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In 1855 the General Assembly created the Illinois Soldiers' and Sailors' Home at Quincy to provide subsistence and a home for honorably discharged and disabled veterans of the Mexican and Civil Wars (L. 1885, p. 16). In the succeeding years Illinois veterans of all wars became eligible for admission. Beginning in 1903 wives of veterans at the home also were admitted, provided they met certain age and marriage requirements. If unable to meet these requirements, wives could apply for admission to the Soldiers' Widows' Home at Wilmington. And in some cases wives, mothers, and daughters of veterans were admitted to the home at Quincy.
Three trustees, appointed by the Governor, operated the home under the supervision of the Board of State Commissioners of Public Charities until executive and administrative control of the home passed to the Board of Administration in 1909 (L. 1909, p. 102). The Civil Administrative Code of 1917 abolished the Board of Administration and transferred control of the home to the Department of Public Welfare. The home remained under the Department of Public Welfare until 1961 when the Department of Mental Health assumed jurisdiction (L. 1961, p. 2666).
In 1963 the newly created Department of Children and Family Services assumed responsibility for the non-psychiatric services and facilities of the Department of Mental Health, including the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home (L. 1963, p. 1064). At the same time the Soldiers' Widows' Home at Wilmington was closed and all women residing there were transferred to the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home at Quincy. Thereafter admission regulations were altered to allow widows of veterans to enter the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home directly. The Illinois Soldiers' and Sailors Home became the Illinois Veterans' Home in 1973 (P.A. 78-309, p. 1024) and was transferred to the Department of Veterans' Affairs in 1976 (P.A. 79-1384, p. 1232).
Access to some of these records is restricted according to the provisions of P.A. 79-453 and the State Records Act of 1957 as amended.
259.001
VETERANS' ADMISSION RECORD. Ca. 1887-1967. 50 vols. and 1 partial vol. No index.
For each veteran admitted to the home entries include name; register number; town and county of residence; amount of pension; company and regiment; and dated notes on admission, readmission, furlough, discharge, and death. Newspaper clippings concerning veterans occasionally are inserted in early volumes.
259.002
VETERANS' CASE FILES. 1887-ca. 1963. 54 cu. ft. Index, 1887-1898, 1 vol.
Case files of men admitted to the veterans' home include admission application which lists veteran's name, age, birthplace, residence, physical features, enlistment record, and nature of any disability; certificate of service; hospital surgeon's report; death certificate; will of deceased veteran; inventory of personal effects; and correspondence concerning veteran's admission to and activities while at the home.
Beginning in 1919 files also include such material as medical examination reports, record of hospitalization or domiciliary care, clothing records, statements concerning veteran's dependents, certificates of naturalization, army disability vouchers, and requests for war service records.
259.003
WOMEN'S ADMISSION RECORD. 1908-1967. 5 vols. and 1 partial vol. No index.
For each woman admitted to the veterans' home entries include woman's name, register number, town and county of residence, and dated notes on admission, readmission, furlough, discharge, or death. Also listed is the name, rank, company, and regiment of related veteran and if the veteran also was admitted to the home, his register number. Occasionally inserted in the record are copies of certifications of women's deaths sent to the Adjutant General.
259.004
WOMEN'S CASE FILES. 1910-1940. 2 cu. ft. No index.
Case files of women admitted to the veterans' home include admission application which lists woman's name, age, birthplace, residence, physical features, and nature of any disability; hospital surgeon's report; medical examination reports; statements concerning woman's dependents; and correspondence concerning admission to and activities while at the home. Also found in files are documents relating to the military service of women's husbands, fathers, or sons.
259.005
VETERANS' CASE RECORD. March 3, 1877-January 16, 1950. 36 vols. No index.
Record gives information about each veteran's military, domestic, and institutional histories. Entries include veteran's name; age; birthplace; height; color of eyes, hair, and complexion; nationality; occupation; marital status; whether wife living or dead; number of living children; name and post office address of nearest relative; date and place of enlistment; rank, company, and regiment; time, place, and cause of discharge; residence subsequent to discharge; kind and degree of disability; date and place disability incurred; dates of admission and readmission to veterans' home; residence at time of admission; pension rate; and date and cause for discharge or death. Record occasionally includes remarks on veteran's admission papers, discharge papers, certificate of service, and pension certificate.
259.006
FIRST ADMISSIONS. September 17, 1920-June 29, 1940. 1 vol. No index.
Information recorded at the time of veteran's first admission to the home includes veteran's name, register number, age, nationality, marital status, town and county of residence, occupation, rank, company, and regiment; amount of pension; type of disability; whether literate; number of months of service and war in which veteran served; and date of first admission.
259.007
READMISSIONS. August 19, 1913-December 29, 1939. 1 vol. No index.
Record of readmissions to the veterans' home gives each veteran's name, register number, age, nationality, marital status, town and county of residence, occupation, rank, company, and regiment; date of first admission; amount of pension; type of disability; whether literate; number of months served in the military; and date of readmission.
259.008
HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS. February 28, 1950-May 30, 1951. 1 vol. No index.
For each patient admitted to the home hospital record gives patient's name, date of admission to the hospital, diagnosis, number of days spent in hospital, and date of discharge. Also included are monthly admission summaries which list total number of admissions, total number of discharges, number of patients in hospital on the first and last days of the month, total number of patient days in the hospital, and the daily average number of patients.
259.009
FURLOUGH REGISTER. August 1934-December 1942. 1 vol. No index.
Register entries include veteran's name, cottage and register numbers, company and regiment, date of furlough, post office address, date of return to home, and remarks usually concerning extension of furlough or discharge.
259.010
JOURNAL. August 1, 1898-January 16, 1900. 1 vol. No index.
Daily record is of pension, store, and ordinary accounts transactions. Pension account entries include amount received by home superintendent, name of each veteran receiving payment, amount of payment, and check number. Store and ordinary accounts entries include amount debited or credited to account, names of payors or payees, amount of payment or receipt, an occasional description of items bought or sold, and check number.
These records are available at the Illinois State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State.
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