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History
of the Confederate Pensions in Florida
The first Confederate pensions in Florida were authorized
in 1885 and granted to veterans the sum of $5.00 per month. The next three
decades saw a new Confederate pension bill introduced at nearly every
session of the Legislature. Residency requirements were added and adjusted,
militia members and widows were declared eligible, various financial qualifications
were added and changed, and the amount and method of distribution were
changed many times.
A Board of Commissioners consisting of three members was appointed under
the first pension law and it remained essentially the same, despite changes
in name and the inability of the legislature to settle on the identity
of the third member. The Governor and Comptroller were members of the
board from the beginning, although the third seat was passed at various
times from the Adjutant General to the Secretary of State to the Attorney
General to the Treasurer, back to the Attorney General, and again back
to the Treasurer before finally stabilizing in 1915 as the Governor, Comptroller,
and Treasurer. The clerical and day-to-day operations of administering
the pension laws were carried out under the supervision of the Comptroller.
Description
of Veterans' and Widows' Applications
The pension application files include both veterans' and widows' applications
interfiled, although approved and denied claims are filed separately.
The veteran's application generally includes his full name, date and place
of birth, unit of service, date and place of enlistment, date and place
of discharge, brief description of service and/or wounds, proof of service,
place and length of residence in Florida, as well as other miscellaneous
documentation.
The widow's application is filed with that of her husband and includes
her full name, date and place of marriage, date and place of her husband's
death, her place and length of residence in Florida, and proof of her
husband's service. Some early applications also include the widows' date
and place of birth. Confederate pensions were awarded to residents of
Florida regardless of the state in which their service was rendered.
Official
Copies
Digital copies of the pension files may be downloaded from this web site
at no charge. Official copies of the pension files are available from
the Florida State Archives for a flat fee of $7.50 per file (veteran and
widow are filed together.)
Checks should be payable to the Department of State, and mailed to:
The Florida State Archives
R. A. Gray Building
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0250.
Credit card orders can be placed by phone (850) 245-6700.
You may call (850) 245-6700 for further information on this or any other
collection in the Archives.
