Vital Records of New England Civil War Veterans Abstracted from the Organization Pension File Index

The New England Historic Genealogical Society recently acquired microfilm relating to New England regiments included in The Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans who served between 1861 and 1900 [UB/ 373/ P46/ 1949/Microfilm]. This selection from National Archives microfilm series T289 is arranged in order by (1) regimental number, (2) company within the regiment (e.g.: Co. B. 12th Mass. Inf.), and (3) alphabetically by the name of the veteran within that company. The main purpose of these Civil War research briefs is to publish the genealogical data for all pension index cards for New England states that contain a date of death in the last column. The material in these columns will aid anyone researching Civil War soldiers or their New England regiments. It will also satisfy the scholars of surname studies collecting all instances of one name. As space permits, I will also offer some general strategies for researching Civil War soldiers and their families and delve into other infrequently used resources.

Slightly less than fifty percent of the names in the pension index have death dates. My reason for transcribing these records is that the information they contain is unique -- without consulting the pension files themselves, one can obtain a Civil War soldier’s date of death. Since Massachusetts VRs would not normally record that an individual was a veteran, bringing together both these sources should prove valuable.

Below is an example of the information as it appears on a typical pension index card in the National Archive series.

Information will be abstracted from each card in the series as follows: FARRELL, Richard - d. 22 April 1901 Webster, Mass. [MVR. 518: 466]; Co. H. 34th Regiment Massachusetts Infantry & Unassigned V.R.C. (Veterans Relief Corps), and Co. I. 21 V.R.C.

For all soldiers who died within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a citation to his death record will follow his date of death. If the town in which the death occurred conflicts with both the pension and statewide death index, it will be included within the citation^[1].
This first column will contain transcriptions of data from the 1st Massachusetts Infantry, and completely treat pensioners from field and staff, and Companies A-C. Further issues will be linked to more specific information on death records, and photographs of individual soldiers if they can be located.
If you have further information, or a photograph of a particular Civil War soldier in this database please notify me at NEHGS.

1st Massachusetts Infantry, Companies A-C

ABRAMS, John - d. 21 December 1885
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
ALLEN, George W. - d. 27 April 1914 at the National Soldiers Home, Me.
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
ARCHER, Thomas - d. 1 April 1918 at Woodside, New York.
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
BARRY, George (alias John J. Coffey) - d. 17 November 1915 at Framingham, Mass.
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
BLACKBURN, Abner - d. 7 November 1914 at Boston, Mass. [MVR. 19: 441]
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
BOWDEN, George V . - d. 11 September 1917 at Wenham, Mass. [MVR 92: 473]
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
BOYD, Thomas Jr. - d. 13 November 1907 at Marlborough, Mass. [MVR 67: 455]
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
BRIGHAM , Charles G. - d. 1922 at Hudson, Mass. [MVR 35: 129]
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
BROTHERS, Hypolete P.d. 21 January 1919 at Grand River, Iowa.
Musician, 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
BROWN, Aaron A. - d. 6 September 1914 at Baltimore, Maryland.
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
BROWN, Edward C. - d. 17 September 1917 at Chelsea, Mass. [MVR 15: 160]
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
BROWN, Edwin Y. - d. 15 February 1912
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
BURBECK , George W . H. - d. 11 April 1915 at Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
BURPEE, James E. - d. 21 December 1913 at Leominster, Mass. [MVR 57: 130]
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
CAMPBELL, George S. - d. 17 January 1931 at Malden, Mass. [MVR 53: 28]
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
CHRISTIN, Ferrier V. - d. 6 July 1912 at Chicago, Ill.
Corporal, Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
COBLENTZ, Robert B. - d. 1 May 1924 at Tacony, Pennsylvania.
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
COFFEY, John J . (alias George Barry) - d. 17 November 1915 at Framingham, Mass. [MVR 28: 11]
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
COOK, Charles C. - d. 12 March 1923 at Leominster, Mass. [MVR. 40: 244]
Musician, 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
COOK , George C. - d. 8 February 1921 at Mattapan, Mass. [MVR 1: 91, Boston]
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
CORSON, Charles H. - d. 16 December 1914 at Chelsea, Mass. [MVR 3: 147]
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
DAILY, Dennis - d. 13 November 1920 at Redwood City, California.
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
DALTON, Joseph H. - d. 13 November 1912 at Boston, Mass [MVR. 19: 657]
Quarter Master Sgt., 1st Massachusetts Infantry; Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry; Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
DAMON, William T. - d. 21 June 1918 at Danvers, Mass. [MVR. 23: 21]
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
DANIELS, Edward S. - d. 2 October 1919 at Somerville, Mass. [MVR. 60: 481, Lexington].
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
DART, Carlos - d. 21 May 1913.
Musician, 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
DODGE, Wooster F. - d. 23 December 1914 at Leominster, Mass. [MVR. 56: 345]
Musician, 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
DONOHOE, John H. (alias John Grant) - d. 17 October 1909
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
DOWNING, Richard - d. 21 March 1916
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
DROWN, Charles C. - d. 6 August 1919 at No. Hyde Park, Vermont.
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
DRUGAN, William F. - d. 17 March 1918 at Dedham, Mass. [MVR 122: 71, Walpole]
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
DRURY, Abner E. - d. 5 October 1918 at Billerica, Mass. [MVR. 23: 148, Danvers]
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
DUDDY, John H. - d. 8 September 1921 at Charlestown, Mass.
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
ELKINS, Robert G. - d. (date not given) National Soldiers Home, Maine.
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
EMERSON, William - d. 11 July 1920 at Washington, D. C.
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
ESTABROOK, William H.d. 6 June 1921 at Eastern Branch, Maine.
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
FERRIS, Jacob A. - d. 18 August 1915 at Winthrop, Mass. [MVR. 89: 332]
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
FLETCHER, William H. - d. 19 July 1920 at the Soldier and Sailors Home, Rio Grande, Colorado.
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
GARNEY, John Jr. - d. 1 December 1908 at Boston, Mass. [MVR 19: 510]
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
GILMAN, Luther H. - d. 28 May 1916 at the National Sailors Home, Virginia.
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
GLOVER, George - d. 16 December 1915
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
GRANT, John (alias John H. Donohoe) - d. 17 October 1909
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
GRIGGS, John B. - d. 17 January 1899 at Dudley, Mass.
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
HALEY, Patrick - d. 18 April 1923 at Boston, Mass. [MVR 1: 336]
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
HAMBLEN, Allen T. - d. 16 February 1911 [MVR 25: 404, Cambridge]
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
HANSCOM, George H. - d. 26 June 1911 [MVR 5: 496, Bolton; 14: 230 Boston]
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
HARRINGTON, James G. - d. 3 May 1915 at Boston, Mass. [MVR 1: 698]
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
HATCH, Augustus - d. 28 June 1923 at Cohasset, Mass. [MVR 65: 63, Norwell]
Sgt., Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
HATCH, Theodore - d. 2 September 1927 at Norton, Mass. [MVR 58: 22]
Sgt., Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
HAYES, Alonzo L. - d. 23/ 24 June 1909 at East Boston, Mass. [MVR 13: 531]
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
HEYWOOD, John R. - d. 19 November 1921 at Roxbury, Mass. [MVR. 2: 350, Boston]
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
HOLBROOK, Samuel W. - d. 14 March 1914 at Campello, Mass. [MVR 23: 149, Brockton]
Co. --, 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
HOLMES, Jacob F. - d. 19 April 1915 at West Somerville, Mass. [MVR 72: 193]
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
HULL, Lorenzo B. - d. 5 September 1909
Musician – 1st Massachusetts Infantry; Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
IRISH, Richard F. - d. 30 July 1923 at Brighton, Mass.
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
JENKINS, Luke E. - d. 10 March 1920 at East Boston, Mass. [MVR 11: 493]
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
KATES, Charles D. - d. 28 May 1916 at Providence, Rhode Island
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
KEITH, Avery F. - d. 5 December 1916 at Onset, Mass. [MVR 90: 403, Wareham]
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
KEITH, Charles P. - d. 22 July 1916 at Cambridge, Mass. [MVR 11: 488]
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
KENNEDY, Patrick - d. 29 May 1921 at Pendleton, Oregon
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
LAID, Emerson W. - d. 21 February 1928 at Elizabeth, New Jersey.
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
LEWIS, Asa P. - d. 5 December 1913 at Malden, Mass. [MVR 65: 379]
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
LEWIS, Frank W. - d. 21 February 1904 at National Soldiers Home, Georgia.
Musician – 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
MCELROY, James - d. 7 February 1912 at Stoughton, Mass.
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
MCFARLAND, Edwin C. - d. 28 December 1917
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
MCLACHLAN, John - d. 27 October 1903
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
MANNING, William C. - d. 5 May 1905 at Washington, D. C.
Sgt., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
MARSHALL, Frank W. - d. 29 September 1916 at the National Sailors Home, Maine.
Field and Staff, 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
MASSEY, Horace A . (alias Charles Monroe) - d. 14 October 1927 at Portsmouth, N. H.
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
MEAGHER, Thomas F. - d. 8 September 1913 at Boston, Mass. [MVR 17: 105]
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
MENNICKE, William - d. 15 March 1919 at Portage, Wisc.
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
MILLS, John R. - d. 14 February 1931 at Cambridge, Mass. [MVR 28: 252]
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
MONROE, Charles (alias Horace A. Massey) - d. 14 October 1927 at Portsmouth, N. H.
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
MORLEY, James - d. 23 December 1921 at Marshfield, Mass. [MVR 44: 411]
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
MUNROE, James A. - d. 18 July 1919 at Cambridge, Mass. [MVR. 33: 207]
Cpl. Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
MURPHY, George - d. 10 May 1917 at Boston, Mass.
Sgt., Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
MURPHY, John J. - d. 28 April 1917 at Reading, Mass.
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
MYLES , James - d. about 2 August 1920 at 1341 St. Marks Ave., Brooklyn, New York.
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
NORTH, James N. - d. 1 November 1914 at Boston, Mass. [MVR 25: 192, Brookline]
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
ONTHANK, Ares M. - d. 27 October 1914 at Worcester, Mass. [MVR 111: 441]
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
PAINE, Joseph C. - d. 24 February 1900 at Newcastle, Maine.
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
PIERCE, Timothy D. - d. 21 August 1916 at Northampton, Mass. [MVR 66: 319]
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
PUTNAM, William - d. 2 July 1929 at Gardner, Mass. [MVR. 28: 1]
Musician, 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
REES, Thomas H. - d. 5 February 1910
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
REID, David - d. 8 December 1896
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
RIVERS, Anthony C. - d. 1 July 1914 at Lowell, Mass. [MVR 59: 28]
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
ROBBINS, Joseph W. - d. 17 December 1899
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
ROBINSON, Horatio N. - d. 14 August 1925 at Oakland, California.
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
SEARS, Eliphalet - d. 13 April 1925 at South Boston, Mass. [MVR. 1: 298]
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
SELLON, Henry B. - d. 5 February 1914 at W. Upton, Mass. [MVR 88: 421, Somerville]
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
SINGER, George W - d. 7 August 1924 at Boston, Mass. [MVR. 2: 97]
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
SMITH, William F. (alias William F. Wallace) - d. 13 December 1910 at Herts, England
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
STEPHENS, Samuel W.C. - d. 11 December 1911 [MVR. 31: 4]
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
SULLIVAN, Stephen F. - d. 28 October 1919 at East Lynn, Mass. [MVR 67: 111]
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
THAYER, William F. - d. 12 October 1916 at Cohasset, Mass. [MVR. 17: 286]
Musician, 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
THOMAS, Cyrus K. - d. 15 March 1912 [MVR 9: 550, Boston]
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
TISDALE, Andrew - d. 21 February 1928 at the Soldiers Home
California Band, 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
TISDALE, George - d. 25 March 1918 at Leominster, Mass. [MVR. 57: 150]
Musician, 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
TROWBRIDGE, Frederick W. - d. 8 December 1925 at Hudson, Mass. [MVR 34: 263]
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
TURNBULL, James P. - d. October, 1910 at New York, N. Y.
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
TURNER, Fergus B. - d. 26 August 1913 at Brookline, Mass. [MVR. 25: 9]
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
WALLACE, William F. (alias William F. Smith) - d. 13 February 1910 at Herts, England.
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
WALSH, John - d. 28 May 1913 at Boston, Mass. [MVR 13: 105]
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
WASHBURN, Andrew J. - d. 28 October 1922 at Sharon, Penn.
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.; there is also mention of William J. Washburn with the same date and place of death.
WELLOCK, Samuel C. - d. 16 March 1923 at Everett, Mass. [MVR 21: 205]
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
WHITNEY, John H. - d. 3 November 1879 at Boston, Mass.
Musician, Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
WILEY, William - d. 30 March 1917 at the Veterans Home, California.
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
WILLIAMS, Thomas F. - d. 9 June 1927 at East Somerville, Mass. [MVR 67: 458]
Co. C., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
WITHINGTON, James C. - d. 24 January 1927 at Los Angeles, California.
Co. A., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
WOOD, James R. - d. 28 September 1914 at Medford, Mass. [MVR 67: 282]
Co. B., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
WRIGHT, Hiram A. - d. 25 April 1924 at Winthrop, Mass. [MVR 89: 65]
Quarter Master Sgt., 1st Massachusetts Infantry.

1. Massachusetts Vital Records from 1841 to 1903 are available at NEHGS, and certified copies can be obtained from the Massachusetts State Archives, 220 Morrissey Blvd., Columbia Point, Boston, Mass. 02125. Certified copies of Massachusetts Vital Records 1911 to the present can be obtained from the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics, 150 Mount Vernon St., 1st Floor, Dorchester, Mass., 02125-3105.