The filmed Southern Claims Commission files for the approved claims for Alabama, Georgia, Virginia, and West Virginia, and for the barred and disallowed claims for the twelve states from which claims originated, are part of the Julius K. Hunter & Friends African American Research Collection in the History and Genealogy Department of St. Louis County Library (SLCL).
Between 3 March 1871 and 3 March 1873, Southerners filed 22,298 claims before the Southern Claims Commission (SCC) based on the fact they
Southern Loyalists made 22,298 claims for property losses totaling $60,258,150.44. However, only 7,092 claims (32%) were approved for settlements totaling $4,636,920.69. Claimants had to prove their loyalty and loss through the testimony of others. The paper trail created by the claimants and the people who came forward to testify, for or against, included relatives, neighbors, friends, former slaves, and free people of color. Their testimony provides a wealth of information about individuals living in the South during the Civil War.
Claims were made to the Southern Claims Commission based on losses in the twelve states in rebellion at the beginning of the Civil War. Those states were:
Alabama
Arkansas
Florida
Georgia
Louisiana
Mississippi
North Carolina
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
West Virginia (was part of Virginia when it seceded from the Union)
Mention in this guide is made to Ancestry and Fold3 subscription databases in relation to Southern Claims Commission indexes and document images they make available. Ancestry refers to either Ancestry.com (for individuals) or Ancestry Library Edition (for institutions), and Fold3 refers to Fold3.com. Ancestry Library Edition and Fold3 can be used for free in the History and Genealogy Department and at any St. Louis County Library branch. Fold3 is also available remotely with a valid St. Louis County Library card (some restrictions apply).
Southern Loyalists in the Civil War, by Gary B. Mills, R 973.745 M657S and circulating copy; also available on Ancestry
Lists all claimants in alphabetical order; further tells state and county, commission (claim) number, office and report numbers (needed to find disallowed claims), year, and status of claim. This is considered the definitive index for Southern Claims.
Civil War Claims in the South: An Index of Civil War Damage Claims Filed Before the Southern Claims Commission, 1871–1880, by Gary B. Mills, R 973.717 M657C
Lists claims by states, then alphabetically by name of claimant and includes the county and claim number. Use Southern Loyalists or Consolidated Index for the additional information needed to pursue a claim.
Consolidated Index of Claims Reported by the Commissioner of Claims to the House of Representatives from 1871 to 1880, compiled under supervision of J. B. Holloway R 929.3 U58C
Lists all claimants in alphabetical order; further tells state, commission (claim) number, office and report numbers (needed to find disallowed claims), year, amount claimed, amount allowed, amount disallowed, status, and nature of claim (animals, crops, lumber, etc.)
This index is available on the following National Archives microfilm publications:
Lists claims alphabetically by state, county and then claimant. This helps determine which individuals in a "neighborhood" filed claims. The lists are available on National Archives microfilm publication M87, roll 13, Records of the Commissioners of Claims (Southern Claims Commission, 1871–1880) and can be downloaded as PDFs from the list below.
A Descriptive Pamphlet (DP) tells about the records on a particular film/fiche set. It also includes an individual fiche list or roll-by-roll list which can determine the fiche or roll of film needed for a specific claim. The following links lead to complete copies of the DP for each listed film/fiche set (in PDF format) on the History and Genealogy Web site:
M87 | Records of the Commissioners of Claims (Southern Claims Commission, 1871–1880) (405 kb)
M1407 | Barred and Disallowed Case Files of the Southern Claims Commission, 1871–1880 (1.8 mb)
M2062 | Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871–1880: Alabama (516 kb)
M1658 | Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871–1880: Georgia (1 mb)
M2094 | Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871–1880: Virginia (61 kb)
M1762 | Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871–1880: West Virginia (26 kb)
M2007 | Roll List for U.S. Court of Claims Docket Cards for Congressional Case Files, ca. 1884-1943
Film/Fiche and Subscription Databases
The Southern Claims Commission (SCC) film/fiche listed below are part of the Julius K. Hunter & Friends African American Research Collection in the History and Genealogy Department. Records that are also available on Ancestry and Fold3 subscription databases are noted accordingly.
Barred and Disallowed Case Files of the Southern Claims Commission, 1871–1880, M1407 [fiche, Ancestry, and Fold3]
Records of the Commissioners of Claims (Southern Claims Commission, 1871–1880), M87 [Familysearch]
Records of the U.S. House of Representatives: Southern Claims Commission, 1871–1880 (part two includes summary reports of the Commissioners of Claims in all cases reported to Congress as disallowed under the Act of March 3, 1871 – 4 vols.) P2257 [film]
Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871–1880: Alabama, M2062 [Familysearch, Ancestry, and Fold3]
Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871–1880: Georgia, M1658 [fiche, Ancestry, and Fold3]
Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871–1880: Virginia, M2094 [Familysearch, Ancestry, and Fold3]
Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871–1880: West Virginia, M1762 [film, Ancestry, and Fold3]
U.S. Court of Claims Docket Cards for Congressional Case Files, ca. 1884–1943, M2007 [film]
There were three versions of the questions to be asked of claimants and witnesses:
This National Archives (NARA) microfilm publication consists of a single roll of film which is a very important source for researchers working with the Southern Claim Commission. The film contains two parts explained below.
The frame number is a small number that appears between the top edge of the microfilm and the top edge of the document image. There is one frame number for each image. Knowing the NARA film microfilm publication number (M1894), the roll number, and the frame number enables anyone to find an exact document or an exact place on a roll of film quickly and accurately.
PART 1
Consolidated Index of Claims Beg. Frame 0
PART 2
Vol. 1 Summary Reports Beg. Frame 137
1st Report (1871) PDF version on another site Beg. Frame 145
2nd Report (1872) PDF version on another site Beg. Frame 166
3rd Report (1873) Beg. Frame 249
4th Report (1874) Beg. Frame 345
Vol. 2 Summary Reports Beg. Frame 439
5th Report (1875) Beg. Frame 443
6th Report (1876) Beg. Frame 505
Vol. 3 Summary Reports Beg. Frame 573
7th Report (1877) Beg. Frame 578
8th Report (1878) Beg. Frame 659
Vol. 4 Summary Reports Beg. Frame 730
9th Report (1879) Beg. Frame 733
10th Report (1880) Beg. Frame 855
Appendix - Schedule of Claims Reported As Disallowed & Barred for Non-prosecution Beg. Frame 884
Records generated by the Southern Claims Commission (SCC) are multi-faceted in nature, so it is helpful to use a step-by-step approach to direct your research.
Study the map of states affected showing the twelve states from which claims could be made to the Commissioners of Claims (Southern Claims Commission). Then make a list of all your ancestors who lived or owned property during the Civil War in any of those states. No matter their wealth or ethnic background, their presence or ownership of property in one of those states during the Civil War makes it possible that they were in some way included in SCC records.
To find out, check either or both of the following alphabetical indexes:
Southern Loyalists in the Civil War: The Southern Claims Commission (alphabetical by name of claimant), R 973.745/M657S and also on Ancestry
Beyond claimant’s name, county, and state, this index tells
The Consolidated Index of Claims (alphabetical by name of claimants) [R929.3 U58C in printed and bound form; Records of the U.S. House of Representatives: Southern Claims Commission, 1871–1880, P2257, Part 1, in microfilm format]
Beyond claimant’s name and state, this index tells
Once you know the state where the property was taken, then it is helpful to also find out the county. If you do not know it already, consult either Southern Loyalists in the Civil War, mentioned in number two above, or his earlier index listed below.
Civil War Claims in the South: An Index of Civil War Damage Claims Filed Before the Southern Claims Commission, 1871–1880 (alphabetical by state, then by name of claimant), R 973.717/M657C
Whether or not your ancestor filed a claim, it is important to review the list of claimants from your ancestor's county and maybe even neighboring counties to see who did file claims.
Why might a geographic approach be helpful? Because your ancestor may have given testimony as a witness for a relative, neighbor, friend, former slave, or former slave owner who filed a claim, or one or more of those individuals may have mentioned your ancestor in their testimony.
Review the Geographical List of SCC claimants organized by state, then county, then name of claimant. [This list is found on the History and Genalogy website in PDF format and on roll 13 of National Archives microfilm publication M87, Records of the Commissioners of Claims (Southern Claims Commission, 1871–1880).]
The SCC records for people from your ancestor's county tell about the "neighborhood" and events that occurred there during the Civil War. Even if you cannot find information about your ancestor, you will get a “feel” for what life was like in a specific community.
5. The next step in finding a specific SCC claim depends on whether the status of the claim was approved, barred, or disallowed.
Approved:
Claim was approved and money was granted. Usually the amount paid to the claimant was only a small percentage of what was originally claimed.
Barred:
Claim process was never completed so the SCC never considered the claim. This may have happened because
Disallowed:
Claim was completed and went through the full process, but the SCC decided no money would be granted. Claimant may have lacked sufficient proof of loyalty, proof of ownership of goods, or that the claimed materials were officially taken by the U.S. Army or Navy.
Keep in mind that while barred claims traditionally contain less information than disallowed or approved, they can still provide important information.
For online images, use Ancestry or Fold3 to search for the name you seek. If you find it, follow through to its connected document images.
To use fiche, consult the "Barred Claims" section of the Descriptive Pamphlet (DP) for microfiche set M1407, Barred and Disallowed Case Files of the Southern Claims Commission, 1871–1880, to determine which fiche to use for the name you seek. The barred claims appear on pages 87–98 in the DP.
The barred claims are arranged on the fiche in alphabetical order by the name of the claimant. In its listing for the barred claims, the DP shows only the first name on each fiche so it does not give the range of names connected to that fiche number. Compare the first name listed for consecutive fiche to determine which has the range of names that will contain your person.
Locate the needed fiche and review the file. When pulling the fiche number from the drawer, check at the top of the first fiche to see how many fiche sheets apply to that fiche number. For example, "1 of 1" indicates there is only one fiche sheet for a specified fiche number. A listing of "1 of 2" indicates there are two fiche sheets for that fiche number and your person may be on the second fiche sheet.
Note: The fiche for barred claims are available in the History and Genealogy Department as well as at other research facilities. Individual fiche may also be purchased from the National Archives and then viewed on a microfiche reader available to you at your library or elsewhere in your community.
Sometimes, a barred claim was later appealed, and the files from such an appeal can contain a great deal of information. An indication that a barred claim was appealed might be a single document following the claimant's file folder that says "Cong. No. ###" and/or possibly a notation such as "Rec'd sundry papers in above case" and signed by someone from the Court of Claims. "House of Representatives" may also appear as part of that notation.
Check U.S. Court of Claims Docket Cards for Congressional Case Files, ca. 1884–1943 (M2007) to see if it contains an index card for the claimant you are researching. Keep in mind that SCC claims were not the only claims taken before the Court of Claims. Therefore, the existence of an index card does not guarantee that the claim to which it refers was an SCC claim.
Appealed claims have not been microfilmed, nor have they been digitized as of March 2012. It is therefore necessary to contact the National Archives to determine if the documents for the appeal of a barred claim are still available as not all claims have survived.
When making your request, be sure to include in your message
and in turn ask for
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Submitting a query about a barred SCC claim that was appealed |
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Option 1. Request price quote online from the national archives
Be sure to provide
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Option 2. Mail a written price request to the following address:National Archives and Records Administration Be sure to provide
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Appeals can be quite lengthy, and because they were filed at a later date, they were sometimes filed by the heirs of the original claimant.
For online digital images, use Ancestry or Fold3 to search for the desired name and its connecting documents. To use film, consult the Descriptive Pamphlet (DP) for Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871–1880: Alabama (National Archives microfilm publication M2062) to determine which film roll will contain the file for a specific claim.
For online digital images, use Ancestry or Fold3 to search for the desired name and its connecting documents. To use fiche, consult the Descriptive Pamphlet (DP) for Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871–1880: Georgia (National Archives microfilm publication M1658) to determine the fiche number for a specific claim.
For online digital images, use Ancestry or Fold3 to search for the desired name and its connecting documents. To use film, consult the Descriptive Pamphlet (DP) for Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871–1880: Virginia (National Archives microfilm publication M2094) to determine which film roll will contain the file for a specific claim.
For online digital images, use Ancestry or Fold3 to search for the desired name and its connecting documents. To use fiche, consult the Descriptive Pamphlet (DP) for Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871–1880: West Virginia (National Archives microfilm publication M1762) to determine which film roll will contain the file for a specific claim.
Ancestry and Fold3 databases and the film and fiche sets for approved claims are available in the History and Genealogy department, as well as at other research facilities.
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Arkansas Florida |
Louisiana Mississippi |
North Carolina South Carolina |
Tennessee Texas |
As of 1 Sept 2011, Fold3 began the process of digitizing the approved claims for the six states shown above in bold type. A subscription is not required to search Fold3, but is needed to view SCC images. Currently (February 2012), contact the National Archives directly (see options 2 and 3 in the following table) for price quote and copies of approved claims from Florida or Texas.
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Obtaining a copy of an approved SCC claim that was never microfilmed |
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Option 1. check for digital copy
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Option 2. request price quote online from the national archives
Include in your message
In turn ask for
Be sure to provide
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Option 3. mail a written price request to the following address:National Archives and Records Administration Be sure to provide
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If the National Archives tells you the case file is missing, consult the chart entitled "Accessing Southern Claims Commission Records" that is opposite the title page of Gary Mills' book, Southern Loyalists in the Civil War, for other possible places within the National Archives to search.
Follow the steps listed below ONLY if you are researching a Southern Claims Commission claim that was disallowed.
Be sure that you have written down the report and office number for each disallowed claim as listed in the Consolidated Index of Claims or in Southern Loyalists in the Civil War.
Use Ancestry or Fold3 to search for the name you seek. If you find it, follow through to its connected document images.
To use fiche, consult the "Disallowed Claims" section of the Descriptive Pamphlet (DP) for microfiche set M1407, Barred and Disallowed Case Files of the Southern Claims Commission, 1871–1880, to determine which fiche will contain the records for the name you seek. The disallowed claims are in numerical order by report, then office number, and appear on pages 1–86 of the DP, which is also available on the History and Genealogy Department web site. If you do not have the report and office number for a claim, see step 2 above for the indexes which will provide that information.
The fiche for disallowed claims are available in the History and Genealogy Department, as well as at other research facilities. Individual fiche may also be purchased from the National Archives and then viewed on a microfiche reader available to you at your library or elsewhere in your community. Digital images of disallowed claims are also being made available on Ancestry and Fold3.
When viewing the fiche, you may find that there is only a single document following the file folder for the person you are researching. That may be an indication that the disallowed claim was appealed. Look for a "Cong. No. ###" and/or possibly a notation such as "Rec'd sundry papers in above case" and signed by someone from the Court of Claims. "House of Representatives" may also appear as part of that one-page note.
Check microfilm M2007, U.S. Court of Claims Docket Cards for Congressional Case Files, ca. 1884–1943, to see if it contains an index card for the claimant you are researching. Keep in mind that SCC claims were not the only claims taken before the Court of Claims. Therefore, the existence of an index card does not guarantee that the claim to which it refers was an SCC claim.
Appealed claims have not been microfilmed. It is therefore necessary to contact the National Archives to find out if the documents for an appealed claim are still available, as not all claims have survived, and if available, the cost of photocopying.
and in turn ask for
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SUBMITTING A QUERY ABOUT A DISALLOWED SCC CLAIM THAT WAS APPEALED
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OPTION 1. REQUEST PRICE QUOTE ONLINE FROM THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Be sure to provide
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OPTION 2. MAIL A WRITTEN PRICE REQUEST TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS: National Archives and Records Administration Reference Section 700 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Washington, DC 20408 Be sure to provide
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Appeals can be quite lengthy, and because they were filed at a later date, they were sometimes filed by the heirs of the original claimant.
Not all Southern Claims files still exist. If the above steps for a disallowed claim lead to a dead end, check the second part of microfilm set P2257, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives: Southern Claims Commission, 1871–1880, which includes the Commissioners’ Summary Reports for all disallowed cases. If the original file no longer exists, the summary report may be the only surviving record of the claim.