Maiden Launch

Well, I haven't come across many people who dislike talking about family history. It is no surprise that genealogy is a very popular activity. To some, it is an addiction!

Finding ancestors has been a hobby of mine for some thirty years. But the advent of the computer and the Internet has made it a whole new type of hobby. I doubt it would be possible for one person to locate and view half of all the web sites and e-mail lists that crop up each year.

I would like this blog to be a resource for people to share resources they have found that were helpful. The success of the site depends on those sharing their discoveries.

As such, I would like to share a site I recently found regarding Florida Confederate Pension Applications. If you have ancestors who lived in Florida after the Civil War, this site might be a boon for you.

In order for a Florida veteran of the civil war (or his widow) to collect a pension, a great deal of paperwork had to be submitted. To quote from the web site at the Florida State Archives:

The series includes files on approved and denied pension claims from 1885 to 1954. Most files contain the original application, any supplemental applications, proof of service and residency, and occasional correspondence between the applicant and the Board. Veterans' applications generally include name, date and place of birth, unit dates and places of enlistment and discharge, brief description of service, wounds received, sworn statements on proof of service by comrades, War Department service abstracts, and place and length of Florida residency. Widows' applications generally include, in addition to the above, her full name, date and place of marriage to the veteran, and date and place of the veteran's death. Widows' applications are filed under the name of the veteran.

The information can be retrieved soldier's name, widow's name, or service number. All of the application material has been digitized and can be accessed freely. Official copies can be purchased on line with a credit card. The web address is:

http://www.floridamemory.com/Collections/PensionFiles/

Happy hunting!