Southern Claims Commission Records
Southern Claims Commission
The Southern Claims Commission (SCC) was an organization established by the executive branch of the United States government from 1871 to 1880, under President Ulysses S. Grant. Its primary function was to evaluate and process claims for reimbursements made by Union sympathizers residing in the Southern states during the American Civil War (1861–1865). These individuals sought compensation for property losses resulting from confiscations by the U.S. Army during the war. These individuals could file claims for property that had been seized or supplied to the U.S. Army. The claims were processed based on the loyalty of the claimants and the legitimacy of their property losses.
Eligible claimants came from 12 Southern states, namely West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas. The application period was from 1871 to 1873.
To qualify, claimants needed to demonstrate two key criteria:
- Loyalty to the United States during the Civil War: Claimants had to prove their unwavering support for the Union throughout the conflict.
- Property Losses: They needed to show that their supplies or property were officially taken by or furnished to the U.S. Army during the war.
The SCC records often include detailed information about formerly enslaved individuals who were seeking compensation for property losses during the Civil War. Enslaved individuals were sometimes listed by name, age, physical descriptions, and even skills. This information can help researchers and descendants trace their ancestral connections and gather details about their lives.
The SCC records might reveal information about family relationships within the enslaved community and between enslaved individuals and their owners. These records might include references to family members who were separated due to the slave trade or other circumstances. By studying these records, researchers and descendants can gain insights into family connections and histories that were disrupted by slavery.
The SCC records often provide details about the geographic locations where enslaved individuals and their owners lived. This information can help descendants and researchers understand the specific areas where their ancestors were enslaved or where their family members lived, aiding in the process of tracing their roots.
In order to support their claims for compensation, individuals often had to provide testimonies or affidavits that included personal details about their experiences during the Civil War and the antebellum period. These testimonies can provide firsthand accounts of life under slavery, interactions between enslaved individuals and slave masters, and the challenges faced during the war and its aftermath.
The SCC records also contain information about the slave masters and owners who filed claims for property losses. These records can help researchers identify individuals who held enslaved people, providing critical context for understanding the dynamics of slavery and its aftermath. This information can also assist in identifying potential family connections between descendants of the formerly enslaved and descendants of slave owners.
Slave: Ex slaves could also claim but had to prove...
- Slaveholder information
- War Service (contraband)
- Name Changes
- Property Ownership
The files typically include a variety of documents, which can be broadly categorized as follows:
Claimant's Petition
- Detailed descriptions of the property lost or damaged.
- Statements of loyalty to the Union, including personal declarations and sometimes character references.
Affidavits
- Statements from the claimant and supporting witnesses.
- Descriptions of the claimant's loyalty and specific incidents involving property losses.
Evidence and Testimony
- Recorded oral testimonies.
- Written statements and affidavits from neighbors, friends, and sometimes Union soldiers or officials.
Official Correspondence
- Letters and communications between the claimant and the Commission.
- Internal memos and notes by Commission members regarding the claim.
Decisions and Reports
- Final decisions by the Commission on each claim, indicating approval or rejection.
- Detailed reports explaining the basis of the decision.
Financial Records
- Records of approved claims and the amounts awarded.
- Payment records, including receipts.
US, Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871-1880
Locating Southern Claims Commission Records
A total of 22,298 claims were submitted to the SCC. However, only 32 percent (7,092 claims) were approved for payment. The success of these claims relied heavily on the testimonies of neighbors, who vouched for the claimants' loyalty and the validity of their property losses.
Allowed claims are claims that the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve, usually on the SCC's recommendation, and for which the claimant received payment, in whole or in part, from the U.S. Treasury Department. They are indicated in M87 by the amount of money approved for payment.
These case files are found in the series, “Settled Case Files for Claims Approved by the Southern Claims Commission, 1871–1880” (Entry A1-732; National Archives Identifier 566157), which is part of Record Group 217, Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury. The case files are arranged alphabetically by state, thereunder by county, and thereunder by name of claimant.
Allowed claim files are available online through Fold3.com (database title: “Southern Claims”).
Ancestry.com also features allowed claim files for Alabama, Georgia, West Virginia, and Virginia (database title: “U.S., Southern Claims Commission Allowed Claims, 1871–1880”). These claim files were originally reproduced as microfilm:
Alabama – Microfilm Publication M2062
Georgia – Microfilm Publication M1658
Virginia – Microfilm Publication M2094
West Virginia – Microfilm Publication M1762
Barred claims are claims that were not submitted to the SCC by the deadline (March 3, 1873) and so were not considered. They are indicated in M87 by the word “Barred.”
Case files documenting these claims are found in Record Group 233, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, and have been reproduced as Microfiche Publication M1407, Barred and Disallowed Case Files of the Southern Claims Commission, 1871–1880, fiches 4273–4829. The case files are arranged alphabetically by the claimant's surname.
Disallowed claims are claims that the U.S. House of Representatives denied, usually on the recommendation of the SCC. They are indicated in M87 as "Disallowed" or “Dismissed."
Case files documenting these claims are found in Record Group 233, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, and have been reproduced as Microfiche Publication M1407, Barred and Disallowed Case Files of the Southern Claims Commission, 1871–1880, fiches 5–4272. The case files are arranged by report number and thereunder by office number.
Many Southern Unionists were dissatisfied with the claims process and with the SCC's decision in their cases. Their frustration eventually led Congress to pass the Bowman Act of 1883 and the Tucker Act of 1887. Under these acts, Congress could reconsider any of the claims previously handled by the SCC and transfer them to the U.S. Court of Claims for further review and recommendation.
The result is that some case files for disallowed and barred SCC claims are part of Record Group 123, Records of the U.S. Court of Claims, and Record Group 205, Records of the Court of Claims Section (Justice). They are indicated in M87 as “C. of C.”
These case files can be found in two different series:
- "Congressional Jurisdiction Case Files, 1884–1943" (Entry PI-58 22 in Record Group 123; National Archives Identifier 2734730)
- "Congressional Jurisdiction Case Files, 1884–1944" (Entry PI-47 45 in Record Group 205; National Archives Identifier 3432865)
Both of these series are arranged by the U.S. Court of Claims case file number. Researchers should consult Microfilm Publication M2007, U.S. Court of Claims Docket Cards for Congressional Case Files, 1884–1937, to identify the case file number.
Please note that there can be numerous gaps in these series of records.
- Southern claims, ca. 1871-1880
- Journal of the Commissioners (Roll 1)
- Miscellaneous Letters Received (Roll 2) March 10, 1871 – Dec. 30, 1872
- Miscellaneous Letters Received (Roll 3) Jan 2, – Dec. 29, 1872
- Miscellaneous Letters Received (Roll 4) Jan 1, – June 29, 1874
- Miscellaneous Letters Received (Roll 5) July 1, – Dec 31, 1874
- Miscellaneous Letters Received (Roll 6) Jan 5, – Dec 23, 1875
- Miscellaneous Letters Received (Roll 7) Jan 7, – Dec 28, 1876
- Miscellaneous Letters Received (Roll 8) Jan 2, – Dec 28, 1877
- Miscellaneous Letters Received (Roll 9) Jan 2, 1878 – June 29, 1880 and Other Records Mar 29, 1864 – ca. April 17, 1900
- Letters From and about Special Agents (Roll 10) Avery – Brownlow
- Letters From and about Special Agents (Roll 11) Chamberlain – Richards
- Letters From and about Special Agents (Roll 12) Richmond – Tucker
- Geographical List of Claims (Roll 13)
The records from the SCC, including both successful and unsuccessful applications, are valuable historical resources. They provide detailed insights into Southern life during the Civil War, including:
- Personal Descriptions and Accounts: Testimonies often included detailed personal descriptions and narratives of wartime events.
- Military Records: Information about the military service of claimants or their relatives.
- Private Documents: Letters, diaries, family Bible records, wills, property inventories, and probate records were frequently submitted as evidence. Though only a limited number of people per county qualified for a settlement, the application papers typically mention numerous neighbors and community members. These records offer a diverse array of information on individuals of various races and social classes, making them rich sources for genealogical and historical research.
Questions to be answered by claimants under oath
There were three versions of the questions to be asked of claimants and witnesses
1871 - Initial Questions
1872 - Revised Questions
1874 - Final Version
Questions on the 1874 - Final Version
The following questions will be put to colored claimants
Question 70
- Were you a slave or free at the beginning of the war?
- If ever a slave, when did you become free?
- What business did you follow after obtaining your freedom?
- Did you own this property before or after you became free?
- When did you get it?
- How did you become owner, and from whom did you obtain it?
- Where did you get the means to pay for it?
- What was the name and residence of your master, and is he still living?
- Is he a witness for you, and if not, why not? • Are you in his employ now, or do you live on his land or on land bought from him? • Are you in his debt? What other person besides yourself has any interest in this claim?
The following questions will be put to all colored witnesses in behalf of white claimants
Question 71
- Were you formerly the slave of the claimant?
- Are you now in his service or employment?
- Do you live on his land?
- Are you in his debt?
- Are you in any way to share in this claim if allowed?
Sample Claim: Philip Sewell Sr. and his son, Philip Sewell Jr.
The story of Philip Sewell Sr. and his son, Philip Sewell Jr., provides a fascinating glimpse into the lives of a free Black family in Petersburg, Virginia, during and just before the Civil War. Their effort to seek reimbursement for property taken by Pennsylvania cavalrymen through the Southern Claims Commission highlights the broader experience of many African Americans and Southern Unionists who sought compensation for losses incurred during the war.
On July 11, 1866, Philip Sewell Sr. and Philip Sewell Jr. filed a claim with the Freedmen’s Bureau for reimbursement of property taken by Union soldiers in April 1865. The items listed included four horses, two mules, two wagons, two saddles, gear and harness, six blankets, and a significant amount of foodstuffs.The Sewells’ claim file included affidavits providing evidence for their reimbursement request.
These documents contained personal information and testimonies about their experiences and losses, serving as crucial documentation in their effort to recoup their property. The total estimated value of their loss was $1,364.70, Philip and his son was paid $797 for their claim.