US Mexican War Pension Records

United States U.S. Military  Mexican War  Pension Records

Pensions were first granted to widows and minor children whose husbands or fathers had died in the service and to veterans who were disabled. Pensions based on 60 days of service were first granted to veterans or unremarried widows in 1887.

Pension Records
FamilySearch Historical Record Collections 
 * 1846-1848 - Selected Pension Application Files relating to the Mormon Battalion, Mexican War, 1846-1848 (NARA T1196)
 * 1887-1926 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1846-1848 - United States Mexican War Index and Service Records, 1846-1848 (Index and records for Iowa, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas)


 * Libraries


 * Locate these records at a library using Worldcat.
 * Family History Library

Pension Records for Other Soldiers

Pension records for other soldiers have not been microfilmed. The Mexican War pension files for all soldiers, except those serving in the Mormon Battalion, are only available at the National Archives. After locating a soldier in the index, it will be necessary to write to the National Archives to obtain a copy of the pension record (N.A. film group T515). The case files of Mexican War Pension Applications, ca. 1887-1926 are located at the National Archives. Approximately 433 files have been digitized. Pension Records may contain:


 * Personal account of war experiences
 * Reasons why an individual joined the war effort
 * Company, rank, duties
 * Dates served
 * Companions with whom served
 * Officers with whom served
 * Depositions from neighbors and friends authenticating the testimony of an individual or affirming his character
 * Age at time of enlistment or time of filing application
 * Residence(s) since the war
 * Date of marriage (especially if widow filed for pension)
 * Dates of birth and names of children
 * Pertinent medical informatio nand/or physicians' statements

A small number of individuals are mentioned in the 1883 Pension Roll.

Indexes
Mexican War Index to Pension Files, 1887–1926


 * Mexican War Index to Pension Files, 1887–1926.(NARA T317). (FHL films ) Alphabetically arranged and includes the veteran’s name, rank, and unit; names of dependents; date of filing and application; certificate numbers; act filed under; and state from which application was made.


 * (FamilySearch)


 * Published versions of the above index are listed below:


 * Troxel, Navena Hembree, and Susan Merrill Warner. Mexican War Index to Pension Files, 1886–1926. 13 Volumes. Plano, Texas: N. H. Troxel and S. M. Warner, 1983–92. (FHL book ) Entries list either the name of the veteran or widow’s application number or both, state or country, unit served, date of application, and residence at the time of application.


 * White, Virgil D. Index to Mexican War Pension Files. Waynesboro, Tennessee: National Historical Publishing, 1989. (FHL book ) Entries include the name of the veteran and widow, certificate number, date of application, and unit served.


 * Wolfe, Barbara Schull. An Index to Mexican War Pension Applications. Indianapolis, Indiana: Heritage House, 1985. (FHL book ) Entries include the name, state where the veteran was living at the time of application, date of application, and application or certificate number.
 * Microfilm versions of the pension index are available at the Family History Library. This index is an alphabetical list of the names of the soldiers who received pensions during the years 1887-1926 for their service in the Mexian War. The index may contain:


 * Name
 * Name and class of dependent (widow, orphans,etc.)
 * Rank
 * State from which he served
 * Date of pension application



Old War Index to Pension Files, 1815-1926


 * The "Old War Index to Pension Files, 1815-1926" (NARA T316) also includes pensioners of the Mexican War. The records are available online. They relate mainly to pensions based on death or disability incurred in service and cover regular army, navy and volunteer soldiers.