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

A veteran or his widow seeking a pension had to appear in court in the state of his or her residence to describe under oath the service for which the pension was being claimed. A widow was required to provide information concerning the date and place of her marriage to the veteran. The application statement, deposition or “declaration” as it was usually called, was certified by the court and then forwarded, along with all supporting documents (this may have included property schedules, marriage records, and affidavits of witnesses) to a federal official, usually the Secretary of War or the Commissioner of Pensions. The applicant was then notified that the application had been approved, rejected, or set aside pending the submission of additional proof of eligibility. If an applicant was eligible, his name was placed on the pension list. Payments were usually made semiannually. A rejected applicant often reapplied when pension laws were amended and provide more information about the soldier or sailor and their families because more information was included in the file—pension files average around 50 documents. Whether rejected or approved, pension files are rich with data concerning Revolutionary War veterans and their families and provide unique records and glimpses into their lives and time.

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