This Veterans Day, the U.S. celebrates the brave men and women who have risked their lives serving in the nation’s armed forces. Now is a good time to take a moment to honor members of your family who have served in the military and celebrate their stories in your family tree.
Image: Library of Congress
Military records can be a great source of information to better understand the lives of your ancestors. There are also many other records that can provide clues about your ancestor’s military history. Here are some tips to help you learn more about your military relatives or uncover clues to further your research.
1. Interview relatives
A great place to start is with your living relatives. Ask your family questions about your military ancestors. Do they remember any old stories about your ancestor’s time in the military? See if they have any old photos that show your ancestor in uniform. Carefully examine the photographs and look for any ribbons or service medals.
2. Service records
Compiled service records can provide you with lots of helpful information. Here you will find the person’s name, rank, and military unit. These records may consist of muster rolls, pay vouchers, brief biographical information, and possibly some medical information.
3. Pension records
Military pension records are rich sources of information. Not only might you find your ancestors full name, rank, and company, but also possibly the data and location of enlistment, place of residence, and date of discharge. You’ll find records of payments to veterans and even payments to their widows and heirs.
4. Bounty land warrants
The U.S. federal government provided bounty land for wartime service between 1775 and 1855. If your ancestor served in the American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, the Mexican War, or the early Indian Wars, you may want to take some time to search these records.
5. Census records
Some census records will make note of military veterans. The 1910 U.S. census record asked whether the person was a survivor of the Union or Confederate Army or Navy. The 1930 U.S. census asked if the person was a veteran and what war or expedition they served in. Enumerators of the 1940 U.S. census asked a small sample of people supplementary questions about a person’s veteran status or if they were a widow or child of a veteran.
You can discover some very interesting stories in old newspapers. Announcements for births, engagements, marriages, and deaths may also make note of your military ancestor. Obituaries may also contain details about a person’s military service. Sometimes newspapers also reported on events, enlistment notices, or reunions and may include the names of those who were in attendance. You can also check old newspapers for war casualty lists.
7. Draft registration cards
While draft registration cards can hold valuable pieces of genealogical information, it’s important to remember that not everyone who signed up for the draft served in the military and not all men who served registered for the draft. Nevertheless, it’s worthwhile to do a search to see what you may find.
8. Cemetery records and gravestones
Often the gravestones of veterans will bear a military insignia or inscription. Their gravestone will also likely include the person’s branch of service and rank. If they died during battle, they may be buried in a military cemetery.
9. Letters, Postcards & Diaries
Do you have old letters, postcards, or diaries that belonged to your military ancestors? These may give you valuable insight into the lives of your relatives who served in the military.
Have you researched your military ancestors? What records did you find?
Siku ya Wazee wa Vita ya Marekani ni siku ya kuwakumbuka wanaume na wanawake wenye ujasiri ambao wamehatarisha maisha yao katika jeshi la Marekani. Sasa ni wakati mzuri wa kuchukua muda wa kuheshimu wanafamilia wako ambao wametumikia katika jeshi na kusherehekea hadithi zao katika mti wako wa familia. Maktaba ya Congress: Rekodi za kijeshi zinaweza kuwa chanzo kikubwa cha habari kuelewa vizuri maisha ya mababu zako. Pia kuna rekodi nyingine nyingi zinazoweza kutoa ufahamu kuhusu historia ya kijeshi ya babu yako. Hapa kuna vidokezo kadhaa vya kukusaidia kujifunza zaidi juu ya jamaa zako wa kijeshi au kufunua vidokezo vya kuendeleza utafiti wako. 1. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Kuhoji watu wa ukoo ni mahali pazuri pa kuanza na watu wa ukoo wako walio hai. Waulize familia yako kuhusu mababu zako wa kijeshi. Je, wanakumbuka hadithi zozote za zamani kuhusu wakati wa babu yako katika jeshi? Angalia kama wana picha zozote za zamani zinazoonyesha babu yako akiwa katika sare. Chunguza picha hizo kwa uangalifu na utafute vitambaa au medali za utumishi. 2. Uwezekano wa kupata Rekodi za huduma Rekodi za huduma zilizokusanywa zinaweza kukupa habari nyingi zenye kusaidia. Hapa utapata jina la mtu, cheo, na kitengo cha kijeshi. Rekodi hizo zaweza kuwa na rekodi za kukusanyika, vyeti vya mshahara, habari fupi za maisha, na labda habari fulani za kitiba. 3. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Rekodi za pensheni Rekodi za pensheni za kijeshi ni vyanzo vingi vya habari. Unaweza kupata jina kamili la babu yako, cheo, na kampuni, lakini pia data na mahali pa kuandikishwa, mahali pa kuishi, na tarehe ya kutolewa. Utapata rekodi za malipo kwa maveterani na hata malipo kwa wajane wao na warithi. 4. Uwe na uhakika Serikali ya Marekani ilitoa ardhi ya zawadi kwa ajili ya huduma ya wakati wa vita kati ya 1775 na 1855. Ikiwa mzazi wako alishiriki katika Vita vya Uhuru wa Marekani, Vita vya 1812 na Vita vya Mexico, au Vita vya Mapema vya Wahindi, unaweza kutumia muda wako kuchunguza rekodi hizi. 5. Uwe na mtazamo mzuri. Rekodi za sensa Rekodi fulani za sensa zitaonyesha wahudumu wa zamani wa kijeshi. Katika sensa ya mwaka 1910 ya Marekani, watu waliulizwa ikiwa walikuwa wanajeshi wa Muungano au wanajeshi wa Marekani. Katika sensa ya mwaka 1930, watu waliulizwa kama walikuwa wanajeshi wa zamani na ni vita gani walihudhuria. Katika sensa ya Marekani ya mwaka 1940, watu walihojiwa waliulizwa maswali kadhaa kuhusu hali ya mtu huyo kama mzee wa vita au kama alikuwa mjane au mtoto wa mzee wa vita. Unaweza kugundua hadithi zenye kupendeza sana katika magazeti ya zamani. Matangazo ya kuzaliwa, uchumba, ndoa, na vifo yaweza pia kutaja babu yako wa kijeshi. Taarifa za kifo zaweza pia kuwa na maelezo kuhusu utumishi wa kijeshi wa mtu. Nyakati nyingine magazeti ya habari pia yaliripoti juu ya matukio, matangazo ya kujiunga na jeshi, au makusanyiko, na huenda yakatia ndani majina ya wale waliokuwapo. Unaweza pia kuangalia magazeti ya zamani kwa ajili ya orodha ya majeruhi wa vita. 7. Uwe na mtazamo gani? Kadi za usajili wa rasimu: Wakati kadi za usajili wa rasimu zinaweza kuwa na vipande vya thamani vya habari za ukoo, ni muhimu kukumbuka kwamba sio kila mtu aliyejiandikisha kwa rasimu alitumikia katika jeshi na sio wanaume wote waliotumikia waliosajiliwa kwa rasimu. Hata hivyo, ni muhimu kufanya utafutaji ili uone kile unachoweza kupata. 8. Uwe na mtazamo gani? Rekodi za makaburi na mawe ya makaburi Mara nyingi mawe ya makaburi ya maveterani yatakuwa na alama au maandishi ya kijeshi. Yaelekea jiwe la kaburi la mtu huyo litatia ndani tawi la utumishi na cheo chake. Ikiwa walikufa vitani, wanaweza kuzikwa katika makaburi ya kijeshi. Barua, Kadi za posta na Dairi Je, una barua za zamani, kadi za posta, au dairi ambazo zilikuwa za mababu zako wa kijeshi? Unaweza kupata habari nyingi kuhusu maisha ya watu wa ukoo wako waliotumikia katika jeshi. Je, umefanya utafiti kuhusu mababu zako wa kijeshi? Ulipata rekodi gani?