Military Pension

Military Pension Records

Who can file a claim? What's Inside a Military Pension Folder?

The soldier (veteran) submitted an application for a pension based on eligibility criteria permitted under the law at the time of filing, which could include:

The Veteran (Soldier) Must have served in a qualifying war
Must have been honorably discharged
Loss of a limb, eye, or other body part
Advanced age, provided the veteran lived long enough to qualify
Disability caused by disease contracted while in service
Advanced age, provided the veteran lived long enough to qualify

Widows of veterans could apply for a pension based on the laws in effect at the time of their application. Eligibility and continued receipt of benefits were dependent on several factors:

Could not be remarried (at the time of application)
Remarriage generally terminated pension eligibility
Under the Act of March 3, 1901, a widow who remarried could resume her deceased husband's pension if: The second marriage ended by death or divorce or if she was left without adequate means of support.
Proof of Marriage: The widow had to provide acceptable documentation or testimony that a legal marriage to the veteran occurred.
Means Test (circa 1890s): Widows had to demonstrate financial need. Ownership of substantial property could disqualify them from receiving benefits.

Minor Child(ren)

Key Factors when researching Pension Records

Both T288 and T289 lead to the same pension files held at the National Archives. They are just indexed differently.
Confederate veterans were not included in these federal pension files—they received state-level pensions.
T288 includes more non-Civil War conflicts than T289.
Disapproved Pension Application of Widows and other Dependents of Civil War and Later Navt Veterans (Navy Widows Originals) 1861-1910

Application Number Patterns by War and Era

Application Number Patterns by War and Era
War / Era	Application Number Format	Approx. Filing Years	Notes
War of 1812	1 to 4 digits (e.g., 1723)	1815–1870s	Early pensions were sporadic; more activity after laws passed in the 1850s–70s.
Mexican-American War (1846–48)	4–5 digits (e.g., 10567)	1850s–1880s	Claims often filed long after the war.
Civil War (Union)	5–6 digits (e.g., 75234)	1860s–1890s	Peak filing in 1870s–1890s; thousands of applications.
Civil War (Widows/Children)	6–7 digits (e.g., 1123456)	1890s–1920s	Expanded by the Act of 1890, esp. for widows and minor dependents.
Spanish-American War (1898)	6–7 digits (e.g., 1250891)	1900s–1930s	Smaller number of claims than Civil War; shows up on late cards.
Philippine Insurrection	7 digits (e.g., 1700453)	1905–1930s	May appear with Civil War vets who served again.
Indian Wars / Peace-Time Service	Variable; often filed later	1890s–1920s	Use unit info and laws cited to confirm.
World War I (in rare cases)	7+ digits	1917–1934	Only applies if a veteran had older service (e.g., long-serving army personnel).

Types of Military Pension Applications for Dependents

Types of Military Pension Applications for Dependents
Relationship	Type	Details / Criteria	Key Record Groups / Series
Widow	Widow’s Original Application	Filed upon the veteran's death. Required proof of marriage, death of the soldier, and sometimes cohabitation/testimonies.	T288, T289, M850, M1785
	Remarried Widow’s Application	Widow reapplied after remarriage if the second husband died or they divorced; allowed under certain laws.	M850, M1785
	Widow’s Reissue Application	Used when a widow resumed her pension due to a law change or remarriage dissolution.	Found in pension files (RG 15)
Child (minor)	Minor Child’s Application	Filed if the soldier died with children under 16. Required birth records, often included guardianship info.	RG 15, T288, T289
	Orphaned Children	If both parents were deceased, pensions were granted to appointed guardians for minor children.	Same as above, often noted on cards
Dependent Parent(s)	Father’s or Mother’s Application	Filed when a veteran died and the parent could show financial dependence on the soldier. Often included correspondence, affidavits, and income info.	RG 15, occasionally indexed in T288
	Combined Parents’ Application	Sometimes filed jointly by both parents, or reissued from father to mother after his death.	Full file required for clarity
Siblings	Dependent Sibling Application	Rare, but possible if the soldier had no spouse, children, or surviving parents and could prove they supported a sibling. Must show dependency.	RG 15 (often hidden in full file; not indexed separately)
	Half-Siblings, Step-Siblings	Occasionally filed, but required strong dependency documentation and were frequently rejected or contested.

Application vs Certificate Numbers

Application -vs- Certificate Numbers
Aspect	Application Number	Certificate Number
Definition	Assigned when a pension application was submitted to the government.	Assigned when a pension was approved and granted.
Purpose	Serves as a tracking number for the initial claim, regardless of outcome.	Indicates successful approval of benefits.
Issued By	Federal government, upon receipt of a claim.	Federal government, upon granting of a pension.
Format	Sequential; can range from 4 to 7 digits.	Also sequential; numbering system separate from application numbers.
Overlap	Yes — an App. #123456 and Cert. #123456 are unrelated and point to different individuals or cases.	Yes, same as above.
Location Found	Appears on index cards (T288, T289, and others), full pension files, and sometimes on headstones or memorials.	Same as above, particularly if the pension was approved.

The Pension Acts of 1862 and Subsequent Years

Acts of 1862 and 1872 – Initially, most pension claims were granted based on injuries or disabilities that were directly connected to military service. These acts primarily supported veterans who had suffered wounds, disease, or other impairments incurred during their time of duty.

Pensions Based on Age – It wasn’t until the Act of 1890 that pensions became available to veterans based on age and general service, even if they had no service-related injuries. This shift marked a broadening of eligibility. Later, the Act of 1907 further refined age-based pensions, tying benefits to both the veteran’s age and length of military service, regardless of disability.

On Average Payments with Increases

U.S. Military Pension Files (1776–Present)

A U.S. military pension file contains detailed personal and military information about a veteran and/or their dependents (spouse, children, or parents) who applied for or received a pension due to military service. The content and format of these files vary based on the war, pension legislation, and the government agency managing the records. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of what you might find, organized by era and contents:

General Contents Found In Most Pension Files
Type of Record	Purpose / Information
Pension Application Form	Details about the veteran’s service, disability, and reasons for the pension request.
Proof of Service	Affidavits, muster rolls, or enlistment/discharge papers verifying military service.
Medical Examinations	Especially post-Civil War; evaluations of disability for “invalid” pensions.
Marriage Records	Proof required for widows or dependent claims—marriage certificates, affidavits.
Birth/Death Records	For dependent or child claims; confirms relationships and eligibility.
Affidavits & Witness Statements	Testimonies from comrades, neighbors, or clergy verifying events, marriages, or service.
Family Correspondence	Letters from the claimant or family about the pension status or requests.
Surgeon’s Certificates	Especially under the 1870s laws; regular exams for continued pensions.
Payment Vouchers & Ledgers	Tracks money issued and where payments were sent.
Legal Documents	Guardianship papers, wills, or probate for minor or heir claims.
Rejected Claim Notices	Explanation of why a claim was denied, including legal citations.
Funeral Expenses / Burial Claims	Post-1900, some included reimbursement requests for final expenses.
Attorney Representations	Powers of attorney or letters from claim agents or attorneys.

File Content By WAR/ERA

Revolutionary War (1775–1783)

Service affidavits signed decades after the war
Statements from fellow soldiers or neighbors
1832 Act applications (pension based on service, not disability)
Bounty-land warrants often attached
Widow claims under later acts (e.g., 1836)

War of 1812

Indian Wars & Early Conflicts (1817–1858)

Mexican-American War
(1846–1848)

Civil War (1861–1865)

Most detailed and voluminous pension files
Invalid pensions (due to wounds/disease)
Widow & dependent applications
Guardianship for children under 16
Medical records, surgeon reports
Rich correspondence, legal conflicts, alias names
African American USCT veterans often faced more complex documentation
Records may include claims from enslaved people seeking proof of service under assumed names

Spanish-American War (1898)

World War I (1917–1918)

World War II (1941–1945), Korea, Vietnam, Gulf Wars, Iraq, Afghanistan

Most detailed and voluminous pension files
Mostly electronic files now or stored offsite
Widow & dependent applications
Includes: Form DD-214 (discharge) VA claims, medical disability forms Limited access unless through FOIA or next-of-kin More redacted for privacy if veteran is deceased less than 62 years ago