My Aunt told me at one point that my great grandfather served in the civil war in the place of someone else.... how would I find out more about that? Does it affect the military records? It was said he served for a member of the family that in later years formed Montgomery Wards.

You would need to look for the Vet. records under both names. The one where your grandfather would have applied for a pension and under the name he had serving for him. You may not ever be able to prove the information. But you will need the Military records for each to see if there is any connection. I also might add.....The National Parks Dept. in putting together a computerized data base on the enlistment papers for the Civil War....and when that is finished they are starting on the other military records....It will be able to search by name and you will NOT have to know the start someone served from to search it....will be a every name index with the cross references that were in the records....It will not all be out for sometime but the beginnings are starting to be posted.....If anyone wants the site let me know and I will get it. I can not find it on this computer....(we have 3) Hope this helps Diana in Indiana