03 March 2013

Apparently She Got A Pension-Remarried Widow's Index

The organizational index card for Alfred Butler seems to indicate that his widow applied for, but did not receive a pension based upon his service.

That's not what is indicated on this card for Sarah Stevens that appears in the "Remarried Widow's Index to Pension Applications" on FamilySearch. These cards were created to assist clerks in the pension office in finding application and supplementary materials on individuals whose last names did not match those of the veteran upon whose service the pension was paid. These cards are online at FamilySearch.

Stevens, Sarah C.,  index card, "United States, Remarried Widows Index to Pension Applications, 1887-1942;" digital image, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org), citing National Archives microfilm publication M1785, 3 March 2013.
Speculation based solely upon these cards is that Sarah received a Civil War pension based upon her first husband (Alfred Butler)'s service and not that service of her subsequent husband. And this card makes it appear that Sarah was living at least until 1922.

We'll wait until records from Alfred's pension file are received before we discuss the pension any further.