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About this project This is a collection of records regarding Slave Pension Applications. The collection includes various correspondence and case files regarding pensions. Information that can be found in this set of records includes names, ages, residences, relationships and the names of former slave owners.  This collection is varied.

Contents 1 Need help keying this project? 2 Content Page 2.1 Publication Place 2.2 Document Day 2.3 Document Month 2.4 Document Year 2.5 Prefix 2.6 Given Name 2.7 Surname 2.8 Suffix 2.9 Age 2.10 Birth Year 2.11 Residence Location

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Project-specific sample images and form field help:

Choose a sample image from below to see the corresponding form field examples.
Content Page

Content Page

This is the general record type. Record types will vary from image to image. The most common record type will be a free form correspondence (either typed or handwritten). Be sure to read documents, and pull fields from context. Key any information available. This may only include publication place, and document year, but any information available should be keyed.

Publication Place

This is the place the letter is coming from. It is often found at the top of the image, near the date. The publication place may also be found at the bottom near the signature of the person creating the document.Key the residence Location as it appears on the document. Do not include street address, but include city, county, state and country, separated by commas, where available.
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Document Day

Document day as listed on the document. Document day should be the same for all records on the image.The document day  is the day the document was written or created.
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Document Month

This month is usually found in the date at the top of the image. Document month should be the same for all records on the image.The document month is the month the document was written or created.
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Document Year

This year is generally located at the top of the image in the date. If no year is on the image key the stamped received year on the image.  Document year should be the same for all records on the image.The document year is the year the document was written or created.
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Prefix

Key any titles before the given name, such as "Dr", "Rev", "Mr" or "Mrs", using a dictionary if provided for assistance. If a prefix does not appear in a dictionary then key the prefix as seen. On birth and death records "stillborn", "child", "unknown", or "not stated" may appear. Key these as prefixes. If "child of Peter Pan" appears, key the complete phrase into the prefix field unless there is a father name field. If there is a father field, key "child of" as a prefix then key the father name as Peter Pan.
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Given Name

Key the first name or initial and any middle names of the primary person to whom the record pertains using a dictionary if provided for assistance. If a name does not appear in the dictionary then key the name as seen. If no name appears on the image, mark given name as blank. Do not key names of state, city or pension commission officials, as they will appear multiple times throughout the collection.
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Surname

The surname is the last name of the primary person to whom the record applies. Capture the surname using the dictionary provided for assistance. If the surname does not appear in the dictionary then key the surname as seen. If no name appears on image, mark surname as blank. Do not key names of state, city or pension commission officials, as they will appear multiple times throughout the collection.
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Suffix

Key all titles, such as "Jr" or "III", following the surname of the primary person to whom the record applies using a dictionary if provided for assistance. If a suffix does not appear in a dictionary then key the suffix as seen.
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Age

The age refers to the age of the primary person to whom the record pertains. If an age includes years, months, and/or days then key only the years. For example, if an age appears as 10 years, 7 months then key the age as 10. If an age appears in months only, such as 10 months, then key the age as a fraction of twelfths - 10/12. If an age includes a fraction, such as 3 3/8, key only the whole number - 3. See Example

Birth Year

Key the two or four digit number designated as the birth year in the birth date. The year must be either two or four digits.  This field will appear rarely.
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Residence Location

Key residence location where possible. You may need to pull this location from the context of the document. Key the residence Location as it appears on the document. Do not include street address, but include city, county, state and country, separated by commas, where available.
See Example