{"id":95791,"date":"2023-11-09T11:27:10","date_gmt":"2023-11-09T16:27:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=95791"},"modified":"2023-11-17T13:26:31","modified_gmt":"2023-11-17T18:26:31","slug":"clues-to-military-service-from-the-u-s-census","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/clues-to-military-service-from-the-u-s-census.html","title":{"rendered":"Clues to Military Service, from the U.S. Census"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> In this article \u2013 to help celebrate Veterans Day \u2013 Gena Philibert-Ortega gives tips for finding clues to your ancestor\u2019s military service found in U.S. Federal Census records. Gena is a genealogist and author of the book \u201cFrom the Family Kitchen.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Did your ancestors serve in the U.S. military? Depending on how long your family has been in the United States, your answer might include generations going back centuries.<\/p>\n

Have you identified all your veteran ancestors? What sources provide clues to military service? One record that can reveal military service is the U.S. federal census. Depending on the census year, clues to military service can be found in 19th<\/sup> and 20th<\/sup> century census returns. While there can be problems with census information, especially since we often don\u2019t know who gave the answers, it\u2019s still a possible clue. (1)<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: U.S. Marine Corps veteran Richard Starr waves an American flag as members of Joint Base Charleston march by while participating in the Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Hospital Annual Veterans Day parade 8 November 2014, in Charleston, S.C. Credit: Clayton Cupit; U.S. Air Force; Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1840 and 1890 U.S. Censuses<\/strong><\/p>\n

We tend to think of a census enumeration as something that is used for \u201capportionment of representatives, but also to determine the allocation of resources and identify the needs of the people.\u201d (2) The census was occasionally used to specifically count a group of people to determine specific needs. An example is using the census to count veterans and others who were receiving a military pension or who might be eligible for one.<\/p>\n

1840 Census<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although the 1840 U.S. Census is not an every-name census and utilized tick marks for everyone other than the head of household, there is an additional schedule for this census that can be helpful for finding those who are not the head of the household.<\/p>\n

Titled \u201cA Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services with Their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence,\u201d this schedule asked for the name of the pensioner (who may be a widow), age, and the name of the head of household with whom the pensioner lived. This schedule gives you the name of the veteran or their widow (if a widow is named, then you know that the veteran must have died prior to the census), the person\u2019s age, and if they are the head of household or living with someone else. You can then go back to the population schedule and search for that name of the head of household.\u00a0 Finding an ancestor on this schedule means your next step is to order the veteran\u2019s military record and pension file.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a><\/p>\n

To browse this pension schedule for free, see the Census Bureau Library website<\/a>. You can download the entire schedule, or you can download the states you are interested in. The information is not in alphabetical order, but it is organized by state and then county.<\/p>\n

1890 Veteran Census<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve been tracing your family history for any length of time you know that the 1890 U.S. Census population schedule is all but lost due to its almost complete destruction in the 1921 Commerce Building fire. Very few of the enumerations still exist, so for most researchers there simply is no 1890 census.<\/p>\n

However, a veteran schedule was added to the U.S. federal census in 1890. As I wrote in my Genealogy 101 blog post<\/a> about this schedule: According to the United States Census Bureau, the 1890 Veterans Schedule was conducted at the request of the U.S. Pension Office to \u201chelp Union veterans locate comrades to testify in pension claims and to determine the number of survivors and widows for pension legislation.\u201d In addition, some congressmen were also interested in this enumeration to learn more about the correlation between military service and longevity. (3)<\/p>\n

This schedule was to enumerate Civil War Union soldiers and sailors (Confederate soldiers were not part of this enumeration since they were not eligible for a federal pension \u2013 however, there are some that were counted). Over a million veterans and their widows were counted. Information found on this enumeration includes: name, rank, company, name of regiment or vessel, date of enlistment, date of discharge, length of service, post office address, disability incurred, and any additional remarks including details about wounds sustained, where the person was held a prisoner of war, and more. Unfortunately, not all of the schedule still exists. Read my Genealogy 101 article for details.<\/p>\n

Genealogy Tip:<\/em><\/strong> Consider looking up historical newspaper articles about a particular census. For example, this 31 May 1890 newspaper article informed its readers that questions would be asked about veteran service in the upcoming census. Veterans are counseled to provide their wives or other family member with correct information if they will not be home when the enumerator arrives.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Washington Bee (Washington, D.C.), 31 May 1890, page 1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

20th<\/sup> Century Censuses: 1900-1950<\/strong><\/p>\n

What schedules include military information from the 20th<\/sup> century? To find military questions look to the 1910 and 1930 censuses as well as the supplementary schedules for the 1940 and 1950 censuses.<\/p>\n

1910 Census<\/strong><\/p>\n

In column 30 of the 1910 census, you will find a question that asked whether the person was a survivor of the Union or Confederate Army or Navy. According to the census enumerator instructions: \u201cthis question should be asked as to all males over 50 years of age who were born in the United States and all foreign born males who immigrated to this country before 1865.\u201d Abbreviations were:<\/p>\n