Confederate Pension Records, 1884-1978

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888

Summary

Creator:
Virginia. Dept. of Accounts
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

The Confederate Pension Records consist of 118 boxes and 35 volumes and are arranged in eight series. Series have been designated for Applications, Card Files, Certificates, Confederate Memorial Association, Correspondence, Funeral Expenses, Miscellaneous, and Volumes. This collection documents pension payments to Confederate veterans, widows, daughters, and servants. These records should not be confused with The Library of Virginia's Confederate Pension Rolls which should be searched before any examination of the Confederate Pension Records (Click Here to Search Pensions). The Confederate Pension Records differ from the Confederate Pension Rolls in that they serve as the administrative and financial documentation for the pension rolls. Even though there are pension applications for daughters of Confederate veterans within the Confederate Pension Records, the Confederate Pension Rolls are the best source for these types of records. It is these applications that provide the most extensive information on the Confederate pensioners. The strength of the Confederate Pension Records is that they provide information on maiden daughters or widowed daughters of Confederate veterans who received a pension from the state of Virginia. The Confederate Pension Rolls do not provide information on Confederate daughters who received pensions. In addition, the Confederate Pension Records document pension payments forty years beyond the documentation in the Confederate Pension Rolls.

Biographical / historical:

The Virginia General Assembly passed Confederate pension acts in 1888, 1900, and 1902, and a series of supplementary acts between 1903 and 1934. The act of 1888 provided pensions to Confederate soldiers, sailors, and marines disabled in action and to the widows of those killed in action. Subsequent acts broadened the coverage to include all veterans, their widows and their unmarried or widowed daughters. The act required that applicants be residents of Virginia. Later legislation included veterans or their survivors residing in the District of Columbia as well. An act of the Assembly passed in 1924 provided a pension of twenty-five dollars to any person who accompanied a Confederate soldier in services as a body-servant or who was detailed as a guard, cook, hostler or teamster, etc. Additional subsequent acts increased pension payments and categorized pensioners into several classes based on their disability.

On 15 March 1902, the General Assembly passed an act to appropriate certain sums of money from the public treasury in aid of Confederate memorial associations having in charge cemeteries containing the graves of Confederate soldiers. This act instructed the auditor of public accounts to draw an annual warrant from the treasurer in favor of the treasurers of various memorial associations. Subsequent acts have been passed through the present time for appropriating funds for the care and upkeep of Confederate cemeteries and graves.

An act providing for the funeral expenses of Confederate soldiers or widows enrolled on the pension roll was passed by the General Assembly on 11 March 1908. This act provided twenty-five dollars for funeral expenses of any Confederate pensioner or any widow on the pension roll of the state of Virginia. The act required a certificate of the clerk of the circuit court regarding the death of the pensioner. The auditor of public accounts was then responsible for issuing a warrant for funeral expenses.

On 1 March 1928 the Office of the Comptroller in the Department of Accounts assumed the functions of the Auditor of Public Accounts with regard to Confederate pensions.

Acquisition information:
These records came in several accessions and were combined into one body of records under Acc. 44105. Included are the following accessions: 25311, 26270, 26418, 26835, 28020, 28021, 28023, 28306, 29468.
Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into the following series:

  • Series I: Applications, 1913-1975 (bulk 1913-1929, 1967-1975)
  • Subseries A: Daughters Enrolled, 1967-1977
  • Subseries B: Rerating Applications, 1913-1929
  • Series II: Card Files, 1930-1975
  • Subseries A: Payroll Cards, 1930-1977
  • Sub Subseries 1: Daughters, 1942-1977
  • Sub Subseries 2: Soldiers, Widows, and Servants, 1930-1966
  • Sub Subseries 3: Widows, 1939-1970
  • Subseries B: United Daughters of the Confederacy Convention Registration Cards, n.d.
  • Series III: Certificates, 1908-1960 (bulk 1925-1958)
  • Subseries A: Allowed Certificates, 1908-1960 (bulk 1925-1958)
  • Sub Subseries 1: Servants, 1927-1950 (bulk 1927-1928)
  • Sub Subseries 2: Soldiers, 1925-1950 (bulk 1925-1928)
  • Sub Subseries 3: Widows, 1927-1974 (bulk 1927-1928, 1949-1958)
  • Subseries B: Disallowed Certificates, 1908-1929 (bulk 1916-1929)
  • Series IV: Confederate Memorial Association, 1946-1972
  • Series V: Correspondence, 1921-1977 (bulk, 1921-1925, 1960-1972)
  • Subseries A: Confederate Pension Administrator, 1963-1972
  • Subseries B: Deceased Daughters, 1965-1977
  • Subseries C: Deceased Widows, 1960-1973
  • Subseries D: Incoming Correspondence, 1923-1925
  • Subseries E: Pension Clerk's Correspondence, 1921-1924
  • Series VI: Funeral Expenses, 1909-1967 (bulk 1918-1929)
  • Subseries A: Allowed Claims, 1926-1967 (bulk 1926-1929)
  • Subseries B: Disallowed Claims, 1909, 1918-1930 (bulk 1918-1929)
  • Series VII: Miscellaneous, 1884-1973
  • Series VIII: Volumes, 1933-1978
  • Subseries A: Daughter Pensions, 1924-1958
  • Subseries B: Veteran and Widow Pensions, 1933-1958
  • Subseries C: Registers, 1933-1947
  • Subseries D: Warrant Registers, 1961-1978
Physical description:
46.75 cubic feet (127 boxes and 35 volumes)