Alabama, U.S., Questionnaires of Widows of Confederate Soldiers, 1927

This database contains a collection of questionnaires and other documents from a 1927 survey of Confederate widows living in Alabama.

Historical Background

Unlike former Union troops, Confederate veterans could not look to the federal government for pensions, whether for disability, age, or service. Most of the former Confederate states eventually passed legislation to provide pensions to veterans, and eventually their widows, residing in their states. Alabama began providing pensions to injured veterans as early as 1867. Veterans’ widows became eligible for pensions in 1886.

In 1927 the Alabama Pensions Commission requested a survey be taken of Confederate widows residing in the state to provide data for future funding decisions. This database contains questionnaires and other documents, such as affidavits attesting to a soldier’s service, associated with this survey. Because pensions were paid by the state the applicant was living in at the time, these veterans did not necessarily serve in an Alabama unit.

This database includes documents only for people with surnames Do–Du. Additional records will be added as they become available.

What You May Find in the Records

The documents can include a wide variety of details on both the widow and the veteran, including the following:

• name of widow
• residence/address
• age
• birth date
• birthplace
• father’s name
• father’s place of death (if deceased)
• name of veteran
• marriage details
• veteran’s death details
• veteran’s military service, personal property
• former pension roll information
• former residences (states)
• children (names, addresses, occupations)

The records are grouped in packets, and there will typically be multiple pages for each individual. Use the arrow keys to scroll through all the documents in the packet.