Upton Historical Society to co-host local effort

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence, the National Archives and the National Park Service are collaborating on a special project to transcribe Revolutionary War Pension Files of more than 80,000 of America's first veterans and their widows, containing more than 2 million documents.

The Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park and the Upton Historical Society will be co-hosting a transcription event on Jan. 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Upton Community Center. 

 Participants will learn about the value of wartime pensions and hear service stories about patriots from the Blackstone Valley. Rangers will provide training on how to access pensions and transcribe these vital records online.

These national records may contain valuable details about Revolutionary War veterans and their families, such as rank, unit, period of service, age, residence, date and place of marriage, and date and place of death of spouse. You may find copies of marriage or other family records, information pertaining to military activities or details about soldier's lives, along with letters, diaries, or family trees within these records. Become a citizen archivist and unlock the details and stories found within these rich records! 

Capacity is limited to 25 participants. If interested in attending, email [email protected] for more information.