Conflict in the Year 1812
Uncovering War of 1812 Ancestors: A Guide to NARA Resources
For those researching their War of 1812 genealogy, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) offers a wealth of resources. These include pension and bounty land applications, discharge certificates, and records of impressed seamen, all of which can provide valuable genealogical data.
Pension and Bounty Land Applications
Veterans of the War of 1812 or their widows often applied for pensions or bounty land grants as compensation. These files can contain birth, death, marriage information, service details, and affidavits from witnesses, making them an invaluable resource for genealogical research.
Discharge Certificates
Official discharge papers document a soldier’s service period and sometimes include personal details and reasons for discharge. These documents can provide a glimpse into a soldier's life during and after the war.
Records of Impressed Seamen
These records relate to sailors forced into service (impressed) by the Navy, often included in naval War of 1812 records. They offer a unique perspective on the naval aspect of the war.
NARA archives these into federal military records and pension files, which are usually accessible through the National Archives or their digital systems. Prologue magazine frequently features articles and guides explaining how to locate and interpret these records, highlighting their importance for genealogical research.
Supplementing Your Research
While NARA's resources are a solid foundation, it's beneficial to supplement them with local resources like those at the Library of Virginia and online genealogy databases for additional personal and contextual data. The Library of Virginia has guides about War of 1812 soldiers' records, which tend to complement federal records with local documentation like birth, marriage, death records, and cemetery registers, useful for building family context around military service.
Online genealogy platforms such as FamilySearch provide access to U.S. military records collections, though access may require logging in and sometimes subscriptions for full access.
In conclusion, starting with War of 1812 pension and bounty land application files and discharge certificates at NARA provides direct access to federal military records. Exploring impressed seamen records offers insights into naval-related research during the war. Use Prologue magazine articles as a well-regarded interpretative guide to these records. Supplement with local resources and online genealogy databases for additional personal and contextual data.
- Politics and general news about war-and-conflicts can be found in articles from Prologue magazine, which frequently feature guides on locating and interpreting resources from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), such as War of 1812 pension and bounty land application files, discharge certificates, and records of impressed seamen.
- For those interested in the political aspects of the War of 1812, the pension and bounty land applications at NARA can provide insights into the compensation provided to veterans or their widows, while the records of impressed seamen offer a unique perspective on the naval aspect of the war and its impact on individuals' lives.