Published: September 27, 2008 05:38 pm            

GENEALOGY: Tennessee State archives Web site offers military records

TERRE HAUTE — The Tennessee State Library and Archives Web site at www.tennessee.gov/tsla/history/military/index.htm has a nice on-line group of indexes for its collection of military records. These deserve further description:

1) In 1921, the state legislature of Tennessee passed an act that provided pensions of $10 per month to “those colored men who served as servants and cooks in the Confederate Army in the War Between the States.” These men were slaves at the time they served in the military. The applicants had to prove that they had served until the end of the war. This index to the Colored Confederate Pension Applications is a unique source of information for those looking for a slave ancestor in the very last years before he was freed. The online index includes the man’s surname (inevitably the surname of his owner), his given name, his county of residence, the unit in which he served, and his pension application number. After finding a name on this index, a researcher can then order the entire record from the TSLA. There were no pensions offered to the widows of these men.

2) Nashville, Tenn., was captured by Union forces in 1862. Following its capture, a series of forts was built around the city. This made Nashville second only to Washington D.C. as being the most fortified city in the nation at that time. The fortifications were built by Union soldiers, impressed slaves, and some free black workers. The Employment Rolls and Nonpayment Rolls of Negroes Employed in the Defenses of Nashville, Tennessee, 1862-1863, is an index that lists the worker’s last name (again, his owner’s surname), his given name, the name of the slave owner, and the file number. This database provides another snapshot of the slave’s situation immediately prior to being freed and ties the slave worker to the name of a master or owner.

3) The Confederate Relief and Historical Association of Memphis was an organization created around 1866. It was one of the first societies founded by ex-Confederates and its stated objective was “to engage in works of charity and benevolence, and to render succor and protection to the unfortunate and destitute.” This index includes ex-Confederate soldiers an sailors who joined the CRHA. Information listed on the index consists of each soldier’s last name, first name, rank, regiment, company, army (state), and page number.

4) The Southern Claims Commission was created by the United States government to compile and adjudicate the claims of southerners who declared that their property was taken by the Union military for its use during the Civil War. This online index lists the 3,929 citizens of Tennessee who made such claims. The files include a description of the loss, testimony of witnesses, and a loyalty oath to the Union. The files of the Southern Claims Commission (for all states) are housed in the National Archives. The Tennessee State Library and Archives has microfilmed only the copies of the barred and disallowed claims for Tennesseans. The allowed claims records for Tennesseans listed on this index must be obtained from the National Archives and Records Administration. The index includes the claimant’s last name, first name, county, and status of claim.

5) A Board of Pension Examiners was established in Tennessee in 1891 to determine pension eligibility for Confederate veterans. To be eligible, the veteran had to have an honorable discharge, be unable to support himself, and have lived in Tennessee for one year prior to applying for the pension (even if he had served from another state). In 1905 confederate widows’ pensions were added. This index contains the soldier’s name, county, pension number, unit in which he served, widow’s name, and type of claim. After finding a person of interest on this index, a researcher can order the actual application, which is likely to include much interesting genealogical information.

Continued next week.

        

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