We wanted to provide a progress report on the digitization of the War of 1812 Pension Files. We’ve added over a thousand new pension files to Fold3 in the past three months. Most of these are for surnames beginning with the letter “S” or “T.” Pension files contain clues about your ancestors, their family, and their military service. We’ve randomly selected one pension file to illustrate the type of details you can find in these important records.
David Swinehart is a Pennsylvania veteran of the War of 1812. His 92-page pension file was recently digitized. His file reveals:
- Name: The cover page of Swinehart’s pension file reveals two possible spellings for his name (Swinehart and Scheinhart). That’s our clue to remember to search for additional records using both spelling variations.
- Widow’s Name: A widow’s name was commonly included. In Swinehart’s file, we learn his widow Catharine’s maiden name was Longaker.
- Birthdate: Sometimes, you will find a birthdate for veterans and widows in pension files. Other times, you’ll find the veteran’s or widow’s current age when certain records were submitted. With that information, you can still narrow down a veteran’s birth year.
- Death: Pension files often contain the death date for both veteran and widow.
- Physical Description: Your ancestor may have died before photography was available, but a pension file may include a physical description.
- Occupation: Pension files may reveal the soldier’s occupation before and after the war.
- Did a Widow Remarry: If a soldier’s widow remarried, the pension file usually includes her new husband’s name and death date if he is also deceased.
- Dependents/Children of Veteran: Affidavits supporting a pension application may list the names and birthdates of the veteran’s children. This pension file reveals two of Swinehart’s children’s names, birthdates, and residences.
- Military Regiment/Militia: A pension file contains information on which unit a soldier served with and who the commanding officer was. Be sure to search for records related to both. You might uncover details that don’t mention your ancestor by name but provide a greater understanding of his military experience.
- Widow’s Certificates: When a veteran or widow applied for a pension, officials created a file and gave it a number. W.O. or S.O. refers to the Widow’s or Survivor’s Original. When pension officials granted the pension, it became known as the W.C. or S.C. for the Widow’s Certificate or the Survivor’s Certificate.
- Residence: By the time Swinehart applied for a pension, he was living in Ohio – even though he served in Pennsylvania. Be sure to search records in both states. Swinehart’s pension reveals that he moved to Ohio in 1849. Even if you are confident your ancestor lived in a particular state, don’t limit your searches for pension files to that state. He may have enlisted in a different state.
- Bounty Land: You might find evidence of bounty land or a bounty land certificate in a pension file. Your veteran may be living in a different state because he received bounty land there. This pension file reveals a Claim of Widow for Bounty Land and a Land Warrant.
- Dates of and Locations of Enlistment and Discharge: In many cases, the original records proving enlistment or discharge were lost or destroyed. Swinehart’s pension file notes that his discharge papers were lost but includes dates for enlistment and discharge.
- Proof of Marriage. A veteran’s widow needed to provide proof of marriage. Pension files might include a page from the family bible, affidavits from extended family, neighbors, or clergy, or even a marriage certificate.
- Ability to Read/Write: We commonly encounter pension files in which the pensioner or spouse signs their name with a mark, indicating they are illiterate.
- Affidavits: Pension files contain affidavits from family members, neighbors, and fellow soldiers to prove the applicant served in the war or to prove his marriage or dependents. These affidavits are a great way to make connections. David Swinehart’s file includes an affidavit from his brother, Joseph Swinehart. George Swinehart, likely another relative, witnessed Joseph’s affidavit. These names give us more clues to research.
- Varied Details: Each pension file is unique. Swinehart’s file contains a tracing of his original signature and letters from 1914, where his descendants appealed to the Bureau of Pensions to determine if David Swinehart ever claimed his Bounty Land.
Explore our free War of 1812 Pension Files Collection today and learn more about your ancestor’s military service on Fold3.