Paula, you wrote: That is the number of the file and it means his widow applied for, but did not receive, a pension. The W.O. stands for Widow's Original, had she been granted the pension the number would begin W.C. for Widow's Certificate. Rejected pension files are generally just as useful as those where a pension was granted, I would recommend obtaining a copy of the file. Paula. That makes a lot of sense - James GARDNER died after an accident in 1818, in Meigs County, Ohio. His wife, Anne (IRELAND) left her three young children with strangers and returned to New York, coming back for her children after about a year. Anne traveled all across the east, going back to NY again, then to MA, where she remarried, then to VA/WV in 1850, finally settling in Manhattan, Riley County, KS, living with her youngest son James, until her death in 1883. I wonder why the pension was denied? I have contacted NARA and ordered the file, paid by credit card to hopefully speed things up! Judy texasyankee@cableone.net