Southern Claims Commission facts for kids

A claims application from South Carolina in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration

The Southern Claims Commission (SCC) was a special group in the United States government. It was created in 1871 by President Ulysses S. Grant. The main goal of the SCC was to help people in the Southern states. These were people who had supported the Union during the American Civil War (1861–1865). They could ask for money back if the U.S. Army had taken their property during the war.

How People Asked for Help

People from 12 Southern states could ask the Southern Claims Commission for help. These states included West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas. They could file a claim between 1871 and 1873 if they met two main rules:

1. They had to be loyal to the United States during the Civil War.
2. The U.S. Army had to have officially taken their supplies or property.

Who Could File a Claim?

People who supported the Union in the South were called Southern Loyalists. About 22,298 of them filed claims. However, only 32 percent of these claims were approved. This means 7,092 people received money.

To prove their loyalty and property losses, people used their neighbors' statements. These statements were called testimony. The papers from these claims, whether approved or not, are very important. They give us a lot of information about life in the South during the Civil War.

What Information Was Collected?

Even though only a few people in each county got money, the claim papers often mention many neighbors. People from all backgrounds, including different races and social classes, were questioned. Their stories and details were written down in the SCC records. These records might include:

• Personal descriptions of people.
• Stories about events that happened during the war.
• Military records of the people making claims or their family members.
• Important family papers like letters, diaries, and family Bible records.
• Legal documents such as wills, lists of property, and probate records.

These records help historians understand the daily lives of people during this important time.