Submitted by Dianna Williams
Source: Wayne County, IL Blind Pensions
The purpose for this page is I have been researching blindness in my HALL-PEER lines that go back as far as 1802. To make a long stroy short, the reason of my interest is, 1982 I found out the hard way I had Retinitis Pigmentosa, aka RP-Usher Syntom. In a shorter term, this is heriditary.
This blindness did not have a name until the late 1960's to early 1970's, nor was the cause known and, still there is no cure. We do know it is the third highest cause of blindness.
From what I understand, the Blind Pension started 'Under the Law of 1903". Then, 1943 the pension fell under one of the Social Security acts.
There are two files here. Even though this Pension started 1903, I am only able to find records starting 1913. I ended that file at 1920 because several of the people on it are alive today.
Everyone that was blind during the time-frame of this report, did recieve a 'Blind Pension' and is listed here, when a person receiving the pensioned moved, it is listed, and sometimes it was written in when the person died.
Since I put this on the web site many years ago, several people contacted me with thank you for this information on their family member(s) and, where the person lived.
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