United States, National Archives, Southern Claims Commission

The Commissioners of Claims
An Act of Congress approved on March 3, 1871, provided that the President nominate three commissioners of claims to receive, examine, and consider the claims of "those citizens who remained loyal adherents to the cause and the government of the United States during the [Civil] War, for stores and supplies taken or furnished during the rebellion for the use of the army of the United States in states proclaimed as in insurrection against the United States".

Asa Owen Aldis of Vermont, President; James B. Howell of Iowa, and Orange Ferriss of New York met in Washington on March 16, 1871, with Charles F. Benjamin as Chief Clerk. The volume of their work was soon proved to be so great that they were authorized by an Act of May 11, 1872, to appoint special commissioners to administer oaths and affirmations and take depositions of witnesses, and special agents to investigate pending claims, procure evidence, and examine witnesses. The special commissioners were local appointees, confined to hearing small claims. The special agents were traveling investigators of both large and small claims.

Claims
The commission received and reviewed evidence and supporting documents submitted by claimants and took additional testimony from neighbors, friends, and relatives. Then a judgement on loyalty and the amount of damages was made. Claims could only be submitted by U.S. citizens who were loyal to the federal government, resided in a state that seceded, and suffered official confiscation of goods by the U.S. government. Official confiscation were those items that were contracted for or seized by the United States. Goods and property that were destroyed because of military necessity or from unofficial activity were usually disallowed or required additional investigation.

Also included in the act of May 11, 1872, this clause was extended to include property used by the Navy. The commissioners were to satisfy themselves of the loyalty of each claimant; certify the amount, nature, and value of the property taken or furnished; report their judgement on each claim in writing to the House of Representatives at the beginning of each session of Congress, and keep a journal of their proceedings and a register of all claims brought before them. Getting a claim approved was a very stringent process. Each claim must have included the following: a three page questionnaire with 80 questions to be answered by the claimant, an itemized list of all items taken, including a description and price per item, and the amount allowed for the claim. Neighbors, relatives, personal correspondence and legal documents also improved the chances of an approved claim. All of these can be found in the summary report. The summary report also needed the date, time, and the name of the officer who took the property from the claimants. The Act provided further that of the claims within its provisions, only those presented to the commissioners could be prosecuted, and that all others were to be barred.

Conclusion and Termination
All papers collected by commissioners and agents were sent to the Commissioners at Washington, D.C., who were responsible for making recommendations on all claims. They had received 22,298 claims by March 3, 1873, which had been set by an Act of Congress as the last day on which new claims could be presented to the Commissioners. They were occupied with the investigation and settlement of these claims until March 1880 when the last of the claims were reported to Congress. The total amount of the claims was $60,258,150.44, of which only $4,636,920.69 was approved and paid. Of the 22,298 claims, only 7,092 satisfied the rigid tests of sworn statement and cross-examination in proving both the sustained Unionism of the claimant throughout the war and the validity of his claim.

Most Southerners were disdainful of the work of the Commission, stemming from the anticipation that most of their claims would be denied. The Commission was characterized, in many minds, as a "mill of mischief and fraud" and it was denounced as "an organized fraud which had paid millions to men who were false to their country in her need, or perjured themselves for gold when the danger was past". An Act of June 21, 1879, terminated the Commission effective March 10, 1880, and gave the Department of the Treasury responsibility for liquidating the business of the Commission.

Locating Case Files
The commission received 22,298 claims and approved 7,092. The rest of the claims were either disallowed or barred. Some allowed claims between 1871-1877 no longer exist.

Barred or disallowed claims case files will be located in Record Group 233 Records of the House of Representatives. The files are available on microfiche. See NARA publication M1407, Barred and Disallowed Case Files of the Southern Claims Commission, 1871–1880 (PDF). Barred claims will be located on fiche 4273-4829. Disallowed are on fiche 5-4272.

Some of the barred and disallowed case files may be found in Record Group 123 and 205 Records of the U.S. Court of Claims. The original barred and disallowed case files will be located at the Center for Legislative Archives. Settled Case Files for allowed claims that were approved in whole or in part by the House of Representatives and were paid by the U.S. treasury and are located in RG 217, Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the treasury. See Settled Case Files for Claims Approved by the Southern Claims Commission, 1871-1880. See also the National Archives page, Southern Claims Commission Case Files.

To located a case file begin by checking the index found in Gary B. Mills', [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/107378 ''Southern Loyalists in the Civil War : the Southern Claims Commission. A composite directory of case files created by the U.S. Commissioner of Claims, 1871-1880, including those appealed to the War Claims Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Court of Claims'']. Baltimore, Maryland : Genealogical Publishing Company, c1994. (FHL book 975 M2s).

The Mills index is a "reconstruction from four existing works." It is arranged alphabetically by the name of the claimant and includes the county and state of residence, the Commission No., Office No., Report No., the year of the claim and the claim status.

For additional indexes see also:
 * Gary B. Mills, Civil War claims in the South : an index of Civil War damage claims filed before the Southern Claims Commission, 1871-1880 Laguna Hills, California : Aegean Park Press, 1980. (FHL book 975 H22m).


 * Consolidated Index to Claims Reported by the Commissioners of Claims to the House of Representatives from 1871-1880. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1892. The index was microfilmed. See NARA film publication M87, Records of the Commissioners of Claims (Southern Claims Commission) 1871-1880, roll 14, FHL film 1463976; DGS 8423441. The index is alphabetically arranged and includes State, Commission No., Office No., Report No., Year, Amount Claimed, Amount Allowed, Amount Disallowed, Barred Withdrawn or Dismissed, Nature of Claim.

National Archives Catalog
The following collections of the Southern Claims Commission are arranged by Record Group then alphabetically by series name. Each description will include the National Archives Identifier or NAID number which is a link to the catalog description of the collections. See National Archives and Records Administration Catalog for information on researching collections using the catalog.

RG 56 General Records of the Department of the Treasury, 1775-2005
This record group contains administrative records and correspondence files of the Commission.

Administrative Records, 1871-1880
This series consists of briefs of letters received and copies of letters sent by the Southern Claims Commissioners; copies of rules and regulations adopted; data on appointments made, cases heard, and other business transactions; and copies of seven general reports of the Commissioners. These latter reports are known to be rare. NAID 5634625 NARA microfilm M87, roll 14.

Collection Arrangement: This collection is arranged chronologically.

Alphabetical Geographical Lists of Claims, 1871-1873
The first two volumes of this series include the names of the claimants and of the county or town of their residence. These volumes also have clippings from contemporary newspapers inside their covers listing the claims before the Commission.

In the second volume each entry has been marked through with a colored pencil. A note on the flyleaf indicates that green means that the case was rejected; blue means the case was allowed; and red means the case was barred for non-prosecution. NAID 6256575

The third volume shows the Southern Claims Commission case number and sometimes the State involved.

Collection Arrangement: Arranged in three parts. The first two are parts are arranged alphabetically by initial letter of claimant's name and thereunder by State. The third part is arranged by name of claimant.

Letters Received, 1871-1880
This series consists of letters received from the Secretary of the Treasury, the First Comptroller, and other Treasury officers; the Attorney General and other Justice Department officers; judges and other officers of the Court of Claims, and other claimants, attorneys, and other persons relating to the Commission's criteria for "loyalty," methods of taking testimony, the use of Treasury and Justice Department records, statements from informers on the loyalty of claimants, the appointment of special commissioners to hear and collect testimony in various parts of the South, applications for positions with the Commission, and the closing of the Commission. NAID 6254992. NARA microfilm M87, rolls 2-9

Collection Arrangement: This collection is arranged chronologically.

Letters Received from Special Agents, 1871-1880
This series consists of letters received from special agents of the Commission making weekly reports on their activities and itineraries, requesting leave, announcing retirement, and dealing with personnel matters; reporting on conversations held with witnesses and claimants; relaying information about the loyalty of claimants; and furnishing further information on reports already submitted. NAID 6256529 NARA microfilm M87, rolls 10-12.

Collection Arrangement: This collection is arranged alphabetically by name of agent and thereunder chronologically.

Name Indexes to the Registers of Claim Cases, 1871-1873
This series contains name indexes to the registers of claims cases. Each entry lists the name and, usually, the State of the claimant and the number of his claim.NAID 6256845.

Collection Arrangement: This collection is arranged in volumes numerically by case number, and thereunder within each volume the names are arranged alphabetically by initial letter of claimant's name.

Registers of Claim Cases Heard by the Commissioners, 1871-1880
This series contains registers that show the names and addresses of the claimants, the dates and case numbers, the natures and amounts of the claims, the amounts of the claims allowed, the names of the attorneys, the dates the claims were heard and reported to Congress, the dates of the private acts granting payment, and the dates of the filings of the papers with the Third Auditor. NAID 6256588

Collection Arrangement: This collection is arranged in volumes numerically by case number, and thereunder within each volume the names are arranged alphabetically by initial letter of claimant's name. See [https://catalog.archives.gov/id/6256845 Name Indexes to the Registers of Claim Cases, 1871-1873. NAID 6256845].

Selected Papers Relating to Claims, 1871-1900
This series contains statements concerning disloyal claimants, memorandums of supplies furnished to plantations in the South by Treasury Department Special Agents during the Civil War, and affidavits concerning the loyalty and activities of attorneys representing the claimants.

The papers dated before 1880 are probably fugitive enclosures from the letters received by the Commission in the series "Letters Received from Special Agents of the Commission, 1871-1880," (ARC Identifier 6256529).NAID 6256546. NARA microfilm M87 roll 9

Collection Arrangement: This collection is arranged by type of document and thereunder chronologically.

Summary Reports on Individual Claims Sent to the Congress, 1871-1875
This series consists of reports that give the name and address of the claimant, the nature and amount of the claim and the amount allowed, and remarks on the quality of the evidence furnished and the reasons for accepting or rejecting it. NAID 6256544 NARA microfilm M87, roll 9

Collection Arrangement: This collection is arranged numerically by case number.

Related Collections

 * Index to the Journal of the Proceedings of the Southern Claims Commission, 1871-1878. RG 39
 * Register of Rejected Claims, 1869-1872 RG 107

RG 123 & 205 Records of the U.S. Court of Claims
A claim that had been either disallowed or barred by the commission could be reconsidered by Congress and was referred to the U.S. Court of Claims. To locate a barred or disallowed case file the Court of claim case file number will need to be identified. They can be located by searching the United States Court of Claims Docket Cards for Congressional Case Files, 1884 - 1943. The collection has been microfilmed. See United States Court of Claims Docket Cards for Congressional Case Files, 1884-1943. M2007. Descriptive pamphlet

Congressional Jurisdiction Case Records
 * Case files, 1884-1952, for Civil War and other claims cases referred by the Congress under the Bowman and Tucker Acts and by authority of section 151 of the Judicial Code of March 3, 1911. The case files will be found in the following two collections.
 * Congressional Jurisdiction Case Files, 1/10/1884 - 5/19/1943 RG 123. Arranged by case number 1-17845.
 * Congressional Jurisdiction Case Files, 1884-1944 RG 205.Arranged by case number 8-17847.

Related Collections 
 * Index of Claims Reported by the Commissioner of Claims, 1871-1880. NAID 3386185 RG 205

RG 217 Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury, 1775-1978
The settled claims are part of the records of the Office of the First Comptroller. The first comptroller was responsible for settling military accounts and claims.

Register of Claims, 6/6/1871-6/17/1871
This series contains information about claims made by Southerners regarding property that had been taken by the Army. Included is the date, case number (2,001-2,500), name of person making the claim, the location of their residence, what property had been taken, the amount of money claimed, the amount paid, the name of the claimant’s attorney, and the court proceedings. NAID 12008935

Collection Arrangement: The register is arranged chronologically.

Settled Case Files for Claims Approved by the Southern Claims Commission, 1871-1880
This series contains case files for approved claims of citizens of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia who had suffered property damage or loss by Federal Troops during the Civil War. Claimants were required to prove to the Commission (established by an Act of March 3, 1871) that they had remained loyal to the Union during the war. The claims were paid from appropriations for "Claims of loyal citizens for supplies furnished during the Rebellion".

A typical file includes the claimant's petition, inventories of supplies and property for which compensation was desired, testimony of the claimant and others (both favorable and adverse) relating to the claim, copy of the Commission's report, and the Third Auditor's certificate of settlement. Selected images are available. See NAID 566157 for more information. To search for specific files on that page click on the Search Within Series box.

Microfilm Publications Descriptions of the contents and arrangement of each of the following microfilm publications can be downloaded as a PDF file using the links below:
 * Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871-1880. Alabama. M2062
 * Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871-1880. Georgia. M1658
 * Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871-1880. Virginia. M 2094
 * Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871-1880. West Virginia. M1762

Collection Arrangement: This collection is arranged alphabetically by state, thereunder by county, and thereunder by claimant's surname.

Committee on War Claims
The committee on war claims was created in 1873 with jurisdiction on "claims arising from any war in which the United States has been engaged." This included "claims for property seized for use by the U.S. Army and Navy from citizens in the Southern States who remained loyal to the Union during the Civil War." See Committee on Claims for an administrative history of the committee.

The committee received the commission reports and recommendations at the beginning of each new session of congress. Ten reports were sent to Congress between 1871 and 1880. The reports were published in the series, Committee Papers.
 * Committee Papers of the Committee on War Claims from the 42nd Congress 1871-1873 "...contains claims rejected by the Commissioners of Claims, i.e., Southern Claims Commission, Report Number 1 (HR42A-F29.1) and Report Number 2 (HR42A-F29.2). There is also a docket of claims reported by the Commissioners (HR42A-F29.3); a numerical list of claims disallowed by the Commissioners, 1871-1878 (HR42A-F29.4); the Consolidated Index of Claims Reported by the Commissioners of Claims to the House of Representatives from 1871 to 1850 (HR42A-F29.5); and minutes of the commissioners appointed to examine and audit certain claims of the State of Kansas pursuant to the requirements of the act of Congress approved February 2, 1871 (HR42A-F29.6)."
 * Committee Papers of the Committee on War Claims from the 43rd Congress 1873-1875 "...claims rejected by the Commissioners of Claims, the Southern Claims Commission, Report Number 3 (HR43A-F29.2) and Report Number 4 (HR43A-F29.3)"
 * Committee Papers of the Committee on War Claims from the 44th Congress 1875-1877 "...contains records relating to claims rejected by the Commissioners of Claims, the Southern Claims Commission, Report Number 5 (HR44A-F37.1) and Report Number 6 (HR44A-F37.2). There are also docket books (HR44A-F37.3).''
 * Committee Papers of the Committee on War Claims from the 45th Congress1877-1879 "...contains records relating to claims rejected by the Commissioners of Claims, i.e., the Southern Claims Commission, Report Number 7 (HR45A-F35.1) and Report Number 8 (HR45A-F35.2)"
 * Committee Papers of the Committee on War Claims from the 46th Congress 1879-1881 "... contains records relating to claims rejected by the Commissioners of Claims, including the Southern Claims Commission, report number 9 (HR46A-F35.1) and report number 10 (HR46A-F35.2); barred claims (HR46A-F35.3); and various subjects (HR46A-F35.4). There is also a docket book (HR46A-F35.5); an alphabetical list, by state, of allowed claims and disallowed claims reported in the 9th Report (HR46A-F35.6); and a index to barred claims.''


 * Summary Reports on Individual Claims Sent to the Congress, 1871-1875. NAID 6256544 NARA microfilm M87, roll 9, includes name and address of claimant.

Disallowed Claims Files, 1871-1880
The disallowed case files are arranged by report number (called "report number") and thereunder by the docket number within the report (called the "office"). Congress retained the barred and disallowed claims, appropriated the funds to pay those allowed, and sent the allowed case files to the Treasury Department for settlement and custody. Generally, claims for goods destroyed out of military necessity were disallowed because those losses were considered fortunes of war. The Commissioners disallowed $55 million in claims. They authorized $4,636,229.75 in claims. NAID 562207

These are included on Microform Publication M1407. A descriptive pamphlet [https://www.archives.gov/files/dc-metro/washington/m1407.pdf Barred and Disallowed Case Files of the Southern Claims Commission. 1871-1880] (PDF) is available. Collection Arrangement: Arranged numerically by report number and thereunder by office number.
 * Online: Fold3 Southern Claims – Barred and Disallowed

Barred Claims Files, 1871–1880
Claims received after the submission deadline were barred from consideration. There will be no office and report number and no amount allowed. The files are arranged in alphabetical order by the name of the claimant. Congress retained the barred and disallowed claims, appropriated the funds to pay those allowed, and sent the allowed case files to the Treasury Department for settlement and custody.NAID 562208

These are included on Microform Publication M1407, a descriptive pamphlet [https://www.archives.gov/files/dc-metro/washington/m1407.pdf Barred and Disallowed Case Files of the Southern Claims Commission. 1871-1880].
 * Online: Fold3 Southern Claims – Barred and Disallowed

Collection Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by name of claimant.

Family History Library Holdings
Books
 * Gary B. Mills. Southern Loyalists in the Civil War : the Southern Claims Commission Baltimore, Maryland : Genealogical Publishing Company, 1994. FHL 975 M2s
 * Gary B. Mills. Civil War claims in the South : an index of Civil War damage claims filed before the Southern Claims Commission, 1871-1880.Laguna Hills, California: Aegean Park Press, 1980. FHL 975 H22m
 * David S. Rodes and Norman R. Wenger, comp and transcribed,; Emmert F. Bittinger, ed. Unionists and the Civil War experience in the Shenandoah Valley. 5 volumes. (Harrisonburg, Virginia) : Valley Brethren-Mennonite Heritage Center and Valley Research Associates, 2003-2009. FHL 975.5922 H2r v.1-5 "Compiled and transcribed from The Southern Claims Commission Records, 1871-1880, the National Archives, Washington, D.C."--T. p.
 * Barred and disallowed case files of the Southern Claims Commission 1871-1880 National Archives microfilm publications pamphlet describing M1407

 Microform
 * United States. House of Representatives. Commissioners of Claims. Southern Claims, 1871-1880
 * Records of the Commissioners of Claims (Southern Claims Commission) 1871-1880 : NARA, M0087
 * Alabama, Southern Claims Commission approved claims, 1871-1880. M2062
 * Virginia, Southern claims commission approved claims, 1871-1880. M2094
 * West Virginia. West Virginia, land records : Southern Claims Commission approved claims, 1871-1880. M1762.

FamilySearch Historical Records Collections

 * Alabama, Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871-1880
 * Virginia, Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871-1880

Digital Books

 * Frank W. Klingberg. The Southern Claims Commission Berkeley, California : University of California, 1955

For Further Reading

 * Frank Wysor Klingberg. The Southern Claims Commission: A Postwar Agency in Operation. Mississippi Valley Historical Review : 195-214.
 * Sarah Larson. The Southern Claims Commission. Prologue: Journal of the National Archives 12 #4 (Winter, 1980): 207-218.
 * Reginald Washington. The Southern Claims Commission: A Source for African- American Roots. Prologue. 27 #4 (Winter, 1995): 374-382.
 * Donald M. Zahn.  Special Report on Records Pertaining to the Southern Claims Commission. Ms. Fiscal Section. National Archives and Records Administration, June 1955.