Seeking US Mexican War Pension records for widow of Alonzo Vinton

Question

How do I use the United States Mexican War Pension Index,1887-1926 to find information the index cards lead to? I found my great grandfather's name (Leonard McLeod) who became entangled with another man's name (Alfonzo Vinton, as an Alias) when it turned up that their wives both filed for the same widow's benefits.&#160; I hope there are files behind the index records which might reveal the information I need to work with to sort out what happened, why the identity of the two men has become entwined and why two widows applied for the same soldier's pension when I have no evidence they each deserved it. My sixth sense tells me there's a case of stolen identity behind it all (at best) and at worst a case of one man somehow impersonating the other through the last half of his life.&#160; I am reasonably certain a man known as Alonzo Vinton did served in the Mexican War; I am also reasonably certain a man known as Leonard McLeod did not.&#160; I'm trying to prove or disprove that they are one-and-the-same person, and I feel there's information in those files which will assist my doing that.&#160; Does anybody know how to access the files behind these index cards?

Elliot Schneider · Answer

Gary, He is the same man with an alais or second indents who seemed to marry three different women over the years all being able to claim a pension. I found an Alonzo Vinton the the US Army registers of Enlistment of 18 Oct 1847 it states he was born in New York, St. Laurance County. Had him listed as a harness maker. Here is where he is burried https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/23005710/leonard-m.-mcleod I also found that a individual of Alonzo Vinton was sent to penitentiary for forgery and fraud of several individuals. Also found that he had like three wives. Residence 03 Jan 1850 &#8226; Fort Jefferson, Darke, Ohio, USA appointed U.S. Postmaster, as Alonzo Vinton; short service, as a new postmaster was appointed in 20 Mar 1850 Convicted of Forgery 07 Nov 1850 &#8226; Ohio, USA as Alonzo Vinton, sentenced to 3 years in the state pennitentary Military Warrant Land Grant 20 Mar 1851 Alonzo Vinton, Private in Captain Macres' Detachment, Eighth Regiment United States Infantry - Military Warrant 23.772 for 160 Acres in Edgar Co., IL - assigned to Samuel Davis from Alonzo Vinton by Charles S. Pomeroy, atty Divorce Aug 1853 &#8226; Darke County, Ohio, USA divorce of Alonzo Vinton finalized Hester "Hetty" BELLIS (1824&#8211;) Marriage 05 Sep 1857 &#8226; Canada marries as Alonzo Vinton Henrietta H. DRAPER (1833&#8211;) Marriage 07 Apr 1868 &#8226; Holden, Johnson, Missouri, USA marries as Leonard McLeod of Holden, Johnson Co., MO

Elliot Schneider · Answer

Gary, Susan McLeod AKA Susan Glass first&#160; husband Solomon Barnard, its possible either Alonzo went estrange or his wife went estranged with another man. I also found this. Its possible that he did not divorce his second wife. That's why there was a duplicate widows pension because each women was technically still married to him. Its amazing that the courts did not seek paperwork for divorce papers? 24 Mar 1898 was notified that she would no longer be receiving military pension for 2nd husband, as she is no longer considered the legal widow Military 17 Mar 1894 &#8226; Colorado, USA filed for widow's pension for Alonzo Vinton, Mexican War veteran, application # 11958, contesting widow pension certificate #7270 of Susan McLeod

Elliot Schneider · Answer

Gary, Name: Alonzo Vinton Gender: Male Spouse: Hetty Billis Spouse Gender: Female Marriage Date: 18 Dec 1848 County: Darke State: Ohio Looks like a #2 Marriage in 1868 in MO this time he went back to using Leonard McLeod: Here is the court for Drake County over a dispute in the land. Alonzo Vinton is named vs William H. Seuman Showing the records for Drake County for divorce from Hester Vinton his first wife#1:

Elliot Schneider · Answer

Gary, I'm just a genealogist that loves doing research more so on the military side of things. I have no affiliation to this family or any of your ancestors. To answer your question is that "estrange" means&#160; a wife who no longer lives with her husband. So if you look there may have been like three marriages in between a few in the states and one for sure in Canada. It the "estrange case a husband or wife can technically be married by law but they decided to separate meaning not living together. Within this time frame its possible either one or the other left and possibly got married in Canada and did not tell the other spouse that they were actually married in the US. So its possible that one wife was the correct wife in getting benefits and the other one was denied until the Government found that he was technically still married to the other women. The answer to your second question pertaining to "Alias" was used Some common reasons for a soldier using an alias include: Bounty jumpers who enlisted more than once in order to get paid bounty more than once. They would typically use different names each time. Soldiers who assumed a new identity at enlistment. This could have been done for various reasons, including someone who was trying to enlist underage, or maybe someone who had abandoned his family. Also to point out that Alonzo Vinton aka Leonard McLeod did live in MO, you missed it from the last thread I posted he married in 1868 in the following, that because he knew he had a known "alias" and he went back to using it when he re-married Susan Glass "Bennett" Marriage 07 Apr 1868 &#8226; Holden, Johnson, Missouri, USA