Kansas, U.S., Enrollment of Civil War Veterans, 1889

The Civil War left many veterans, widows, and orphans in need of assistance. In addition to federal pensions, some received assistance at the state level. This collection includes benefit enrollment records for Union army and navy veterans and their widows and orphans who were living in Kansas.

The enrollments were taken in 1889, grouped by the state of enlistment, and compiled into volumes. The form enrollment form asked for the following details:

• name of soldier and widow
• rank at discharge
• company
• regiment
• state
• unit
• whether a prisoner of war
• wounds or diseases contracted
• if pensioner, amount of pension
• whether a member of the G.A.R. and what post
• present address
• if deceased, date and place of death
• whether indigent or dependent on other for support
• names of orphan children under age 16
• remarks

In cases where a pension is indicated, search the U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861–1934. Pension files can be incredibly rich sources of information and can be requested from the National Archives. Some files can be found online on the military records website Fold3.com as well.

The records of posts of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) may also hold additional information on the family. The Kansas State Historical Society holds post records for G.A.R. posts in Kansas.