Florida Confederate Veterans and Widows Pension Applications - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This Collection will include records from 1885 to 1955.

This database contains images of Confederate pension applications. These records were created at the state level; therefore, there are some variations in the qualifications for receiving aid and the amounts of aid between the states. Applications were sent to the state where the veteran or his dependents lived at the time of application, which was often not the state in which the veteran had enlisted or served.

In 1885, Florida began granting pensions to Confederate veterans and, in 1889, they expanded to include veteran’s widows as well. In most states the pension system began with providing pensions to injured veterans and then later expanded to include veteran’s widows or other dependents. In addition to Florida, Confederate pensions were also granted in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

Pension applications were created to provide a way for veterans or their widows to obtain financial assistance after serving in the military.

For an alphabetical list of records currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

Record Content
The information found in applications submitted by the veteran or his widow may include the following:


 * Name
 * Date and place of birth
 * Unit dates and places of enlistment and discharge
 * Brief description of service
 * Wounds received
 * Sworn statements on proof of service by comrades
 * Place and length of residency in the state
 * Widow's full name
 * Date and place of marriage to the veteran
 * Date and place of the veteran's death

How to Use the Record
To begin your search is it helpful to know:
 * Soldier's name
 * Identifying information such as birth date or the widow's name

Search the Collection
To search the collection: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select "Claim numbers range" which takes you to the images.

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:
 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. The pieces of information in the record may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family. This information will often lead you to other records. In addition to providing information about the veteran and his family, pension applications can also lead to more military records. For example:


 * Death dates may lead to death certificates, mortuary, or burial records.
 * Use the age to calculate an approximate birth date.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of birth of the deceased to locate census, church, and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the deceased; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been seeking the pension.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * When searching for an application keep in mind that in some cases the applications were filed under the name of the widow or other dependent who submitted the application.
 * Applications were sent in to and processed by the state where the veteran or family member lived at the time, which was not always the state in which the soldier had served.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities.

Related Websites

 * Florida Pension Files (index and images)
 * Florida State Archives
 * More information about Civil War Pensions
 * Find out about pension records in other Confederate States

Related Wiki Articles

 * Confederate Pension Records
 * Florida

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.