United States, National Homes For Disabled Volunteer Soldiers - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
These records cover the years 1866 through 1938.

Record Description
These are historical registers of veterans who resided in the twelve regional homes. Pages in the registers are divided into four parts for each veteran:


 * Military history
 * Domestic history
 * Home history
 * General remarks

Home numbers 1-5064 from the home in Bath, New York, are not currently available.

The collection is missing the registers for the Oregon home, it has a different format and will be added later.

Record Content


These records generally include the following information:


 * Name
 * Rank
 * Company
 * Regiment
 * Discharge
 * When admitted to home
 * Birthplace
 * Age
 * Religion
 * Residence
 * Marital status
 * Name and address of nearest relative
 * Pension information
 * Date and cause of death
 * Place of burial

How to Use the Record
To begin your search you will need to know the full name of your ancestor. In addition, the following information will help you to match the correct records with your ancestor:


 * Rank
 * Company
 * Regimant
 * Branch of the military
 * Approximate dates of service

If you are having difficulty finding your ancestor, look for variations in the spelling of the name. If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names.

Compare the information in the record to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct person. You may need to compare the information of more than one person to make this determination.

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 death certificates, mortuary, or burial records.
 * Use the age to calculate an approximate birth date.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of birth to locate census, church, and land records.
 * It may also be helpful to compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as your ancestor. This is especially helpful if the surname is unusual.

Record History
The National Asylum for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers was established on March 3, 1865, for volunteer soldiers who had received disabilities while serving in the Union forces in the Civil War. Initially, the Asylum, later called the Home, was planned to have three branches: the northeast, the central area north of the Ohio River, and the northwest (now the upper Midwest). Seven more branches were added between 1870 and 1907 as broader eligibility requirements allowed more Veterans to apply for admission. Veterans admitted into the Home were recorded in "Historical Registers," which were maintained at various branches. These registers are now at the National Archives in Record Group 15, Records of the Veterans Administration. A home number was assigned to each individual upon admission. The member retained his original number even if he was discharged and later readmitted to the branch.

Why this Record Was Created
These records were created to keep track of the disabled war veterans who were being housed and provided for in the Homes.

Record Reliability
These records are generally reliable and a great place to research Civil War veterans.

Known Issues with This Collection
Problem #1: Why are the images for the index not available?

Problem #2: Why can’t I see some of the images from the Roseburg, Oregon Home?

Answer #1: The index for this collection will be released at a later date.

Answer #2: Some of the images for the Roseburg, Oregon Home were inadvertently left off. They will be released at a later date.

Related Websites
The National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers

Related Wiki Articles
United States, Records of Headstones Provided Deceased Union Civil War Veterans (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should also list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for citing FamilySearch Historical Collections, including how to cite individual archives is found in the following link: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection

 * United States. Bureau of the Census. 12th census, 1900, digital images, From FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: September 29, 2006), Arizona Territory, Maricopa, Township 1, East Gila, Salt River Base and Meridian; sheet 9B, line 71
 * Mexico, Distrito Federal, Catholic Church Records, 1886-1933, digital images, from FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: April 22, 2010), Baptism of Adolfo Fernandez Jimenez, 1 Feb. 1910, San Pedro Apóstol, Cuahimalpa, Distrito Federal, Mexico, film number 0227023

Sources of Information for This Collection
United States. National Homes For Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866-1938. Record Group 15 Records of the Veterans Administration, NARA publication M1749. Federal Archives and Records Center. Washington D.C.