States

What is in This Collection?
This collection consists of images of over 621,000 applications for headstones received by the Cemeterial Division of the Quartermaster General from two National Archive microfilm publications. The first publication, over 290,000 applications, covers 1925 to 1941 and is M1916. Most are for veterans of the Civil War or later. A few may cover earlier wars. The second publication, over 331,000 applications, covers 1941-1949 and is M2113. These records are part of Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, Record Group (RG) 92.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: • 2

Sample Image
In the early frontier years, garrison commanders were expected to bury their dead. During the Civil War, however, the numbers of the dead became too much for them to handle. On September 11, 1861, the War Department began to take command of the responsibility of granting deceased soldiers the privilege of a marked grave. Most of the applications are for the Civil War and later, but some may apply to earlier wars. Approximately 10% of the forms will have two images. The applications are arranged in alphabetical order by surname, then first name. The Office of the Quartermaster General established a Cemetery Branch. This new branch was responsible for establishing, maintaining, and improving national military cemeteries. On March 3, 1873, Congress granted burial rights in national military cemeteries to all honorably discharged veterans of the Civil War on March 3, 1873, then extended the privilege of government-provided gravestones to soldiers buried in private cemeteries on February 3, 1879. For more information, visit the report "Applications for Headstones for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1941." Applications for Headstones for U.S. Military Veterans.

 Additional Sources 
 * Claire Prechtel-Kluskens. Headstone records for US military veterans. Part I: Headstone design. NGS Magazine 39 #1 (January - March 2013): 30-33.
 * Claire Prechtel-Kluskens.  Headstone records for US military veterans. Part II: Records for headstones requested from 1879 to 1925. NGS Magazine 39 #2 (April-June 2013):32-35.
 * John P. Deeben. Last rites for the honored dead: Records of military burials in national cemeteries. NGS Magazine 37 #1 (January-March 2011): 15-18.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The full name of the soldier
 * The death date or cemetery where the soldier was buried
 * The approximate birth date and birth place of the soldier

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the 
 * 1) Select Year Range
 * 2) Select Surname Range to view the images.

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 any information you already know about your ancestor, such as name, rank, company, regiment, etc., to determine previously unknown information such as date of death and cemetery
 * Use information about religion, found on later versions of the form, to locate church and land records
 * The name of the cemetery could lead you to funeral and cemetery records, which often include the names and residences of other family members
 * Continue to search cemetery records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the deceased who may have been buried in the same cemetery or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify
 * Compile the entries for every person with the same surname. This is especially helpful for rural areas or unusual surnames
 * When looking for a person with a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * These records are quite reliable, though there is still a chance of misinformation. For example, soldiers often falsified their ages in order to be admitted into the army

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

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * 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 in your research for your family in the United States.
 * United States Guided Research
 * United States Record Finder
 * United States Research Tips and Strategies
 * Beginning Research in United States Military Records
 * US Military Basic Search Strategies

Related Family History Library Holdings

 * Applications for headstones for U.S. military veterans, 1925-1941
 * United States, applications for headstones for U.S. military veterans, 1941-1949
 * Louisiana United States national cemeteries burials, 1860-1930
 * Rhode Island State Archive. military deaths and index 1924-1962

Related FamilySearch Historical Record Collections

 * United States, Burial Registers for Military Posts, Camps, and Stations,1768-1921.
 * United States Records of Headstones of Deceased Union Veterans, 1879-1903
 * Illinois Soldier Burial Places, 1774-1974
 * Iowa, Adjutant General's Office, Grave Registration Service, Cemetery Records, 1800-2000
 * Iowa, Armed Forces Grave Registrations, ca. 1835-1998
 * Maine, State Archives, World War I (WWI) Grave Cards, 1914-1950
 * Michigan, Civil War Centennial Observance Commission, Committee on Civil War Grave Registration, Burial Records
 * New Jersey, Mercer County, Veteran's Service Office, Grave Registration Records, ca. 1770-ca.1979
 * Ohio, Grave Registrations of Soldiers, 1810-1955
 * Ohio, Veterans Home Deaths and Burials, 1889-1930
 * Ohio, Athens County, Deceased Veteran Grave Registration Card File Index, 1819-1936
 * Ohio, Carroll County, Veteran Grave Registrations, 1817-1980
 * Ohio, Summit County, Veteran Burial Cards, 1700-1941
 * South Dakota, Grave Registration Records, 1940-1941
 * South Dakota, Veteran Graves Registration Records, 1940-1941
 * Utah, Veterans with Federal Service Buried in Utah, Territorial to 1966

Related Digital Books

 * U.S. Quartermaster General's Office. Roll of honor : names of soldiers who died in defense of the American Union, interred in... 27 volumes ( 1865-1871)
 * U.S. Quartermaster General's Office. Statement of the disposition of some of the bodies of deceased Union soldiers and prisoners of war whose remains have been removed to national cemeteries in the southern and western states
 * The Fort Smith National Cemetery : history of the United States National Cemetery and military occupation of Fort Smith, Arkansas

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, Pedidos de Lápides de Veteranos Militares Americanos (Registros Históricos do FamilySerach)