Utah, Indian War Service Affidavits - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
The collection covers the years 1909 to 1919.

Record Description
The collection consists of images of service affidavits of veterans who served in the militia during the Indian Wars. The collection is numerical by box and folder, then alphabetical by surname. There are three types of affidavit forms:


 * Soldier
 * Widow or child
 * Witnesses

In most cases, there will be two images per affidavit.

Record Content


The affidavits are written on a pre-printed form and may provide:


 * Veteran's name
 * Age
 * Residence
 * Name of the county in which he took oath
 * Date of enrollment
 * Type of company
 * Captain's name
 * Length of service
 * Transfer dates
 * Description of duties
 * Date of release
 * Names of two witnesses

If a veteran was deceased, his wife or children could fill out an affidavit in his place.

How to Use the Record
To begin your search you will need to know the following:


 * Full name
 * Approximate dates of service

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.

Compare the information in the record to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct person. You may need to compare the information of more than one person to make this determination.

When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information 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. For example:


 * 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.

You may also find these search tips helpful:


 * 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.

Record History
The Indian War lasted between 1865 and 1890. Nineteen years after the war ended, the legislature created a Board of Commissioners of Indian War Records. The board was responsible for collecting the names of war veterans. Veterans completed affidavits of service while two witnesses also completed supporting affidavits. The affidavits were then filed in the office of the chairman of the board, the Adjutant General of the State, and were used to verify pension claims.

Why This Record Was Created
The affidavits were created to assist in validating pension claims.

Record Reliability
These records are generally reliable, but depend on the memory of the veteran or the knowledge of the wife or children.

Related Websites

 * Ancestry.com: About Utah Index to Indian War Service Affidavits
 * Commissioner of Indian War Records Indian War Service Affidavits

Related Wiki Articles

 * Utah Military Records
 * US Military Pension Records
 * Pensions
 * Utah

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should also list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection

 * United States. Bureau of the Census. 12th census, 1900, digital images, From FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: September 29, 2006), Arizona Territory, Maricopa, Township 1, East Gila, Salt River Base and Meridian; sheet 9B, line 71.
 * Mexico, Distrito Federal, Catholic Church Records, 1886-1933, digital images, from FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: April 22, 2010), Baptism of Adolfo Fernandez Jimenez, 1 Feb. 1910, San Pedro Apóstol, Cuahimalpa, Distrito Federal, Mexico, film number 0227023.

Sources of information for This Collection
Utah, Indian War Service Affidavits, 1909-1919. Series 2217. Utah State Archives. Salt Lake City, Utah.