Visiting the National Archives in D.C.?
Yes, we’re in business to copy records for you from the National Archives and Records Administration (“NARA”) but we encourage you to go to NARA yourself instead if that is practical. There’s nothing like getting your own hands on your ancestors’ original documents! Following is our advice if you are planning a trip to NARA
Secrets of Civil War Pensions – Part 7
Getting the Full Pension File: Once you have found a record of a pension in an index, the next step is to get access to the full pension file. The pension file may be in one of several possible places, however, and you’ll need to know where and how to access it.
Secrets of Civil War Pensions – Part 6
Cases Studies: Here we offer some real examples to demonstrate some of the problematic issues having to do with pension indexes and how to get around them.
Secrets of Civil War Pensions – Part 5
Alternative Pension Indexes: When the principal pension indexes don’t include what you want, there are some alternatives. In fact, those alternative indexes sometimes include information about the veteran that is not recorded on any other pension index.
Secrets of Civil War Pensions – Part 4
Principal Pension Indexes: To find a Civil War pension, you must first find it in an index. There are several types of indexes available online and they contain different – and sometimes conflicting – kinds of data. It is therefore critical that you understand the differences and consult the correct index(es), depending on your purpose.