United States, Revolutionary War, Virginia Pension Application Files - FamilySearch Historical Records: Difference between revisions

Along with the important genealogical information (name, birth date and place, marriage and death records, etc.), genealogical records can tell the story or at least part of the story of our ancestor’s lives. Researched alone or in conjunction with other Revolutionary War Records, Pension Records can provide rich details of a soldier’s service—Where they wounded? Where did they serve and with whom? Did they move? Where did they live?  

Muster Rolls, rosters and Pension records also provide details on family relationships as dependents had to provide proof of relationship through marriage or birth records), and verify military service. Pension files can include signed affidavits, marriage licenses, and letters that provide personal testimonies of service. These records and letters provide a soldier or sailor’s name, rank, branch of service, dates of service. Land-Bounty-Warrants show  

The following case studies demonstrate how to search through related record collections to find information about an individuals life story and show that by searching through related records you can find different pieces of your ancestor’s life story:

*[https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2008/winter/follow-money.html Follow the Money] explains how pensioners received their checks how following the process or money trail through multiple record collections can provide more details about a person’s life.

*[https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2011/summer/mason.html The Rejection of Elizabeth Mason] outlines the story of a Revolutionary War widow’s attempt to obtain her husband’s pension and prove his and her identity. Although, her pension was denied her file provides more information than it might otherwise have as Mrs. Mason tries to validate her claim.

*[https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2010/fall/rice.html A Soldier of the Revolution] Or, Will the Real Isaac Rice Pleas Stand Up outlines the quest to find the story of Isaac Rice and determine whether he was an actual veteran of the Revolutionary War, a fictional character, or a man who committed the 19th century version identity theft.

*[https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1984/fall/pension-mobility.html Revolutionary War Pension Records and Patterns of American Mobility, 1780–1830] is not a case study of showing how the identity of an individual was found or information about a known individual, but shows how a group of individuals compare to the general population to determine if that group is representative of the population, how and why they are and then tells us how their collective story broadens the knowledge of the people who fought and lived in the Revolutionary era.