Greetings - the LVA is preparing to release several new Revolutionary War
databases to the public, and we would like to ask our VA-ROOTS and VA-HIST
subscribers to have a "sneak preview" prior to a wider release.

They are:

Pension Records for Veterans and Widows      http://eagle.vsla.edu/rwp

Beginning in October 1777, the General Assembly passed several recruitment
acts that included provisions for pensions for disabled soldiers and for the
widows of men killed in action. The provisions varied according to the
specific terms of each act. In October 1782 an act was passed that required
county courts to certify on a semi-annual basis the continued eligibility of
pensioners.

This collection consists of the surviving records that approximately 650
veterans and their widows presented to the county courts to certify their
eligibility for pension allowances as well as other correspondence and
notations relating to the payment of pensions.

Documents in individual folders may include correspondence, medical
evaluations, orders for payment signed by the governor, powers of attorney,
and receipts signed by the pensioner.

The index entries point to more than 15,000 digitized images of the original
documents.


Public Service Claims for Compensation   http://eagle.vsla.edu/rwpsc

The collection includes claims for compensation made by Virginia citizens
for materials, supplies, and personal services provided to the Virginia
militia and the Continental army during the Revolutionary War. The
collection consists of several types of materials: court booklets,
certificates, lists, and commissioners' books.

There are more than 35,000 records in the database.

The commissioners of each county issued receipts, or certificates, to
individuals for materials and services provided, which included the name of
the provider, the date, a description of the item, and its value. The
certificate and any other available documentation was presented to the
county court during special sessions held between 1781 and 1783. The court
examined and authenticated the certificates, and determined the amount of
compensation.

The local commissioners and deputy commissaries also kept lists of the
foodstuffs, animals, and other provisions that were collected in each
county.

The documents are available on microfilm.


Coming soon:   Revolutionary War Bounty Warrants and Rejected Claims.  All
of these databases will replace the existing Electronic Card Index for each
collection.

Elizabeth

--
Elizabeth Roderick                   email ([log in to unmask])
Director, Digital Library Program    voice  (804) 692-3761
The Library of Virginia              fax    (804) 692-3771
800 E. Broad Street
Richmond, VA  23218

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