Pennsylvania in the War of 1812

United States   War of 1812    Pennsylvania Military    Pennsylvania in the War of 1812



Introduction
During the War of 1812, Pennsylvania supplied 28,146 infantry men, 407 cavalry men, 755 artillery men, and 9 men in miscellaneous troops for a total of 29,317 men.


 * For a brief history of Pennsylvania's involvement in the war see Harold L. Myers, Pennsylvania and the War of 1812 (Harrisburg, PA: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 1964; Family History Library book.

Explanation of the Major Record Types

 * Pearson, Thomas A., comp. Genealogical Records of the War of 1812: an Introduction and Selected Bibliography of Materials in the Collection of St. Louis Public Library. (St. Louis, Missouri: St. Louis Public Library, July 2004).

Service Records

 * Montgomery, Thomas Lynch. editor. Muster rolls of the Pennsylvania volunteers, in the war of 1812-1814, with pay rolls, etc (1907) . Harrisburg: Harrisburg Publishing Co.(1907). (Free). Digital version at Internet Archives.


 * General Society of the War of 1812. The Constitution and Register of Membership of the General Society of the War of 1812 to October 1, 1899, (Philadelphia, Dewey &amp; Eakens, Makers 1899). Family Search. contains registers for eight states and District of Columbia.  Descendant Members of the Pennsylvania Society identifies veteran ancestor by name, his rank, unit in which he served, dates of service, etc.,(p.25).


 * Ancestry. War of 1812 Service Records.($). This database gives name, company, rank at time of induction and at time of discharge of men mustered into the armed forces between 1812 and 1825.(Accessed 11 May 2012).


 * Baker, Harrison Scott II: Index to the muster rolls of the Pennsylvania volunteers in the War of 1812-1814. (Society of the War of 1812 in the State of Ohio 1995 copyright 1997) pages 176  FHL 974.8 M2


 * Marsh, James, and Gravenor March, Compiled military service records of: James Marsh, Gravenor March, Charles Mash, John Mash, Peter Mash, John Mash, Caleb Mash : who served during the war of 1812 1972 (Free). Digital version.


 * Muster rolls of the Pennsylvania volunteers in the War of 1812-1814 : with contemporary papers and documents . (Microfilm of original published Harrisburg, Pa. : C.M. Busch, 1896). Family Search has digital version     and and microfilm FHL Film 823997 Item 1

To view a digital version of this item click here.


 * Myers, Harold L. Pennsylvania and the War of 1812 (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 1964) pages 22


 * Muster rolls published in the Pennsylvania Archives series FHL book 974.8 A39p and the films listed below:


 * 2nd series, vol. 12
 * 4th series, vol. 5
 * 6th series, vols. 7-9, and


 * The muster rolls are also published in Muster Rolls of the Pennsylvania Volunteers in the War of 1812-1814, 1895, (reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing, 1967; ; . This was reprinted from Pennsylvania Archives, Series 2, vol. 12.


 * Pennsylvania. Auditor General. War of 1812, List of Soldiers. (Family History Library and


 * Pennsylvania. Bureau of Audits. War of 1812 Militia Accounts, 1812-1827.

Pension Records
A soldier may have been recorded in state records (see below) or in federal records (see US War of 1812 Pension Records).


 * Fold3. Pennsylvania War of 1812 Pension Files. (Free). Alphabetical by surname. Shows entire pension file of those digitized. Incomplete as of 1 June 2012.


 * War of 1812 pension records, 1866-1896 Pennsylvania.


 * Pennsylvania. Auditor General's Office. War of 1812 Pension Records, 1866-1896..


 * Gunning, Kathryn McPherson: Selected final pension payment vouchers 1818-1864 : Pennsylvania: Philadelpha &amp; Pittsburg (Bowie, Maryland, Heritage Books c2003)

State Records

 * Rosenberg, Max, .The building of Perry's fleet on Lake Erie, 1812-1813 (Harrisburg, Pa, 1950) pages 72 FHL Book 974.8 A1


 * Perry's Victory centennial sourvenir : the "Niagara" keepsake (New York, New York, 1913) pages 95 FHL Book 974.899 M2


 * Sapio, Victor A., Pennsylvania and the War of 1812. (Lexington, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky, c1970). 206 pages.FHL Book 974.8 H2


 * Arthur, James and William Arthur: Arthur's in Pennsylvania( English page 10) See Digitized FHLVersion

Biographical Sketches

 * Barrickman, John Capt. John Barrickman's diary, account and general record book of the War of 1812 (Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1965) 1 microfilm FHL Film 441493 Item 4


 * Kingsbury, Edwin C. Memoir of an old soldier : 1785-1815 (Apollo, Pennsylvania: Closson Press, c2000) pages 206. FHL Book 921.73 K611


 * Watmough, John G.,  Record of service in the War of 1812 for John G. Watmough Microfilm of original records in the Pennsylvania Collection (Miscellaneous) at the Bureau of Archives and History in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. (Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1979) FHL Film  1032475 Item 19

Cemetery Records

 * Baldwin, Henry R., Oldest inscriptions, with Revolutionary and War of 1812 records of the cemeteries of Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana Counties, Ohio, and Lawrence, Mercer and Beaver Counties, Pennsylvania, (Microfilm of typescript (590, [9] leaves; taken in 1907) at the State Library of Ohio, D.A.R. Collection, Columbus, Ohio.)..

Important National and International Sources

 * United States in the War of 1812 has lists of records, books, etc. for the United States, not just one state. The federal records are listed here rather than on each state page. Two of the most important are:


 * FamilySearch Historical Records Collection On line Database:


 * FamilySearch Historical Records Collection On line Database:


 * War of 1812, 1812 to 1815 has lists of general books and documentaries, as well as a list battles with links to web sites about the battles, and other information not tied to one country.