The Official Pension Roll of 1883 is a five volume set which lists the names of all US veteran’s receiving pensions as of December 1, 1882. Soldiers serving in the Civil War make up the majority of this list but there are some veterans from the War of 1812 and a few from the Mexican War. You’ll find the name of the person receiving a pension, his assigned pension number, the reason why he’s receiving a pension, his post office (city), amount of monthly pension and the date his pension was allowed.
This pension roll came to be on December 2, 1882 when the United States Senate passed a resolution stating,
Resolved, that the commissioner of pensions be instructed to inform the Senate–
The amount of the annual pension roll on the first day of December 1882.
The number of applications for pensions pending on the first day of December 1882.
The number of rejected applications on file December 1, 1882, and whether the same or subject to re-examination.
The amount already paid for arrears of pension.
The probable amount yet to be paid for arrears of pensions under existing provisions of the law.
The probable amount of the annual pension roll when pending cases shall have been adjudicated.
The amount which would be added to the annual pension roll by the increase of pensions already granted as provided by the House Bill 1410, now pending in the Senate.
The probable number of pending cases which would be affected by such increase in the probable addition to the annual pension roll thereby.
The number of pensions already granted rated between $8 and $18 as cases of fractional equivalent disabilities, showing the number and annual value of each class.
The amount which would be added to the annual pension roll by increasing such pensions in proportion to the increase provided by House Bill 1410 for pensions rated at $18 per month.
The probable amount which would be added to the annual pension roll if such proportional increase should be applied to cases now pending in which the rate of pension will be from $8 to $18.
Number of pensions granted for deafness, total and less than total, with rate for each class, and annual value of same.
Number of pensions credit granted for impaired eye site less than total blindness, rate for each class, and annual value of same.
What portion of pensions rated at $18 per month other than for loss of limbs were granted on applications for increase, and whether the proportion of such increased pensions to the whole number of invalid pensions is increasing or diminishing.
The Commission is further instructed, without delaying the information called for above, to transmit to the Senate, as soon as practicable, a list of names of all the persons borne on the pension rolls, classified according to their post-office addresses by states and counties, the amount paid annually to each, and the disability for which the pension was granted, giving the date they were placed on the roll. [1]
The volumes of the Official Pension Roll of 1883 are organized by state, then by each county within the state and then by city. Oddly enough the names are not in alphabetical order so be sure to search your ancestor’s city from beginning to end.
Volume One contains the listings for the New England states, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. Volume Two has the veterans living in New York and Pennsylvania. Volume Three covers Iowa, Ohio and Illinois. Volume Four covers Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, California, Oregon, Nevada,and western territories. Five have the pensioners from everywhere else.
There are several options in researching this source. If you have an account with Ancestry you can find their database here. Or there is a free version on Google Books or Archive.org.
For further explanation on the Official Pension Roll of 1883 check out the FamilySearch Wiki here.
The Official Pension Roll of 1883 is another resource to document your ancestor received a pension. It’s also a nice off-year census to record where your Civil War ancestor was living. It will be interesting to compare his residence in 1883 to his residence in the 1880 Federal Census.
Good luck in your research.
[1] United States Government Printing Office 1882. “Congressional Serial Set.” Google Books. pgs 46-47. Accessed July 29, 2021. https://books.google.com/books?id=pzoZAAAAIAAJ&dq=statute pensioners december 8 1882&pg=PA47#v=onepage&q=statute%20pensioners%20december%208%201882&f=false.