Collection Information
These records range from military unit muster rolls, to pension lists, to prisoner of war (POW) records. If your ancestor served in the military, chances are they will be listed in one of these lists.
Sometimes locating a name on a solider, prisoner or veteran list is the link you have been searching for. It will place that person in one place, allowing you to understand when and where they served.
Ancestors that seem to disappear for a period of time may have served in the military. Sometimes locating a name on a solider, prisoner or veteran list is the link you have been searching for. It will provide the information you need to understand his military life, and to allow you to begin to reconstruct his activities.
The information included in these records varies depending on the collection, so check the descriptions for each collection for more information.
Sample Images
Search Tips
- The best way to find a military record is to enter as much information as you can into your search. The more you tell us about your ancestor, the easier it will be to find good matches about him or her.
- In your searching, remember to allow for name spelling variations and that sometimes records only used one or more initials for the given names.
- Since each collection includes different information, it is valuable to search collections that apply to your ancestor individually. Once you see the results for some individuals you can see what terms might be useful in the Keyword field to refine your search.
- With some record collections, the description provides instruction for how to receive additional information.
- Once you find a matching military record, save it to your family tree – that way you can provide evidence to back up the info in your family tree, easily share your discovery with your family, and quickly find the historical record again later.