Henry Harmon and the Civil War - Part 2

Civil War Pension Index¹ (click to enlarge)

A few weeks ago, I wrote an introduction to Henry's military life in Henry Harmon and the Civil War - Part 1. After finding Henry's obituary, I immediately went in search for a pension file. A civil war pension file can provide first hand information regarding life and service for a soldier. So after digging around FamilySearch and Fold3.com, I found the index file which stated that Henry not only served in the 82nd Ohio Infantry, but also Company I of the 1st Ohio Infantry. They type of application made was as an invalid, but it does not state the type of injuries that he sustained. It also shows that he applied for a pension at two different times, first on March 3, 1890, and again on April 25, 1907 (following the Pension Act of 1907). Along with the index card, I landed upon Henry's pension payment card. This card shows the payments that he received by the government for his service in the civil war. The payments begin in 1907 and continue until his death in 1921. He earned between $36-$150 per month in pension payments, which would be equivalent to $1000-$2000 in today's market. Henry's wife Anna died before Henry, so his payments did not transfer after his death.

Henry Harmon and the Civil War - Part 1

As Memorial Day approaches this year, I thought it was perfect timing to start sharing a few pieces of family history I have found over the past few years. I have been looking into my family's history for about 5 years now, and have been curious to find more ancestors who served in the major wars of American History. I am so appreciative of my grandpa, great uncles, and cousins for their sacrifice and service to our country in the Marine Corp, Army, and Navy. And their service makes me wonder how many others in my family heeded the call to serve their country in the past. The amount of military records available is immense, and they provide insight into some of the most intense moments of America's past, as well as the families who lived through them.