New York State Veterans' Home Resident Case Files

Chronological by date of death or discharge and then alphabetical by name of applicant.

In 1894, the New York State Woman's Relief Corps Home (later the New York State Veterans' Home) was established to provide for aged dependent veterans and their wives, veterans' mothers, veterans' widows, and army nurses who suffered from a "physical disability or other cause" that rendered them unable to care for or provide for themselves (L. 1894, Ch. 468; L. 1897, Ch. 47). Unlike the New York State Soldiers' and Sailors' Home in Bath, N.Y., which housed only male veterans, this facility opened its doors in May 1897 to women who served either as wartime nurses or who were related to honorably discharged male veterans. Male veterans were allowed to apply for admission, provided that they were married and were accompanied by their wives when living at the Home.

While admission to the Home was originally restricted to Civil War veterans with their wives, veterans' widows, and army nurses, later legislation expanded the eligible applicant pool to include the following groups: Spanish-American War veterans with their wives, and these veterans' widows and mothers (L. 1923, Ch. 60); daughters of Civil War veterans (L. 1925, Ch. 175): World War I veterans with their wives, and these veterans' widows and mothers (L. 1931, Ch. 201); as well as veterans of the Philippine-American War with their wives, and these veterans' widows, mothers, and daughters (L. 1936, Ch. 750).

The site chosen for the Home was located in the Village of Oxford, in Chenango County. When the facility opened, it housed only 24 residents in a single building; by 1911, the Home had expanded to include 172 residents living on a campus with five buildings, including four cottages and an infirmary.

The Home was originally administered by a Board of Managers, which consisted of three male members of the Grand Army of the Republic, Department of New York, and six female members of the Woman's Relief Corps, Auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic, Department of New York. Until 1927, the Board was authorized to appoint the Home's superintendent and other employees, set their salaries, and report annually to the State Legislature. Thereafter, a Board of Visitors oversaw the administration of the Home; approved or disapproved admissions to the Home; and conducted inspections of the facility under the supervision of the New York State Department of Charities, which in 1929 became the Department of Social Welfare. In 1967, the newly created Department of Social Services assumed control of the Home, which by that time had become known as the New York State Veterans' Home.

In 1971, the Department of Health took over control of the Home, and recommended that the facility be replaced because its wood frame construction did not conform to national fire codes. A year later, the State Legislature appropriated funds to complete the work, and in 1979 the current building opened its doors. Today, the Home continues to provide skilled nursing care for honorably discharged New York State veterans and their dependents.

Additional information on the history of the Home is available in the Annual Report of the Board of Managers, New York State Woman's Relief Corps Home, Oxford, N.Y.: For the Aged Dependent Veteran and His Wife, Veterans' Mothers, Widows, and Army Nurses, Residents of New York State, available at the New York State Library.

This series consists of case files for individuals who applied, and gained admission to, the New York State Veterans' Home in Oxford, formerly known as the New York State Woman's Relief Corps Home. The files are grouped into three chronological periods based on the resident's death or discharge date: prior to circa 1920 (boxes 1-3 and 53-57), circa 1920-1957 (boxes 4-45), or circa 1957-1963 (boxes 46-52); they are arranged alphabetically by last name therein. The bulk of the series consists of case files for residents who died or were discharged in the period between circa 1920-1957.

The records pertaining to each resident are contained within an envelope, on the outside of which is summary information about the resident, which may include the following: case number, name, company, regiment, arm of service, when admitted, when discharged, cause of discharge, and remarks. While the contents of the case files vary, each contains the completed application form for admission into the Home. The format of the application often varies depending on the time period, and whether the applicant was a male veteran; a widow, mother, or daughter of a veteran; or a female nurse. Yet, each usually includes the following sections: statement of the applicant (name, date of birth, birthplace, address, relationship to veteran - for female applicants, nature of disease or disability, amount of real estate owned, total income, pension income, nearest relative, reason for applying to the Home); record of the veteran's service (war served in, rank, company, regiment, date of enlistment, date of discharge, reason for discharge, and places of enlistment/discharge); certificate of identification before a notary public; and surgeon's certificate, where a doctor described and verified the applicant's disability, which would have prevented him or her from earning "subsistence by manual labor."

In addition to the application form, most case files include letters authored by the resident, resident's family members, the Home's superintendent, and/or other parties such as insurance companies and the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). The correspondence generally concerns the resident's admission to the Home, sometimes elaborating on the reasons why the applicant desired to apply; life while at the Home; and death or discharge from the Home, including the disposition of the resident's belongings. Other items often found in the case files include military documents, such as discharge papers or pension certificates, which were used by the Home to verify requirements for admission; court documents; copies of marriage and death certificates; bills and receipts; and insurance papers.

High resolution images of selected original documents in this series are available in State Archives Digital Collections.

Portions of the series are digitized and are available to New York State residents for free on Ancestry.com New York. You must sign up for a free account to access these records without a paid subscription.

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A0283 Monthly reports and minutes of meetings of boards of managers of state institutions, and

B0645 Minutes of meetings of boards of visitors and monthly reports of institutions, contain administrative reports and minutes on the New York State Woman's Relief Corps Home.

Restricted to protect personal privacy. Access may be permitted under certain conditions upon application to and approval by the State Archives.