West Virginia, Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims - FamilySearch Historical Records

What Is in This Collection?
The images of approved claims from civilians seeking compensation for lost or destroyed property as a result of the Civil War. The collection is NARA publication M1762 Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871-1880:West Virginia and is from RG 217, Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury. The collection includes records from 1871 to 1880.


 * Southern Claims Commission. 3/10/1871-3/10/1880. Organization Authority Record

Related National Archives Collections
These collections are available from the National Archives. These contain records, some of which may not be available online. The link will take you to the National Archives website where you can get more information on each collection.
 * Disallowed Claims Files, 1871 - 1880. NAID 562207
 * Alphabetical Geographical Lists of Claims, 1871 - 1873. NAID 6256575
 * Registers of Claim Cases Heard by the Commissioners, 1871 - 1880. NAID 6256588
 * Name Indexes to the Registers of Claim Cases, 1871 - 1873. NAID 6256845
 * Register of Claims, 6/6/1871 - 6/17/1871. NAID 12008935
 * Barred Claims Files, 1871 - 1880. NAID 562208
 * Settled Case Files for Claims Approved by the Southern Claims Commission, 1871 - 1880. NAID 566157 - This collection contains digital images of approved claims you can search within this series

What Can This Collection Tell Me?
The information varies by record. You may find any of the following: • 2

How Do I Search the Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the primary individual.
 * The county of where your ancestor lived.

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
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family

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

 * Try searching by surname only
 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in West Virginia.
 * West Virginia Research Tips and Strategies
 * West Virginia Record Finder
 * Step-by-Step West Virginia Research, 1880-Present

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

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Frank W. Klingberg. The Southern Claims Commission. Berkeley, California : University of California, 1955.
 * Gary B. Mills. Southern Loyalists in the Civil War : the Southern Claims Commission. Baltimore, Maryland : Genealogical Publishing Company, 1994. FHL 975 M2s
 * Gary B. Mills. Civil War Claims in the South : an index of Civil War damage claims filed before the Southern Claims Commission, 1871-1880.Laguna Hills, California : Aegean Park Press, 1980. FHL 975 H22m
 * Records of the Commissioners of Claims (Southern Claims Commission) 1871-1880: M0087, 14 roll
 * Commissioners of Claims. Southern claims, ca. 1871-1880
 * Mary Elizabeth Massey. Refugee life in the Confederacy.Baton Rouge, Louisiana : Louisiana State University Press, 1964, c1964 FHL 973 W2mm
 * West Virginia, Southern Claims Commission approved claims, 1871-1880

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * Alabama, Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871-1880
 * Virginia, Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871-1880

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * Consolidated Index of Claims Reported by the Commissioner of Claims to the House of representatives from 1871-1880. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1892

Citations For 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.