United States, Records of Headstones of Deceased Union Veterans - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States

What is in This Collection"
This collection consists of 3x4 inch cards, which are headstone (gravestone) contracts provided for deceased Union veterans of the Civil War. The cards are on 22 rolls of microfilm covering over 166,000 records and are arranged alphabetically by surname. There are nine cards per image. Some of the names on the cards may be difficult to read.

Most burials occurred in private cemeteries, though some may have occurred in National Soldier Home cemeteries.

Gravestones were provided to Union soldiers who died between 1861 and 1903. Some cards may include War of 1812 veterans. The gravestones were provided between 1879-1903 by the United States government.

The gravestones were provided between the years 1879 and 1903, although the soldiers generally died between 1861 and 1903.

Related National Archives Collections
 * Reports of Death and General Correspondence, 1864 - 1874 NAID 279421 Chattanooga National Cemetery
 * Sexton's Reports of Burials, 1864 - 1864 NAIF 279422 Chattanooga
 * Records of Death and Interment at Camp Nelson, KY, 1864 - 1865 NAID 279423
 * Records of Death and Internment at Eastern Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky, 1861 - 1864 NAID 279683

 Related Reading 
 * Claire Prechtel-Kluskens. Headstone records for US military veterans. Part I: Headstone design. NGS Magazine 39 #1 (January - March 2013): 30-33.
 * Claire Prechtel-Kluskens.  Headstone records for US military veterans. Part II: Records for headstones requested from 1879 to 1925. NGS Magazine 39 #2 (April-June 2013):32-35.
 * John P. Deeben. Last rites for the honored dead: Records of military burials in national cemeteries. NGS Magazine 37 #1 (January-March 2011): 15-18.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: • 2

How Do I Search This Collection?
To begin your search you will need to know:
 * The name of the soldier
 * The approximate burial or death date
 * The place where the soldier was buried

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
 * Use the information from the headstone to find a death certificate
 * Use the information to find the family in census records
 * Use the information to find the family in church and land records
 * The name of the gravestone provider or place of burial could lead you to funeral and cemetery records, which often include the names and residences of other family members
 * The branch of service and regiment can lead you to other military records including pension and service records
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the deceased who may have been buried in the same cemetery or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct

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

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby cemeteries
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the United States.
 * United States Guided Research
 * United States Record Finder
 * United States Research Tips and Strategies
 * Beginning Research in United States Military Records
 * US Military Basic Search Strategies

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

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Card records of headstones provided for deceased Union Civil war veterans, ca. 1879-ca. 1903.
 * Roll of honor : names of soldiers who died in defence of the American Union,.... 27 volumes
 * Alphabetical index to places of interment of deceased Union soldiers in the various states and territories, as specified in rolls of honor no. I-XIII : being those issued from the Quartermaster General's Office, between June 15, 1865, and August 27, 1867
 * Louisiana United States national cemeteries burials, 1860-1930

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * Edward C. Bearse, National Cemetery System : the birth and evolution of the National Cemetery System
 * Gerald E. Sherard, Colorado veterans' grave registrations : 1862-1949 2 volumes. Lakewood, Colorado : G.E. Sherard, 1997 FS Library 978.8 V3s

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.

Estados Unidos, Registros de Lápides de Veteranos da União Falecidos (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)