Program

Hometown Heritage®

Subject

Government, People

Location

296 N Union Ave, Ozark, AL 36360, USA

Lat/Long

31.46244509694, -85.640399660445

Grant Recipient

Sons of the American Revolution Alabama Wiregrass Chapter

In 1832, Congress passed the 1832 Pension Act, which provided full life pay to surviving Revolutionary War veterans who served at least two years, and partial pay for those who served at least six months. This included Revolutionary War veterans who served in a state militia. The 1832 Pension Act was a major overhaul to the earlier 1818 Pension Act, which removed the earlier “need” stipulation along with stricter service requirements.

For historians, genealogists, and folks with an interest in the lived experience of those who fought in the American Revolution, this expansion to the Pension system offers a trove of recorded firsthand experiences regarding the War. To qualify, veterans were required to provide testimony at county courts regarding their service, often bringing in others who could support their claims. These interviews are a true treasure trove of primary source documentation of the Revolutionary War, and they provide key insights and recorded experiences directly from those who fought in the conflict.

The Sons of the American Revolution Alabama Wiregrass Chapter used these pension testimonials to identify at least 10 veterans of the Revolutionary who lived in their region following the War, and who appeared in the Dale County Court to apply for a pension following the 1832 expansion. This marker commemorates those 10 veterans with direct connections to the wiregrass region, many of whom are believed to be buried there as well.

For those looking to learn more about Revolutionary War veterans with ties to Alabama as well as a complete list of those in Dale County, we suggest visiting the Alabama Patriot Searchable Database created by the Alabama State Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.