Alabama, Confederate Pension Applications - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
Pension applications files of the Alabama Pension Commission of Confederate Veterans living in Alabama. The images of the files were acquired from the Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery, Alabama.

 Related Collections 
 * Applications for relief by maimed Confederate soldiers. FamilySearch Catalog
 * State Auditor. Confederate Pensioner's Records, 1865-1939. Container Listing. Alabama Archives

What Can These Records Tell Me?

 * Name of spouse
 * Rank of soldier
 * Where enlisted
 * Branch of service

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the individual
 * The name of spouse

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?

 * Use the information found in the pension applications to find other records such as birth, christening, marriage, census, land and death records
 * Use the information to find additional family members
 * Search for the service record for the individual who served in the military

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

 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * Collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you identify possible relations that can be verified by records
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby locality
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Alabama.
 * US Military Basic Search Strategies
 * Beginning Research in United States Military Records
 * Beginning United States Civil War Research
 * Locating a Confederate Civil War Soldier (1861–1865)
 * Alabama Guided Research
 * Alabama Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

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.