Isaac Seaver's Civil War Draft Registration Record

Ancestry.com announced today that their Civil war Collection is FREE for seven days starting today, 7 April.  The collection is highlighted at http://www.ancestry.com/civilwar_sub:

One of the featured databases is the U.S. Civil War Draft Registration Records, 1863-1865.  The description of this database is:

"There were four drafts between 1863 and 1865, which included 3.175 million records. Historically, the 1863 draft was one of the most tenuous moments in the Union outside of the battles fought on Northern soil. Most of the concern was due to the draft riots that took place in New York in 1863.

"These records include 631 volumes of registries and are basically lists of individuals who registered for the draft. The records are split into two different classes, Class I are those aged 20-35 as well as those 36-45 and unmarried. Class II is everyone else that registered.
 
"The registry contains information including:

• Class
• Congressional district
• County
• State
• Residence
• Name
• Age on July 1, 1863
• Race
• Profession
• Married status
• Birthplace
• Former military service
• Remarks"

I searched for several of my ancestors who were aged 20 to 45 in the 1863 period.  I found at least two, including Isaac Seaver.  Here is his entry on the Civil War Draft Registrations:

The information about Isaac Seaver includes (on Page 261 of List of Class II persons in the Ninth Congressional District of Massachusetts, which included Worcester County, listed 30 June 1863):

*  Residence:  Westminster, Mass.
*  Name: Isaac Seaver 3d
*  Age, 1st July 1863:  39
*  Race: White
*  Profession, occupation or trade: Mechanic
*  Place of Birth: Massachusetts
*  Former Military Service: [None listed]
*  Remarks:  [None listed]

Isaac was age 39 and married, and therefore in Class II (those not aged 20-35, or age 36-45 and unmarried).

This data can be very useful for researchers to determine residence, approximate birth date and birth place, and occupation. 

There are many more interesting databases in the Ancestry.com Civil War Collection, including Confederate Pension Record indexes and military cemetery listings.