United States, Revolutionary War, Virginia Pension Application Files - FamilySearch Historical Records

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Access the records: United States Revolutionary War, Virginia Pension Application Files, 1830-1875 .
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Record Description[edit | edit source]

This collection contains half pay pensions of Virginia soldiers and sailors based on service in the Revolutionary War. The Virginia General Assembly granted the payment of half pay for life to the state's military and naval officers and others who served until the end of the war in state units within the state's borders or in the Continental Army. This collection is part of Record Group 15, Records of the Veterans Administration, and is National Archives Microfilm publication M910.

You can browse through images in this collection using the waypoints on the Collection Browse Page for United States, Revolutionary War, Virginia Pension Application Files, 1830-1875.

Record Content[edit | edit source]

Pension application files may contain the following information:

  • Name
  • Whether soldier or sailor
  • Dates of military service
  • Dates of pay
  • Name of regiment
  • Name of person issuing pay

How to Use the Record[edit | edit source]

To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:

  • Name
  • Type of military service, whether soldier or sailor

Search the Collection[edit | edit source]

To browse by image:
To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links:
⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page
⇒Select "Soldiers and Sailors"
⇒Select the "Surname Range" which takes you to the images

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:

  • There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
  • You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
  • Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information[edit | edit source]

When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details such as a title, an occupation, or land ownership. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors.

Tips to Keep in Mind[edit | edit source]

  • Continue to search the index and records to identify other relatives.
  • When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
  • You may need to compare the information of more than one person to make this determination.
  • Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?[edit | edit source]

  • Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.
  • Look for an index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.

Related Websites[edit | edit source]

Related Wiki Articles[edit | edit source]

How You Can Contribute[edit | edit source]

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Citations for This Collection[edit | edit source]

Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

Collection citation:

Collection Citation:
The citation for this collection can be found on the Collection Details Page in the section Cite This Collection.



Image citation:
This template has been deprecated and is no longer used.

When looking at an image, the citation is found on the Information tab at the bottom left of the screen. You can browse through images in this collection by visiting the browse page for United States, Revolutionary War, Virginia Pension Application Files, 1830-1875.