Military Discharges – DD 214 and other Military Service
Thanks to the McLean County Recorders Office and a memorial donation in memory of LaVerne Lahr
Service members discharged received a document that often summarizes their service. They are encouraged, but not required to have this document recorded in the county of their residence. Thanks to Mark Bounds at the McLean County Recorders office who recently allowed us access to the indexes and documents. Thanks to LaVerne Lahr’s family, who graciously had LaVerne’s funeral memorials made payable to our Society enabling us to bring you this information.
Civil War Era Records
Soldiers Register – A This document is not indexed, you will need to read thru the pages looking for your research subject.
Soldier’s Discharges – B This document has an index at close to the end beginning on page 770-772. Contains less than 100 discharges.
Soldier’s Discharges – 1 This document is indexed at the beginning. Contains over 1000 discharges.
(These are large files and may take a while to load. Click in the box of the document description to open it in a new window)
Soldier’s Register A
Document begins with the appointment of the officers and staff positions for the 94th regiment, the “McLean Regiment.” Beginning with William W. Orme as Colonel, (he was later promoted to Brig General). It is not in alphabetical order, but by rank. Currently there is no index. Please let me know if you would like to index this book for posterity. The information contained is enlistment, muster, and discharge dates. Wounded or not. Some comments on location, desertion, and other items related to the service.
A free program describing the “McLean Regiment” is available on our Free Programs page. Bill Isiminger presents a chronology based upon family diaries!
Soldier’s Discharges B
Document begins page on page 2 with two discharge papers per page and continues thru page 31 for a total of 64 documents.
Documents include why discharged (injury, end of term, re-enlistment), physical description of soldier, age, where born, bounties paid, occupation, and other information such as P.O.W. dates, medical, or battles.
Page 641 begins several pages of handwritten transcribed discharges.
Index on pages 770-772 with names and page numbers.
Soldier’s Discharges 1 (pdf is 712 pages)
Pdf pages 4 – 52 is alphabetical index of names with three columns of information. Column 1 is the Company letter (such as Company C), 2nd is the Regiment number, and third is the page number the discharge document is on.
Pdf pages 54-692 Certificates of discharge with two documents per page. First document is for Andrew Brown – certificate of disability. The pages holding the documents are numbered 2 thru 640. Pdf page Number 692 is document page number 640 which concludes with two official discharges for Daniel Brubaker, (suffered a gunshot wound to right wrist and received 1/2 disability) discharged 26 Jan 1863 and James W. Davis, who was discharged on 25 Nov 1862.
Pdf pages 693- 712 consist of handwritten testimonials of service including describing battle action, deaths, payment, physical descriptions, place of birth, and age. information,