Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Files

Genealogical Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Files abstracted by Virgil D. White (National Historical Publishing Company, 1990-1992, Hardcover, 5265 pages) is a set of 4 volumes which includes an index and lists every Revolutionary War Pension file in alphabetical order by the applicant's name. The pension file number is given and is preceded by S, R, or W (Service, Rejected, or Widow's) indicating the category of the pension file. Following the file number is a summary of genealogical information in the pension file. The State from which the man served, his birth location and date, where the applicant applied, where he served, and where the applicant lived since the Revolutionary War are generally in the file and listed in the abstract. Sometimes reference will be made to the names of the wife and children of the applicant. Occasionally, the wife’s maiden name is listed.

The actual pension records are available online but the  
original records are handwritten and sometimes not very legible or faded out. White’s Abstract is valuable because an expert genealogist has examined the files in light of what they reveal about the history of the patriot, his movements after the war, his health at the time of filing the pension applications and often names wives, widows and family members. Consulting White’s volumes can be a time-saving first step to narrow down the online search for more detailed records. It is also useful for determining at a glance where other patriots with the same surname were located and where they settled after the War.

An example of what information you can find in Genealogical Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Files (click on image to enlarge)

Look for these volumes under call number 973 M28g V. 1-4.

Contributed by: Jeri Martinez

Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Census

The reference book Map Guide to the U. S. Federal Censuses, 1790 – 1920 by William Thorndale and William Dollarhide (Genealogical Pub. Co., 1987, Paperback, 420 pages) is a book I go to often. 

Most people find that locating and tracking their families back using census records is probably the easiest way to get started in tracing their families. Questions often arise when a researcher can’t find a family who had, according to family lore, lived for generations on the same land. Census records may indicate a possible move to a different county.

Several reference books list formation dates of counties and the “parent” counties, but viewing the changes as illustrated in this book makes it easier to understand realignment of county boundaries and changes of jurisdiction as the population changed and the area developed. County boundaries for the times of the various censuses (all decennial federal censuses available at the time of publication) are clearly overlaid on the present-day county map, so it is easy to see the actual shifts in boundaries, making known which county to go to for more information of a particular time period.  Additional information about the various census enumerations is also included.

You can find this invaluable reference book on our shelves under call number 973 X2th.

Contributed by: Eloise Dorman

Irish Records

One resource I can really recommend is Irish Records: Sources for Family & Local History by James G. Ryan (Ancestry Publications, 1988, Hardcover, 562 pages).  Our call number for this book is 941.5 D23r.

I was led to this book by staff at the National Library of Ireland when I was researching there. The first 50 pages (Introduction) give a description of types of records listed for each county. There is also a list of research sources and services available for all of Ireland.  This gives the name, address, phone number, and a brief description of what records they hold.  An example would be:

Registrar-General’s Office  8-11 Lombard St.   Dublin 2   Ph (01) 711000

“This office contains all of the official records of births, marriages and deaths for all counties since records began in 1864.  It also has Church of Ireland (Protestant or Episcopalian) marriage records from April 1845 to 1864.  A public research room is available where the indexes to these records can be consulted.”

Using the information above, you can write for a copy of a birth, marriage or death if it occurred after 1864.

You will also find a list of abbreviations used in the text.  Following this, in alphabetical order are chapters for the individual counties, each with a brief history, a list of Census and census substitutes, Church records (both Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic) in alpha order by parish; showing existing records, Commercial and social directories by year, Family histories if any, Gravestone inscriptions, Newspapers and finally Wills and administrations and Miscellaneous sources like libraries, research services and societies for that county.  The final page for each county is a map showing civil parishes and baronies.  There is a Table of contents and a comprehensive Index.

This book will define for you exactly which records are available for a specific place in a specific county.  An example of this is: "County Galway, Civil parish: Dunmore, Map Grid: 11, RC Parish: Dunmore, Diocese: TU, Earliest Record:  b. 3.1833  m.3.1833, Missing Dates: b 3.1864-12.1847,  10.1850- 9.1877,  m. 9.1860-1.1861, Parish Address:   Rev Canon Michael Walsh, PP, Dunmore, Co Galway."

Contributed by: Mary Miner