1830 Revolutionary War Veterans Mortality List

History and Mystery of the Missing Card

In 1973 or earlier, Dwight Haston discovered a card at the University of Arkansas [or was it the state archives of Arkansas?] library for Daniel MG. (or MC.) Hastings (Hastin).  According to the "Source" entry on the card, this information was taken from an 1830 mortality listing compiled from Survey of Rev. War Veterans for pension reasons."  The card said that Daniel died in 1826 at 91 years old, which would meant that he was born in 1735.

Since that time, other Haston researchers have not been able to locate the card.  An October 8, 1973 letter from Mrs. Dave R. Haston of Sparta, TN to Dwight Haston said:

Dwight, Dave has been trying to locate info on the mortality rolls from which you secured the info that Daniel Haston died in 1826 at age 91.  He has run into a road block and has found nothing to help us secure copies of them.  Let me explain:  he went to Tenn. Tech and inquired from Librarian, Mrs. Jones, who is good on genealogy and interested in it personally, and she said that the State of Tenn. refused the original records of the records, and that there were none in the State at present.  Then, an inquiry here in Sparta resulted in the idea that the Mortality info was not taken until the 1850 census -- and were not in the State.  I see my notes of our meetings say the info you have was from rolls at the Univ. of Ark...

In a return letter to Mr. & Mrs. (Estelle) Dave R. Haston, Dwight wrote (from Naples, Italy, where he was stationed in the Air Force) on November 20, 1973:

I was able to copy the card file entry at the research library in Arkansas.  It appears that the info was taken from a survey in 1830.  Those veterans who were still living were added to a master roster and info was copied for a mortality roll.  It lists some good info.  The library there has a card file on Rev War service with a card for each veteran.

Dwight wrote again from Naples to Dave & Estelle Haston a month later, on December 26, 1973:

The "survey of 1830" as you suggested was indeed taken along with the 1830 census.  It was taken to determine the status of Rev War Veterans who were drawing a pension for their service.  The census takers were also instructed to give any info possible on all veterans who were still living.  This information was put together in Washington.  However only those who were drawing a pension were listed in the master list.  The list for White Co. Tenn. shows about 45 men still living...but no Daniel Haston.  The names of veterans who were not drawing a pension and their paper work was forwarded to the War Dept and was later destroyed by fire or lost in shipment from one dept. to another. ("They didn't consider them important.")  However, a card index was made of the info given.  The copy I sent you was this card.  It was common practice in the early 1900s to copy info to cards and destroy the original.  Info on Daniel Haston's card shows that it was first completed in 1907 and later checked on three occasions.  I'm afraid that all that remains of the info is on the card.  I also wondered who gave them the info but the only answer I could get was that possibly a son or daughter or some family member.

A February 13, 1979 letter to Mr. Howard H. Hasting, Sr. of San Antonio, TN from the University of Arkansas stated: 

Our holdings include no carded index to the Revolutionary War veterans enumerated in the 1840 U.S. Census.  However, we do have a copy of the published work:  A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services; With Their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, As Returned By the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census.  Pub. By...the Secretary of State.  (Washington, 1841)
You will note from these that there is no entry for either a "McHaston" or a "Haston" in White County, Tennessee...

This previous letter instructed Mr. Hasting to contact the Arkansas History Commission, which he did.  His letter from that organization, dated April 17, 1979, indicated that they did not have the requested information.  Mr. Hasting then passed this letter along to Dave R. Haston, who responded to Mr. Hasting by saying:

The information above, was recorded from the information gained in the 1830 census.  As best I can find out, this information was never compiled into book form, as was the 1840 [mortality list info], and after the information was processed onto cards the original forms were destroyed.  There was no organized effort to retain the 1830 information, and even the State of Tenn. refused to accept that information relating to citizens of the State -- don't know why the State or Ark. took down the information.

Wayne Haston showed a copy of the 1830 mortality list card to long-term TN State Library & Archives (TSLA) employees in September of 2001, who said that they had never seen any of these cards and that they did not exist at the TSLA.

What happened to this card and/or the information from which it was taken?  If you have information regarding this Daniel Hasting / Hastin card or original source, in particular, or this 1830 Revolutionary War veterans mortality list, in general, please contact us.

Subject
1830 Census

Discussion Thread
Response (HIST - CAB) 11/29/2007 16:42
Mr. Haston,

There was no data collected for that in the 1830 census. The 1840 census did cover veterans, but not deceased veterans.

Contact the National Archives and ask about that survey. It was probably collected by the war department, but it wasn't associated with the Census.

History Staff

Question Reference #071127-000072
Category Level 1: How Do I
Date Created: 11/27/2007 18:21
Last Updated: 11/29/2007 16:42
Status: Pending Closure