Twisted Twigs is passionate about military records and deeply appreciates the invaluable work NARA (National Archives and Records Administration) does in preserving these historical treasures. Military pension files offer a unique glimpse into your ancestors’ lives, providing rich, real-world details about the branches and twigs of your family tree. Once a veteran was approved for a pension, they were required every few years to submit updates to the U.S. Pension Office. These updates included their physical location, marital status, and the number of dependents (such as minor children) they were responsible for.
Examining these pension files reveals not only the hardships veterans endured but also the impact war had on entire families, especially through the pensions of widows and children. Widow and minor pensions are a goldmine for genealogists, as claimants had to prove their relationship to the veteran with supporting documentation, such as marriage and birth records. In cases where these records were unavailable, claimants often relied on testimony from family members, neighbors, or friends who could attest to the marriage or birth. Even when all paperwork seemed in order, pension hearings were sometimes required to resolve any discrepancies or concerns raised by the U.S. Pension Office.
For family historians and genealogists, military pension files are not just documents—they’re windows into the past, shedding light on the resilience of families and offering key insights into your ancestry.
After viewing over 9000+ Pensions since 2014, we’ve seen many
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Marriage Certificate
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Burial Cards
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Death Certificates
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Birth/Baptism Records
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Bible Pages
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Property/Land Deeds
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Probate Records
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Wills
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Entire Newspapers (for the Obit)
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Coroner Reports
And even 27 Civil War Photos (on paper, tin type, and glass)
*Union Records for Civil War Pensions Only *
Confederate Pensions are NOT at the National Archives
This special is best for the Civil War (UNION), Mexican American,
Indian War, & Spanish American War Pensions!
Comparison of Retrieval Fees
NARA’s current Civil War pension fee is $80 for the first one hundred pages and $0.70 each page after
