What Military Records Can Provide About An Ancestors Appearance

posted in: Military Records | 0

Have you wondered what an ancestor used to look like?  Yet, there is no picture of this individual for you to see their image.

So, how do you find out what an ancestor looked like?

One of the best places to search is in military records.  Military records can provide information on an ancestor’s appearance. One great place in the military records to find this information is in either their admission or discharge or certificate of disability information.  Not every soldier will have this information, but it never hurts to look because you don’t know what you might find.

Military records, including Civil War records, World War I draft cards and World War II records often provide the following information:

Some Civil War records provide an ancestor’s description
  1. Height
  2. Color of eyes
  3. Color of hair
  4. Was the person bald
  5. Was person slender, medium or stout
  6. Any disabilities
  7. Any amputations that may have been performed

From this information you can begin to gather a picture in your head of what an ancestor may have looked like.

Next week I will share how to gather enough information to draw a picture of how your ancestor may have appeared.

What information have you garnered from information about an ancestor?

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