Washington, Mothers Pension Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States Washington



What is in the Collection?
The collection consists of Mothers pension records for the years 1921 to 1937 captured at Washington State Archives in Olympia.

Record Content
These records usually contain the following information:


 * Recipient's name
 * Birth date or age
 * Residence or mailing address
 * May also list the names and ages of minor children
 * Relationships
 * Payment dates

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know:


 * Your Ancestor’s name
 * Other identifying information such as their residence, age, names of other family members and relationships.

Search the Collection
To browse by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒ Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the “County” category ⇒ Select the “Record Type" ⇒ Select the appropriate “Volume” ⇒ Select the appropriate “Year 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.
 * 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. Download a copy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors. The following examples show ways you can use the information:


 * Use the estimated age to calculate a birth date.
 * Use the mother's name, age and residence or address to find the family in census, church, and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.
 * If your ancestor used multiple names throughout their life, look for all their names.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. In addition local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities.

Related Websites

 * Washington State Archives
 * National Archives
 * USA Military Indexes and Records

Related Wiki Articles

 * Washington, United States Genealogy
 * United States Military Records
 * United States, Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Citations for This Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

Collection Citation:

Image Citation: