Collection 5—United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918
At the bottom of this article, find instructions on how to locate topics in FS Collections when you do not a link like you will have in this article.
February 4, 2015 By Alivia L. Whitaker
In the early 1900s, the world was engulfed in its first world war. Millions of young men were sent to fight as soldiers in foreign lands. Today, more than 24 million draft registration cards of those young soldiers are available for free to genealogists and family historians to view and glean valuable information from. These draft records are now available as the United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918. >>>>
In the early 1900s, the world was engulfed in its first world war. Millions of young men were sent to fight as soldiers in foreign lands. Today, more than 24 million draft registration cards of those young soldiers are available for free to genealogists and family historians to view and glean valuable information from. These draft records are now available as the United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918. >>>>
An article about this collection in the FamilySearch Wiki states, “The collection consists of an index and images of draft registration cards for World War I. Three registrations were conducted between 1917 and 1918. The first was held on June 5, 1917 for men between the ages of 21 and 31. The second was held on June 5, 1918, for men who had turned 21 since the first registration; and the third was held on September 12, 1918, for men between the ages of 18 and 45.”
The article continues, “The registration includes cards for 24,000,000 men. The cards are arranged by state, by city or county, by local draft board, and then alphabetically by surname.”
The article continues, “The registration includes cards for 24,000,000 men. The cards are arranged by state, by city or county, by local draft board, and then alphabetically by surname.”
Draft records are a great resource to find a date and place of birth and information about parents, siblings, and spouses. They are also a great jumping-off point in finding many birth records. Draft registration records provide information about ancestors even if the ancestors did not end up serving in a war.
Ken Nelson, content manager for the Family Search United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918 collection, said, “One of the important things about the World War I draft registrations is coverage. Approximately 24,000,000 men registered between the ages of 18 and 45. This breaks down to almost half (48 percent) of the total male population [of the United States]. Of that total, about 2,600, 000 were inducted. What the registration does not tell you is which ones were inducted. The war started in 1914, but the United States was involved only between April 1917 and November 1918.”
Barbara K. Henritze, of BKH Research, writes, “Middle names, signatures, draft registration information and work history are all significant historical and genealog-ical facts available on the United States draft registration cards for World War I and World War II. There are instances where the draft registration card was the only source of a middle name.”
Henritze notes further, “When census, obituaries, social security death index, tombstones, funeral records, even baptismal records might only have an initial, World War I draft registration cards can be a reliable source for complete names and signatures.”
World War I draft registration cards are an excellent source of family history information. That is one of the reasons this collection is fifth in the 10 most searched collections on the FamilySearch.org website.
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Learn How to Easily Locate This and other Topics in FS Collections. In the above article you were given links to the needed information, but what will you do when you do not have those links. Below we will teach you how to easily find World War 1 records even when you do not remember have the link. See how to find this and other topics any time you want them.
Use the following easy instructions to learn how to find the United States World War 1 Draft Registration Cards (a FamilySearch Collection title) or any other desired topic by using the following 5 steps.
1. Click on "Search" at the top of a FamilySearch page as shown here:
Barbara K. Henritze, of BKH Research, writes, “Middle names, signatures, draft registration information and work history are all significant historical and genealog-ical facts available on the United States draft registration cards for World War I and World War II. There are instances where the draft registration card was the only source of a middle name.”
Henritze notes further, “When census, obituaries, social security death index, tombstones, funeral records, even baptismal records might only have an initial, World War I draft registration cards can be a reliable source for complete names and signatures.”
World War I draft registration cards are an excellent source of family history information. That is one of the reasons this collection is fifth in the 10 most searched collections on the FamilySearch.org website.
________________________________________________________________
Learn How to Easily Locate This and other Topics in FS Collections. In the above article you were given links to the needed information, but what will you do when you do not have those links. Below we will teach you how to easily find World War 1 records even when you do not remember have the link. See how to find this and other topics any time you want them.
Use the following easy instructions to learn how to find the United States World War 1 Draft Registration Cards (a FamilySearch Collection title) or any other desired topic by using the following 5 steps.
1. Click on "Search" at the top of a FamilySearch page as shown here:
2. A drop-down list will open. Click on "Records." A new page will open.
3. On the top left of the page. see the word "Records." It is highlighted in green.
Look lower and to the right to see these red words "Browse All Published Collections." Click on those red words. A new page will open.
4. In the top left of the new page, locate the box below the words "Filter by collection
name." If you do not know the exact title of your desired subject, you can use the filters offered in the left column to search more specifically. .
*If you know the title, it should come up in the center column under the word "Title," and all you have to do is click on it.
*If you do not have an exact title but you know the topic you want to see such as
Massachusetts State Census or Birth records in 1880 Maine, no specific title will come to the top, but you will scroll through the list given so you can choose one or more links to
open and brouse. Use can also the helpful filters on the left side of the screen to narrow your search.
Even if your wording is exact and the title comes to the top, before you open it, consider looking over the rest of the topics which might offer you further research opportunities.
3. On the top left of the page. see the word "Records." It is highlighted in green.
Look lower and to the right to see these red words "Browse All Published Collections." Click on those red words. A new page will open.
4. In the top left of the new page, locate the box below the words "Filter by collection
name." If you do not know the exact title of your desired subject, you can use the filters offered in the left column to search more specifically. .
*If you know the title, it should come up in the center column under the word "Title," and all you have to do is click on it.
*If you do not have an exact title but you know the topic you want to see such as
Massachusetts State Census or Birth records in 1880 Maine, no specific title will come to the top, but you will scroll through the list given so you can choose one or more links to
open and brouse. Use can also the helpful filters on the left side of the screen to narrow your search.
Even if your wording is exact and the title comes to the top, before you open it, consider looking over the rest of the topics which might offer you further research opportunities.
5. You will need to know the title of the Collection you want, but if you cannot remember it you can still get this far and then chose a "Place" and a type of "Collection." A
variety of collections that are in those parameters will then show. Scroll down
through the alphabetized records and see what else might be of interest for your research.
We hope this has been helpful, and we welcome your comments.
The FamilySearch 10 Most popular Record Collections in FamilySearch. So far we have learned about:
#1. U.S. Census Records
#2 England Births and Christening Records, 1538-1915
#3 United States Public Records - 1970 - 2009
#4 United States Social Security Index
#5 United States World War 1 Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
variety of collections that are in those parameters will then show. Scroll down
through the alphabetized records and see what else might be of interest for your research.
We hope this has been helpful, and we welcome your comments.
The FamilySearch 10 Most popular Record Collections in FamilySearch. So far we have learned about:
#1. U.S. Census Records
#2 England Births and Christening Records, 1538-1915
#3 United States Public Records - 1970 - 2009
#4 United States Social Security Index
#5 United States World War 1 Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918