Great info! Just wanted to add that the pension app filed in 1896 being invalid means that the person himself filed for the pension due to being disabled or having become an invalid due to service in the war. (Invalid here refers to the physical condition of the soldier not whether the claim was true (valid) or not.) And the widow's pension being applied for is due to the fact that the soldier has died so it works out as an approximate date of death--or at least you know that the veteran had died by that date. Hope this helps.