Kentucky Confederate Pension Applications - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The records consist of images of pension applications and an alphabetical index. They were filed by surviving former Confederate soldiers who lived in Kentucky or their widows. The records cover the years 1912 to 1950. The collection is located at the Kentucky State Archives.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The index includes the following information:


 * Application number
 * Full name of applicant

The following information is found on most Confederate soldier's pension applications in Kentucky:


 * Application number
 * Full name of widow (applicant)
 * Residence
 * Length of residence in Kentucky
 * Birth date and place
 * Maiden name
 * Full name of soldier
 * Who performed the marriage ceremony (A copy of the marriage certificate or license may also be attached.)
 * Enlistment date
 * Company and regiment
 * Length of service
 * When and where did the company and regiment surrender
 * Was the soldier present at the time of surrender
 * Reason if not present at the time of surrender
 * Death date and place of soldier
 * If the couple was living together at the time of death
 * Second marriage information
 * Property owned by the widow
 * Family of the widow
 * Witness for the widow
 * Date and place of signing

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching the collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The residence of your ancestor
 * The approximate age of your ancestor

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the Application Number Range to view the images.

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.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s pension application, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. The pieces of information in the record 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.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Death dates may lead to death certificates, mortuary, or burial records
 * Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of birth of the deceased to locate census, church, and land records
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the deceased; this is especially helpful if the surname is uncommon
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been seeking the pension. Keep in mind that in some cases the applications were filed under the name of the widow or other dependent
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * Applications were sent to and processed by the state where the veteran or family member lived at the time, which was not always the state in which the soldier had served

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

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names
 * 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 indexes and records of nearby localities

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

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.