Molly, I just got back from spending a week at NARA in Washington DC for the first time. The best way to find out more is to go to their website and read about the rules, hours, process, etc. http://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/washington/ I was looking for pension files and found about 14, some being 180 pages long. Copies are 25 cents each or you can photograph the file. Their copiers don’t really allow easy saving to a flash drive, or so they told me. But they have a very nice setup where you can attach your camera and photograph the documents. Security is very tight there so be sure to read up on what is allowed inside. They have computers on the first floor so you can look up on Ancestry the service and pension record numbers. Be sure to talk to the librarian on the first floor to find out what is needed on the request form (typically name of soldier and dependent (if there is one), all the application numbers and certification numbers you will find on the Ancestry index. The unit information (ex: 4th Kentucky Infantry), the war, etc. You are very limited as to what you can bring into the second floor research room. You will need to register on the first floor and get a photo ID before you can use the facilities. They also have Microfilm on the first floor. But the first thing you should do is check out their website above. Phyllis Gessert Garratt -----Original Message----- From: transitional-genealogists-forum-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:transitional-genealogists-forum-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of M KC Subject: [TGF] help with Civil War Service and Pension Records for a neophyte Hi all, I am thrilled to be pursuing a line for my first paying client!  I have found digital copies of a pension file index and General Index for Isaac O. Lowe of C Company 31 Indiana Infantry, but fold3, familysearch, and ancestry do not have copies of the actual service file or actual pension.  3 - what the heck do I do when I get to NARA? My inclination is to go to the first desk I see and beg for mercy.

The last time I went to Archives I (this summer), I had absolutely no problem scanning and saving images of several pension files to a flash drive. I'm not sure why anyone would have told you that it couldn't be done. Michael Hait, CG(sm) michael.hait@hotmail.com http://www.haitfamilyresearch.com "Planting the Seeds" Blog: http://michaelhait.wordpress.com CG and Certified Genealogist are service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used under license by board certificants after periodic competency evaluation, and the board name is registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office. -----Original Message----- From: Phyllis Garratt Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2012 2:35 PM To: 'M KC' ; transitional-genealogists-forum@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [TGF] help with Civil War Service and Pension Records for aneophyte Molly, I just got back from spending a week at NARA in Washington DC for the first time. The best way to find out more is to go to their website and read about the rules, hours, process, etc. http://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/washington/ I was looking for pension files and found about 14, some being 180 pages long. Copies are 25 cents each or you can photograph the file. Their copiers don’t really allow easy saving to a flash drive, or so they told me. But they have a very nice setup where you can attach your camera and photograph the documents. Security is very tight there so be sure to read up on what is allowed inside. They have computers on the first floor so you can look up on Ancestry the service and pension record numbers. Be sure to talk to the librarian on the first floor to find out what is needed on the request form (typically name of soldier and dependent (if there is one), all the application numbers and certification numbers you will find on the Ancestry index. The unit information (ex: 4th Kentucky Infantry), the war, etc. You are very limited as to what you can bring into the second floor research room. You will need to register on the first floor and get a photo ID before you can use the facilities. They also have Microfilm on the first floor. But the first thing you should do is check out their website above. Phyllis Gessert Garratt -----Original Message----- From: transitional-genealogists-forum-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:transitional-genealogists-forum-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of M KC Subject: [TGF] help with Civil War Service and Pension Records for a neophyte Hi all, I am thrilled to be pursuing a line for my first paying client! I have found digital copies of a pension file index and General Index for Isaac O. Lowe of C Company 31 Indiana Infantry, but fold3, familysearch, and ancestry do not have copies of the actual service file or actual pension. 3 - what the heck do I do when I get to NARA? My inclination is to go to the first desk I see and beg for mercy. The Transitional Genealogists List was created to provide a supportive environment for genealogists to learn best practices as they transition to professional level work. Please respect the kind intentions of this list. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TRANSITIONAL-GENEALOGISTS-FORUM-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message