{"id":91573,"date":"2023-05-15T10:12:42","date_gmt":"2023-05-15T14:12:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=91573"},"modified":"2023-06-09T09:27:23","modified_gmt":"2023-06-09T13:27:23","slug":"genealogy-tip-your-ancestors-civil-war-pension-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/genealogy-tip-your-ancestors-civil-war-pension-part-3.html","title":{"rendered":"Genealogy Tip: Your Ancestor\u2019s Civil War Pension (part 3)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> In this article \u2013 the third and final in a three-part series \u2013 Katie Rebecca Garner gives tips for researching your ancestor\u2019s Civil War pension. Katie specializes in U.S. research for family history, enjoys writing and researching, and is developing curricula for teaching children genealogy.<\/em><\/p>\n

Previously in this series (see links at the end of this article), we learned what was involved in your ancestor getting a Civil War pension and where you can find the records. This series concludes today with a case study showing how finding the pension record was key to discovering more about the Stewart family.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: Civil War Union reenactors.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Photo credit: https:\/\/depositphotos.com\/home.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Contents of a Pension Record: Barton H. Stewart<\/strong><\/p>\n

When trying to extend the lines of Barton H. Stewart and his wife Elizabeth Hillis, census and vital records research quickly ran dry. The only census showing the couple married with children was the 1870 census. Elizabeth was a widow in the 1880 census because Barton had died in 1874. It was uncertain when Elizabeth died or if she remarried.<\/p>\n

Even though the censuses showed the couple living with children born before 1860, they were not found together in the 1860 census. There was evidence that Barton H. Stewart had served in the Civil War, and hardly any other clues.<\/p>\n

Therefore, I ordered his pension records from the National Archives, and these proved to be a key to breaking the brick wall.<\/p>\n

The pension files give a glimpse of Barton H. Stewart\u2019s Civil War story, as well as his family\u2019s life during and after the war. Barton served in Company A of the 130th<\/sup> regiment of Indiana Volunteers. He enlisted in Curtisville on 30 December 1863. He had committed for three years but had to be discharged early because of disability and disease. His muster rolls show him as being absent a lot due to being sick.<\/p>\n

By combining information from a few reports within the pension file, it is possible to piece together Barton\u2019s story of Civil War service \u2013 at least the part of his service where he contracted his disability.<\/p>\n

Barton was on a campaign in Georgia from 4 June to 14 July 1864. On 27 June 1864, during a charge at Kennesaw Mountain in Georgia, Barton became overheated and contracted a severe cold, which superinduced fits. During the charge, he was shot in his left shoulder. On 16 October 1864, Barton went to a hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, for cholera. Additionally, Barton contracted epilepsy during his service.<\/p>\n

All this led to his early discharge on 10 July 1865. These conditions affected Barton for the rest of his life and eventually led to his death.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: Civil War Confederate reenactors.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Photo credit: https:\/\/depositphotos.com\/home.html<\/a><\/p>\n

In addition to Barton\u2019s war story, the pension records also give the following information about his family:<\/p>\n