Registration is closed. Class is full.
Civil War Research:
It’s More than Compiled Service and Pension Records
with Susan Goss Johnston
Pension records are wonderful presents waiting to be unwrapped and studied. They are rich in genealogical information, but they’re not the only records worth exploring. In fact, these records are only a fraction of the many records that were created during the Civil War. Case studies will be used to find and examine records – and record substitutes – created in the time between a soldier’s draft registration and his burial. What records exist? Where can they be found? What will they tell us?
We genealogists tend to read documents for the answers they provide, but these letters of condolence sent from the Civil War battlefields still evoke strong emotions one hundred fifty years after they were written. They may provide answers, but they also provoke strong questions. Who was the soldier and his heart-broken widow or grieving father? What were the circumstances behind his death? What does the letter say about the writer? The search for these answers will take the researcher into seldom-used records, and the stories uncovered bring history to life.
This class is limited to 40 participants and is one of the free benefits for CGS members. Non-members fee is $20.00 (non-refundable) and can be applied towards a CGS membership the day of the class.
Pre-registration is required.
Registration confirmations will be sent to the first 40 participants who register. Additional names will be collected and placed on a waiting list in case of cancellations.
Walk-ins will not be admitted.