declarations-for-revolutionary-war-pensions

library-of-virginia

Library of Virginia

Declarations for Revolutionary War Pensions, 1818-1849, undated.

In 1818, Congress passed the first of three major Revolutionary War pension acts. The act granted lifetime pensions to all men who had served as regular army soldiers in the Continental Line and who could demonstrate financial need. The second act, passed by Congress in 1820, required applicants to provide more concrete evidence of this financial need in the form of a certified inventory of his property and income. They also had to include an account of all members of the applicant's family, including their health and ability to contribute to household income. In 1832, the third act extended pension benefits to include soldiers who had served in the state troops or militia.

This collection consists of the declarations of former soldiers seeking to obtain federal pensions that were submitted to local courts of record in Virginia. The predominant portion of the declarations are narratives of their tours of duty during the Revolutionary War with emphasis on battles they fought. Information found in the declarations include date and location applicants entered into service, names of military companies they served in, names of military commanders they served under, names of fellow soldiers they served with, length of service, their age, their occupation, and affidavits from witnesses verifying their accounts.