NARA pension file citation as "Artifact"

By allenawilson on Fri, 01/19/2024 - 22:40

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I have read several older posts concerning this subject, but failed to see what I view as a possible solution.  I have several pension files, both of the soldier and his widow, ordered by mail from NARA.  As noted in the other posts, no documentation was included.  Yes, you can cite the index, but this doesn't provide the details of where the file itself is located.  Would it not be acceptable practice to cite these copies as an "artifact", in my possession, with a note describing when and where they were obtained?  

Submitted byEEon Sat, 01/20/2024 - 08:35

Yes, allenawilson. You may indeed cite these as an "artifact" with a note describing when and where they were obtained.  The object of a source citation is always to provide the clearest and most accurate information possible.

For another approach: If those older files of ours, that were incompletely identified by NARA at the time we ordered them, are now digitized online at a site to which we have access, we might locate the online files, make careful comparisons, and then cite the online images.

Submitted byallenawilsonon Sat, 01/20/2024 - 08:42

Thank you for your reply, but no, I couldn't find them online.  Only reference to them on the index.  And I'll make a note of that as well.