Tracing Your War of 1812 Ancestors

war of 1812 ancestorsCreated as a “200th Anniversary Research Special, Tracing Your War of 1812 Ancestors, covers resources for the United States, Canada, and British research. Moorshead Magazines, publishers of Family Chronicle, Internet Genealogy, and History Magazine, have published this special volume in memory of, and to provide assistance in researching, the War of 1812. This 82 page special offers 19 articles, covering such topics as:

  • Army & Navy Records
  • Bounty Land Warrants
  • Newspapers & Maps
  • Government Records
  • Cemetery Records
  • Pension Records
  • Militia Service
  • Impressment
  • US Marines
  • Prisoners of War
  • And More!

Major events, especially war, generates mountains of records, histories, and documents. Newspapers, government and military records, and other records offer names and details about our ancestors which may not have been documented if not for these historical events. Regular contributor and expert David A. Norris has compiled helpful guides, a chronology of events, an introduction, and other articles for this publication; providing, great insight into evaluating potential sources of information and hunting those sources down.

 

Contents

War of 1812: Introduction

An introduction to look at what resources are available to researchers

Chronology & Outline

An outline of the war, and the causes and resolution

US Government Records

Local government records could reveal details of an ancestor’s home and life

Canadian War of 1812 Records

Published and online sources make tracking Canadian soldiers much easier

British War of 1812 Records

Tips on resources for locating ancestors who may have fought with the British Army or Royal Navy

US Army Records

A bit of digging might uncover a treasure trove of information on an ancestor in the US Army

United States Marines

Although US Marines were a small force in 1812, a number of resources exist for them

Naval Records

New resources provide valuable details on the lives of sailors in the US Navy

Prize Money: Spoils of War

Prize money could more than double a sailors pay

Militia Service

Most veterans of the War of 1812 served brief periods in the militia

Bounty Land Warrants

Land bounty records are a valuable source of information on veterans and their heirs

Cemetery Records

A number of resources are available that can help you locate burial sites

Impressment

Maritime records are useful research tools and document a tumultuous era

Maps

Historic maps help bring the War of 1812 era, and your family history, to life

Pensions

Pension files can reveal where your ancestor was born, where they lived and died and more

Privateer & Naval Pensions

An important genealogical resource for anyone researching a maritime ancestor

Newspapers: Breaking News!

Newspapers of the War of 1812 era are a valuable genealogical and historical resource

Prisoners Of War

Records of prisoners of war can provide additional details of an ancestor’s life

Last Survivors

As a rule of thumb, the last survivor of a war will live roughly 90 years after the war

Copies of Tracing Your War of 1812 Ancestors are available from Family Roots Publishing; Price: $9.75

An electronic copy is also available in .pdf format. Click here for more information.

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