Researching Your War of 1812 Ancestors Online
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The War of 1812 may be America’s “forgotten war,” but it is one that family historians should definitely not forget. Many valuable genealogical resources were created as a result of this conflict.
In this post, find out how to identify a War of 1812 soldier or sailor, as well as which resources are available to bring your ancestor’s military service to life.
What Was the War of 1812?
The War of 1812 began on 18 June 1812 when the United States formally declared war on the United Kingdom. It involved about 60,000 United States Army forces and was supported by about 470,000 militia and volunteer troops.
Why did this war begin? The United States had a variety of grievances against Britain, including:
- Many Americans felt that the British had not yet come to respect the United States as a legitimate country.
- The British were impressing (forcing men into military or naval service without notice) American sailors at sea.
- The British were blocking American trade with France.
- The British were supporting Native American tribes who were in conflict with American settlers along the frontier.
The war was eventually brought to an end with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent by British and United States delegates on 24 December 1814. Unfortunately, communication of this news was slow to cross the Atlantic, and the last battle was fought on 8 January 1815 at New Orleans. The treaty was ratified by the United States on 17 February 1815, and President James Madison declared the war to be officially ended.
In total, the war lasted two years and eight months and produced some wonderful documents of genealogical value.
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Find An Ancestor Who Served
The first step in your War of 1812 research is to search your family tree to determine if any of your ancestors may have been among the thousands who served.
The following are clues to help you identify an ancestor.
Date of Birth
Most soldiers and sailors were men between the ages of 18 and 30, born between the years 1782 and 1796. Although less common, some may have been as young as 10 or as old as 70, widening the possible span of birth years to between 1742 and 1804.
Date and Place of Death
Did your ancestor die between 18 June 1812, when the United States declared war on Great Britain, and 17 February 1815 when the war officially ended? Did he die in a state other than where he and his family resided? If so, he may have your ancestor may have died as a soldier or sailor in the War of 1812.
About 15,000 Americans and about 8,600 British and Canadians died in the War of 1812 from either battle or disease. Unfortunately, the number of Native American casualties is not known.1War of 1812 Facts, American Battlefield Trust, https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/war-of-1812-faqs.
Place of Residence
Where was your ancestor living when the war broke out in 1812? The majority of soldiers and sailors were men from the United States, Great Britain, and Canada.
The United States
U.S. soldiers and sailors may have come from any of the states and territories in existence at that time. These included Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts (which included Maine), New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and the territories of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, and Missouri.
The 1810 and 1820 U.S. censuses may help you locate your ancestor’s place of residence in the United States during the War. Census records are free to search on the FamilySearch website.
NOTE: Unfortunately, many of the early census records, particularly those from 1790 through 1820, have been lost as a result of mishandling or neglect.2Dollarhide, Bill, Early U.S. Census Losses, GenealogyBlog, https://www.genealogyblog.com/?p=22612. A few still survive, so be sure to check to see if they are available for your area of research.
If your veteran lived long enough, be sure to also check the United States Census Veterans Schedules available for free at FamilySearch.
Great Britain
British soldiers and sailors may have come from anywhere in the British Isles, although the majority were from England.
For British records, check the War of 1812 (United Kingdom) databases at Fold3,
Canada
Canada was also swept up in the war as a colony of Great Britain. Battles were fought in Upper Canada, Lower Canada, on the Great Lakes, and the Atlantic. Many Canadian soldiers came from the province of Ontario, and you may be able to find your ancestor using the Ontario Land and Property databases at FamilySearch.
Native Americans
Native American tribes were aligned with both sides of the conflict, though they were primarily allied with the British against the United States. Most tribes fought along the frontier and the Gulf Coast.4War of 1812 Facts, American Battlefield Trust, https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/war-of-1812-faqs.
African Americans
Although African Americans were not officially allowed to join the United States Army, they served extensively in the Navy. In fact, about a quarter of U.S. sailors at the Battle of Lake Erie were African American, and roughly 350 men of the Battalion of Free Men of Color fought at the Battle of New Orleans.5War of 1812 Facts, American Battlefield Trust, https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/war-of-1812-faqs.
African Americans also supported the British military. A company of mostly escaped slaves served with the British in Canada. Additionally, during the Royal Navy’s blockade of the Atlantic seaboard, about 4,000 slaves escaped onto British ships. Many of them joined the British military and participated in the Battle of Bladensburg and the burning of Washington, D.C.6War of 1812 Facts, American Battlefield Trust, https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/war-of-1812-faqs.
Service Records
Once you identify an ancestor who may have served in the War of 1812, start searching for information about his military service by locating his compiled military service record (CMSR).
A CMSR typically consists of an envelope containing card abstracts taken from muster rolls, returns, pay vouchers, and other records. The information may also include references to wounds, hospitalization, absences from the unit, court-martials, and death.
For many War of 1812 veterans, the CMSR consists of a single card. Don’t be disappointed if you find this to be the case. It may be brief, but it is still proof of his service.
Where to Search for Service Records
There are several places to search for service records. Some are free, and some are not.
“United States War of 1812 index to service records, 1812–1815” – FamilySearch
Name index to the compiled military service records of volunteer soldiers who served in the War of 1812. Images of the cards are available.
“War of 1812 Service Record Index” – Fold3 ($)
Index with images.
“U.S., War of 1812 Service Records, 1812–1815” – Ancestry ($)
Index only; no images.
Other Places to Look for Service Information
In addition to locating your ancestor’s CMSR, see if you can give more context to his service by researching “unconventional” records.
Lineage Societies
There are a few lineage societies for descendants of an ancestor who fought in or aided the American cause of the War of 1812. You may be able to find information about your ancestor’s service in the files of their approved applications.
National Society United States Daughters of 1812
The N.S.U.S.D. of 1812 is a lineage society for women – as well as boys and girls through age 21 – who are direct descendants of an American ancestor who fought in or aided the War of 1812.
Their public Ancestor Database contains over 40,000 records that have been verified by the Society’s genealogists. For tips on how to use this database, please visit this post: War of 1812 Ancestors? Check This FREE Database.
General Society of the War of 1812
The G.S. War of 1812 is a lineage society for direct and/or collateral male descendants of an ancestor who fought in or aided the American side of the War of 1812.
The Society does not have an online ancestor database, but they do accept inquiries for a fee. For information on how to do this, please visit their website.
National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
If you have an ancestor who participated on the American side of the Revolutionary War, it is possible that s/he had a child who served in the War of 1812.
Visit the DAR’s ancestor database to search for your Revolutionary War ancestor and her/his descendants.
Obituaries and Newspaper Clippings
You may find clues to an ancestor’s War of 1812 service in a newspaper article or obituary.
For example, in the article below, Hiram Cronk of Dunn Creek, New York, was celebrated as the last surviving soldier of the War of 1812 on his 105th birthday. Unfortunately, poor Hiram passed away just a few days after his birthday bash, but his life and military service were commemorated in newspaper articles from New York to California.
07 May 1905, Sun Buffalo Morning Express and Illustrated Buffalo Express (Buffalo, New York) Newspapers.com. Click to enlarge.Newspapers also ran articles to commemorate the anniversary of the War of 1812 or to recognize the service of soldiers from the local area. The following is an example of one such article that recognizes soldiers who were buried in McLean County, Illinois, on the 100th anniversary of the War.
08 Jun 1912, Sat The Pantagraph (Bloomington, Illinois) Newspapers.com. Click to read the rest of the article.There are lots of places to search for newspapers online, including:
- Newspapers.com ($)
- NewspaperArchive ($)
- GenealogyBank ($)
- Chronicling America (free)
To find more digitized newspapers, visit United States Online Historical Newspapers and The Ancestor Hunt for a list of newspaper collections by state.
TIP: Some subscription sites may be accessible for free at your local library or family history center, or maybe included as a membership perk for your genealogical society.
Grave markers
A War of 1812 veteran’s grave may have been marked by the N.S.U.S.D. of 1812 or the G.S. War of 1812. If you find one of their markers, be sure to contact the society for more information about the veteran.
Letters and Diaries
Your family may have saved an ancestor’s letters or diaries that provide clues to his service. If you weren’t lucky enough to inherit these from your family, try searching the internet to see if anything has been posted. Other places to search include eBay, Etsy, and online auction houses.
Veterans Reunions
Veterans’ reunions were very popular following the war. Your family may have saved a newspaper article covering the reunion, as well as a program, button, or other ephemera from the event.
If your family didn’t save these items, be sure to search eBay, Etsy, and other auction houses, as well as Google, for anything that may have been shared online.
Pension Records
War of 1812 pension files are an amazing genealogical resource that you don’t want to miss!
Pensions were granted as a result of a man’s service during the war, from 1812—1815. They could have been awarded to the veteran himself, his widow, or his heirs.
The first pension applications were based on the disability or death of a soldier. Beginning in 1871, they were based on service.
A veteran’s pension file typically includes his rank, place of residence, age or date of birth, and time of service. A widow’s application includes her place of residence, her maiden name, the date and place of her marriage, the circumstances of her husband’s death, and the names of her children under 16 years of age.
Where to Search for War of 1812 Pension Records
There are several indexes to War of 1812 pension records available online, but the actual pension images are only available on Fold3. And thanks to the efforts of the Preserve the Pensions: War of 1812 Pensions Digitization Project, these images will always be free to search and download.
- “War of 1812 Pension Files” – fold3 (always free)
- “United States War of 1812 Index to Pension Application Files, 1812–1910” – FamilySearch
- “U.S., War of 1812 Pension Application Files Index, 1812-1815” – Ancestry ($)
- War of 1812 Pension Records – FamilySearch Wiki
Research the Regiment
To better understand your ancestor’s military experience, try to learn the history of his regiment.
Resources to fill out your ancestor’s military story include maps, prison records, and casualty reports.
Maps
War of 1812 Maps – Library of Congress
“Explore the War of 1812” – Interactive map tour of key battles and locations
“War of 1812 Battle Maps” – Battle Archives (maps for viewing and purchase)
War of 1812 in the Collections of the Lilly Library, Indiana University
Prison Records
“War of 1812, Prisoner of War Records, 1812–1815” – Ancestry ($)
Casualty Reports
US War of 1812 Casualty Records – FamilySearch Wiki
Additional Resources
- War of 1812 Military Records – U.S. National Archives
- “United States in the War of 1812” – FamilySearch Wiki
- Card Catalog of War or 1812 databases – Ancestry ($)
- War of 1812 databases – Fold3 (some are free)
- “Online War of 1812 Indexes and Records” – Online Military Indexes and Records – USA
- Cyndi’s List – War of 1812
- American Battlefield Trust – War of 1812 Facts
- “A Guide to the War of 1812” – Library of Congress
- War of 1812 Military Records – Library of Congress
- “The War of 1812 Website” – Access Heritage
- “War of 1812 Military Records” – Access Genealogy
- War of 1812 Chronicles
- Newberry Library – War of 1812 Military Research
- “Before the War” and “After the War” – Lilly Library, Indiana University
- Genealogical Records of the War of 1812, Prologue Magazine, 1991, U.S. National Archives
Wrap Up
If your ancestors served in the War of 1812, you will not want to miss out on the genealogical resources that were created as a result of the conflict. Enrich your ancestor’s life story by learning about his service and the activity of his regiment.
If you are the descendant of an ancestor who served in the War, consider honoring his service by joining a lineage society. Find out how to get started in this post: How to Join a Lineage Society + 6 Tips for a Successful Application.
Which War of 1812 resource is your favorite? Tell us about it in the comments!
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Footnotes
- 1War of 1812 Facts, American Battlefield Trust, https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/war-of-1812-faqs.
- 2Dollarhide, Bill, Early U.S. Census Losses, GenealogyBlog, https://www.genealogyblog.com/?p=22612.
- 31810 U.S. census, Rutherford County, North Carolina. Image from Ancestry.
- 4War of 1812 Facts, American Battlefield Trust, https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/war-of-1812-faqs.
- 5War of 1812 Facts, American Battlefield Trust, https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/war-of-1812-faqs.
- 6War of 1812 Facts, American Battlefield Trust, https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/war-of-1812-faqs.
- 7Recognized by the N.S.U.S.D. of 1812. Image originally from https://www.joycetice.com/flaghold/flag020.htm, which is no longer available.
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