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Armed Forces / Re: Dilemma: Keep looking for a possible Chelsea pensioner, or set aside?
« on: Wednesday 20 February 13 15:39 GMT (UK) »
Hi again, everyone,
I have another update on my search for John Kinsman Evans's military records. This past weekend I found an obituary and a death notice for him in different newspapers. They also describe him as a pensioner, and provide a good deal of new-to-me information: According to the obituary, he enlisted when he was about age 15 (he was 'illegitimate' so would not have needed his parents' permission since legally he had no parents) and was in two of the "engagements" of the Peninsular War, the first under "General Graham" and the second under "Marshal Sir Wm. Beresford." It also says that he was shot in the leg while serving and "was invalided on sixpence a day." If he did enlist at about age 15, it would have been around 1811. I know that he was back in Devon by 1821 as he married there then and began baptizing children. I have been going back through the FindMyPast military records definitively ruling out people one-by-one now that I have a lot more information. Does anyone have any further suggestions for what I can try? Would there be likely to be records about him at the National Archives that aren't on FindMyPast to date?
Thank you.
I have another update on my search for John Kinsman Evans's military records. This past weekend I found an obituary and a death notice for him in different newspapers. They also describe him as a pensioner, and provide a good deal of new-to-me information: According to the obituary, he enlisted when he was about age 15 (he was 'illegitimate' so would not have needed his parents' permission since legally he had no parents) and was in two of the "engagements" of the Peninsular War, the first under "General Graham" and the second under "Marshal Sir Wm. Beresford." It also says that he was shot in the leg while serving and "was invalided on sixpence a day." If he did enlist at about age 15, it would have been around 1811. I know that he was back in Devon by 1821 as he married there then and began baptizing children. I have been going back through the FindMyPast military records definitively ruling out people one-by-one now that I have a lot more information. Does anyone have any further suggestions for what I can try? Would there be likely to be records about him at the National Archives that aren't on FindMyPast to date?
Thank you.