United States, Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States



What is in the Collection?
For a complete list of the NARA roll numbers contained in this collection, see the United States, Pension Payment Ledgers Coverage Table.

This collection contains images of pension payment ledgers created by the Treasury Department to record semiannual payments to veterans and widows of the Revolutionary War from 1818-1872. A few records for the War of 1812 are also included. A coverage table for localities and dates can be found under User Guidance. Click the Learn More link to access this table and more information regarding how to use this collection. This collection is from Record Group 217, Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury, and is National Archive Microfilm publication T718.

Collection Content
The content of the records differ depending upon whether the record is for a pensioner, invalid, or widow. You may find any of the following:


 * Name of person receiving payment
 * Name of spouse if recipient is a widow
 * State and sometimes city
 * Rank
 * Amount of money allowed
 * Dates of payments
 * Death dates
 * Additional comments

How Do I Search the Collection?
To begin your search you will need to know the name of your ancestor and some other identifying information such as residence and rank.

In the case of a widow you need to know her name, residence, and spouse's name.

Search the Collection
To browse by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒ Select the "Browse through images" link on the initial search page ⇒ Select the "NARA roll number, volume letter, and pension type" 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.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

What Do I Do Next?
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:


 * Death dates may lead to church or burial records.
 * Use the name and residence or locality to search for church records, land recods, and census recirds.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * These records are brief so it is easy to confuse individuals
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname. 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.

What if I Can't Find Who I'm Looking For?

 * Look for variant spellings of the surnames and nicknames.
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.
 * Search the records of nearby counties.

Related Websites
Follow the Money Tracking Revolutionary War Army Pension Payments, Prologue Magazine

Related Wiki Articles
Revolutionary War Pension Records and Bounty Land Warrants

Citing 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