6 Replies Latest reply on Jan 27, 2021 5:48 PM by George Locke

    Seeking Civil War Pension Files of George Luckett

    George Locke Newbie
    George Locke Jan 18, 2021 8:14 PM

      Hello, I am trying to locate pension files for a possible ancestor and his wife. He served with the Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. I found the Pension index card through Ancestry and I found a Southern Claims Petition on file through Fold3 but I could not locate the actual pension files (Invalid and Widow pensions) online anywhere. I am having issues getting to the correct page to place the order (user error).  Can anyone tell me if the Civil War Pension files are in progress of being scanned & indexed, similar to the Revolutionary War pension files? Thank you for any information you can provide. The information I have is as follows:

       

      Information derived from depositions given by George W. Luckett and wife Mary Jane Luckett

      to Special Commissioner Isaac P Baldwin on 1 Aug. 1876 for Southern Claims Commission.

       

      George W Luckett:

      Age: 69 (b. abt 1807)

      Occupation: Farmer

      location: Near Bellfair Mills, Stafford Co. Va.

      Since When: 1855

      Born Where: Charles County, Md.

       

      Mary Jane Luckett

      Age: 42 (b. abt 1834)

      Relationship: Wife

      Married: abt. 24 years (m. abt 1852)

      ****************************************************************

      Information derived from Pension index card:

       

      George W. Luckett:

      Date Filed: 25 June, 1880

      Class: Invalid

      Application No. 399,039

      Certificate No. 241,661

      State Filed: (Not marked by assumed Virginia)

       

      Mary Jane Luckett

      Date Filed: 03 October, 1884

      Class: Widow

      Application No. 320,039

      Certificate No. 230,578

      State Filed: Virginia

      ****************************************************************

      Pension Microfilm Index Location: National Archives Microfilm No. M554, Roll 73

        • Re: Seeking Civil War Pension Files of George Luckett
          Elliot Schneider Ranger
          Elliot Schneider Jan 19, 2021 1:29 PM (in response to George Locke)

          George,

           

          You can view the entire Southern Claims file here please follow the link.

          https://catalog.archives.gov/id/59896182

           

          Hope this helps,

          Elliot Schneider

          3 people found this helpful
          • Re: Seeking Civil War Pension Files of George Luckett
            Jason Atkinson Ranger
            Jason Atkinson Expert Jan 22, 2021 1:07 PM (in response to George Locke)

            Dear Mr. Locke,

             

            Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

             

            The pension file for George W. Luckett referenced by the pension index card you located is in the custody of the National Archives in Washington, DC. This record has not been digitized and is not available online.  To order copies please fill out a NATF Form 85 for and mail the completed forms to the address listed on the form. We suggest that you also enclose a copy of the pension index card with your order. For more information see Requesting Copies of Older (pre-WWI) Military Service Records. There is a reproduction fee for this service.

             

            Please note that the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has suspended reproduction and digitization services until further notice due to COVID-19. Orders will not be serviced until operations can resume safely. NARA has also temporarily suspended the option for placing online orders using eservices.archives.gov. Once operations resume, document reproduction requests will be filled in the order in which they were received. We apologize for any inconvenience.

             

            We hope this information is helpful. Best of luck with your research!

            2 people found this helpful
              • Re: Seeking Civil War Pension Files of George Luckett
                George Locke Newbie
                George Locke Jan 26, 2021 4:49 PM (in response to Jason Atkinson)

                Thank you for this very helpful information.  I have downloaded and filled out the NATF Form 85, and I am prepared to mail it, but I have another question I'd like to ask. I read in the FAQ for Civil War Pension files that (at that time) once a widow filed a claim to continue her soldier husband's pension, the widow's pension file was moved to, and included with soldier's pension file and renumbered as the widow's pension file.

                 

                'When the soldier died his widow applied to have the benefits continued. Her application was given a number but the soldier's pension certificate file was not moved to her new application number. In fact, her application becomes part of the soldier's file. Once the claim for continued benefits was approved, the entire file was given a new number as a widow's certificate.'

                 

                I am including the Pension index card as you suggested, but do I need to list the widow's pension number in the NATF Form 85 in addition to the soldier's pension number? Also, I am assuming that if the widow's file becomes part of the soldier's file, then (in this case) I do not need to submit a separate Form 85 for the widow's pension. Does that sound correct? I would be interesting in hearing your thoughts on this. Thank you again for your help and direction.

                  • Re: Seeking Civil War Pension Files of George Luckett
                    Jason Atkinson Ranger
                    Jason Atkinson Expert Jan 27, 2021 2:33 PM (in response to George Locke)

                    Dear Mr. Locke,

                     

                    Thank you for posting your follow-up request on History Hub!

                     

                    Yes, you are correct.  They are typically filed together under the last active pension number, which would be the widow certificate number in this case. However the records are indexed in such a way that they can be located using either numbers.  Please include all the information you have available on the form or as an attachment. You only need to submit one form and any available soldier and widow files this will be processed together as a single request. 

                     

                    We hope this is helpful.

                    1 person found this helpful
                      • Re: Seeking Civil War Pension Files of George Luckett
                        George Locke Newbie
                        George Locke Jan 27, 2021 5:48 PM (in response to Jason Atkinson)

                        Thank you!  I have added the widow pension number under her name on the form, and attached the index card and two pages from the depositions given by Mr. Luckett and his wife to the Southern Claims Commission as additional reference material and placed my packet in the mail. Now I just need to have patience.  After searching for information on this family for almost 30 years, I guess I can wait a little longer.

                         

                        Thank you all for your help.

                         

                        Respectfully yours,  -geo