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Widow’s Pension

A military widow’s pension refers to a financial benefit paid by the U.S. government to the surviving widow of a deceased military veteran. The specifics of these pensions have changed over time and depend on the war in which the veteran served, the legislation in effect, and whether the veteran or widow met certain qualifications. A widow’s application for a military pension was governed by the pension laws in effect at the time of her filing. The process required the following conditions to be met:

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Use Caution When Searching M1784 & M1785 Indexes
Key Differences Exist Between Platforms

Be aware that searching pension records for remarried widows requires different strategies depending on the platform you are using. Each database has distinct search parameters and limitations:

FamilySearch (Free Database): Researchers can search by either the name of the veteran or the widow’s new married name. However, searches using her maiden name or her name from the first marriage (to the veteran) will not yield results.

Ancestry.com (Subscription-Based): This platform is designed to locate records under the widow’s new married name. Searching directly by the veteran’s name in the primary field will return no results. To locate a file using the veteran’s name, his name must be entered in the “Spouse” field of the search interface.

National Archives (Free Online Access – M1785 Only): The National Archives provides online access to the index for widows whose husbands served during the Civil War and later (NARA Microfilm Publication M1785). However, it does not include pension applications for service prior to the Civil War (such as those found in M1784). Additionally, these records are not keyword-searchable; they must be browsed manually by selecting the appropriate alphabetical range corresponding to the widow’s new married name.

M1784 and M1785 – Remarried Widows Pension Index

Index to Pension Application Files of Remarried Widows Based on Service in the Civil War and Later Wars and in the Regular Army after the Civil War, ca. 1861–1934. This index documents widows who remarried after the death of a Civil War or later service veteran and subsequently applied (or reapplied) for pension benefits due to their first husband’s military service.

 

When a widow of a Civil War soldier remarried, she typically lost her pension benefits. However, changes in law later permitted these widows to reapply and reclaim pensions under certain conditions (especially widows who were again widowed or divorced).

 

The second index, which includes widows of veterans from the Civil War and subsequent conflicts, is designated as M1785. 

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M1784 Example: 1812 - 1860

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M1785 Example: 1861 - 1934

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M1784 – Remarried Widows of Veterans of Service from 1812–1860

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M1784 is an index to pension application files for widows who remarried after the death of a veteran who served in U.S. military conflicts from 1812 through 1860. These records reflect a later pension application submitted after the widow’s second marriage ended, either through death or divorce, making her eligible again for pension benefits under revised laws. M1784 covers veterans who served in:

 

Orig. Number (Original Application Number)

CTF Number (Certificate Number)

If the CTF is missing, it means:

M1785 – Remarried Widows of Civil War and Later Wars

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What the 1901 Act Did:

Prior to this act, remarriage disqualified widows from continuing to receive pension benefits for their deceased veteran husbands. The 1901 Act changed that by allowing certain remarried widows to resume receiving their pension under specific conditions.

M1785 is a card index to pension applications filed by widows who remarried after the death of a Civil War (or later war) veteran. Under 19th-century pension laws, a widow forfeited her pension when she remarried. However, several later acts of Congress reinstated pensions in certain cases, most commonly after the death of the second husband or divorce. M1785 covers veterans who served in:

M1785 covers veterans who served in:

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