Pension Files of African Americans in the War of 1812 - Sharon Batiste Gillins

Pension Files of African Americans in the War of 1812

We are natives of this country; we ask only to be treated as well as foreigners. Not a few of our fathers suffered and bled to purchase its independence; we ask only to be treated as well as those who fought against it. We have toiled to cultivate it, and to raise it to its present prosperous condition; we ask only to share equal privileges with those who come from distant lands to enjoy the fruits of our labor. 

Rev. Peter Williams, Jr. African American Episcopal Priest 1786 - 1840

Genealogist Sharon Batiste Gillins will share the following information concerning African Americans in the War of 1812 files:

Identifying the primary geographic regions in which battles of the War of 1812 were fought. 

Describing post-war benefits of service and related legislation. 

Accessing the record groups that contain pension and bounty land claims: 

 Describing the United States War of 1812 Index to Pension Application Files, 1812-1910 (M313) 

 Describing the War of 1812 Pension Application Files (RG 15) 

War of 1812 Military Bounty Land Warrants

Sharon Batiste Gillins is a native of Galveston, Texas with paternal ancestral roots in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana and maternal roots in Fort Bend County, Texas.  A life-long interest in her family's history led to an active involvement in genealogical research over the past 25 years. Her career spans 40 years in education, recently retiring as Associate Professor at Riverside Community College. Ms. Gillins is a Research Associate at the Mary Moody Northen Endowment in Galveston, Texas where she is responsible for the Moody family and business archive of manuscripts and photographs that date to the early 1800s.