Pennsylvania State Archives

9 boxes

Records pertain to various militia men or their widows petitioning for pensions from the Commonwealth. Generally, the service men petitioning for pensions had been injured during the war and were thus incapable of working. Many times, the court petitions give descriptions of the injuries and the battle at which they occurred. Widows of militia men generally filed petitions in Orphan's Court in order to obtain pensions for support of their children. However, most widows were only awarded either one half or one quarter of their deceased husband's salaries. Also contained in this series are some receipts for payments of these pensions. Additionally, there is one file containing correspondence between the "House of Employment" and the Comptroller General regarding various state pensions who were invalids at the House. The five volume in this series pertain to pensions for disabled soldiers and pensions to widows and children of soldiers killed in the Revolution. Most of these volumes are also indexed. Some volumes contain records of warrants issued to recipients.

See also the following related series, and the Revolutionary War Pension Records online name index (see link below) documented therein: RG-2, Records of the Auditor General {#2.60} Revolutionary War Pension File, 1809-1893. (4 boxes) RG-7, Records of the General Assembly, {#7.11} House File, 1790-1903. (66 boxes, 1 carton) RG-28, Records of the Treasury Department, {#28.82} Revolutionary War Pension List Book, 1834-1838. (1 volume), RG-33, Records of the Supreme Court, {#33.98} Revolutionary War Soldiers' Claims and Related Papers, 1786-1789. (6 folders)

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Individual pension files are grouped alphabetically by surname of pensioner. Pension registers are grouped chronologically by year. Invalid payroll files are grouped chronologically by date of payment (January 1789 - February 1792 and 1805 - 1809). Other miscellaneous files are unarranged. Indexed externally, alphabetically by surname of pensioner.

Microfilm roll #s 191-195, 6959-6962 and digital surrogate available.

The Pennsylvania State Archives is able to provide access to digital images of this collection through our collaboration with the PA POWER LIBRARY: Pennsylvania Photos and Documents, which is funded by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries of Pennsylvania under the Pennsylvania Department of Education. See link below.

Continued in series #RG2.53. See also online name index to the Revolutionary War pensioners. See also related series: RG2.60, RG7.11, RG28.82, RG33.98. Indexed externally, alphabetically by surname of pensioner.

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