Minnesota Soldiers' Bonus Board Notification (1920): WWI Veteran Compensation Process

📌 Discover a rare 1920 Minnesota Soldiers' Bonus Board notification, confirming receipt of WWI veteran compensation applications. Learn about the bureaucratic challenges, payment delays, and verification process veterans faced when claiming their Minnesota state bonus. A must-read for historians, genealogists, and educators.

📜 Minnesota Soldiers' Bonus Board Notification of Receipt for Bonus Application (1920)

🔍 A Crucial Document in the Veteran Compensation Process

The Minnesota Soldiers' Bonus Board Notification of Receipt for Bonus Application (1920) is a vital piece of post-World War I history, documenting the process through which veterans received financial compensation from the state. This postcard-style notification, postmarked March 25, 1920, informed veterans like Ludvig Kristian Gjenvick that their application had been received and assigned a case number.

For teachers, students, genealogists, and historians, this document offers fascinating insight into post-war bureaucracy, veteran compensation, and the challenges soldiers faced in obtaining benefits.

📌 Key Topics Covered in This Document:

✔ The Minnesota Soldiers’ Bonus Program & Its Challenges

✔ Government Efforts to Process Over 140,000 Bonus Claims

✔ Strict Vetting Process for Eligibility & Draft Evasion Investigations

✔ Instructions for Veterans on Avoiding Payment Delays

✔ The Reality of Bureaucratic Backlogs for Returning Soldiers

This primary source sheds light on the government’s attempts to aid veterans while navigating logistical hurdles.

Postcard Notification of Receipt for Bonus Application by the Minnesota Soldiers' Board Postmarked 25 March 1920. Front and Back Combined into One Image. Gjenvick-Gjønvik Family Archives. GGA Image ID # 18710914c0

Soldiers' Bonus Board, Capital Building, St. Paul, Minnesota

Your bonus application has been given the number opposite your name on the reverse side of this card.  Applications are numbered and paid in the order filed.  Applications held up for special investigation lose their order temporarily, but when approved retain their original position.

The work of approving and paying claims has been greatly delayed because of provisions of the bonus law excluding those who sought to evade service because of: (1) conscientious objections; (2) alienage; (3) violations of the draft law. 

These provisions made it necessary to check all draft records and questionnaires at Washington.  This task has already taken three months but is nearly completed.  The Board's work otherwise has been greatly delayed by improperly executed and incorrect applications, the filing of second applications, necessity of investigations concerning entry into actual service, and inquires regarding claims. 

The Board is making every effort to hasten payments.  Claims on file exceed 110,000, and it is estimated will reach 140,000.  To examine and pass upon all these claims is a tremendous task and will require several months to complete.  Service men can hasten payments by not asking questions. 

If anything is wrong with your application you will be notified.  Don't ask preference in payment, as positively no favoritism will be shown.  If other claims of higher numbers are paid ahead of yours it is because your application is being held up for investigation.  Don't file additional applications.  This causes confusion and may delay payment. 

If you have filed a second application, notify the Bonus Board at once.  In addressing the Board on any subject, kindly refer to your application number.

Respectfully,

W. P. Rhinow
J. A. O. Preus,
Henry Rines,

Minnesota Soldiers' Bonus Board

Postmarked March 25, 1920

Learn More About This Remarkable Man

🇳🇴 From Norway to America: The Inspiring Journey of Immigrant Ludvig Kristian Gjønvik

📌 Explore the remarkable immigration story of Ludvig Kristian Gjønvik, a Norwegian immigrant who overcame orphanhood, financial struggles, and war to build a new life in America. Perfect for historians, genealogists, educators, and students exploring early 20th-century immigration.

🌟 Why This Page is Important

✔ An authentic historical record of the veteran bonus application process.

✔ Illustrates state-level efforts in compensating WWI soldiers.

✔ Provides an example of government bureaucracy in the post-war period.

✔ Highlights challenges such as investigations into draft evasion & application errors.

✔ Essential for genealogists tracing military records & financial compensations.

This document offers a rare glimpse into how WWI veterans interacted with state authorities, providing a compelling narrative of their struggles, delays, and ultimate recognition.

📌 The Minnesota Soldiers' Bonus Program – A Statewide Veteran Support Initiative

📌 Background:

The Minnesota Soldiers' Bonus Act of 1919 was enacted to compensate WWI veterans who were residents of Minnesota at the time of induction or enlistment.

Veterans received $15 per month of service, with payments processed in order of application receipt.

The massive number of claims (exceeding 110,000 and expected to reach 140,000) required a structured filing, review, and payment system.

📌 Challenges in Processing Applications:

Investigations into draft evaders, conscientious objectors, and aliens delayed the process.

Errors in applications, duplicate submissions, and inquiries further slowed approvals.

Veterans were advised to avoid contacting the board unless absolutely necessary to prevent unnecessary delays.

📝 Why It’s Important:

✔ Highlights the sheer scale of veteran support needed after WWI.

✔ Shows the rigorous verification process to prevent fraudulent claims.

✔ Provides insight into bureaucratic delays and frustrations faced by veterans.

📌 Bureaucratic Hurdles: Patience Required for Compensation

📌 Key Administrative Challenges:

The Minnesota Soldiers’ Bonus Board had to check all draft records and military questionnaires in Washington, D.C.

This process alone took over three months, contributing to significant delays.

Cases requiring further investigation (e.g., draft evasion suspicions) were temporarily held back, but retained their original filing order once resolved.

Soldiers were explicitly advised NOT to ask questions or request preferential treatment, as this would only slow down the process further.

📌 Why This Matters:

✔ Demonstrates the administrative burden of processing tens of thousands of veteran claims.

✔ Shows the efforts made to ensure fairness and prevent fraud.

✔ Highlights how government messaging discouraged unnecessary inquiries to streamline the process.

📜 Noteworthy Images & Their Significance

📷 Postcard Notification of Receipt for Bonus Application – March 25, 1920

An official, standardized government-issued notice confirming the receipt of veteran applications.

Clearly indicates that applications were processed in numerical order.

Emphasizes the importance of following procedures and avoiding unnecessary delays.

📝 Why It’s Significant:

✔ Provides a tangible example of post-WWI veteran correspondence.

✔ Highlights the bureaucratic steps involved in distributing state-based veteran benefits.

✔ A valuable document for genealogists and military historians researching individual veterans' post-war benefits.

📚 Relevance for Different Audiences

📌 🧑‍🏫 For Teachers & Students:

✔ An engaging case study on how veterans were treated post-war.

✔ Provides a direct connection between war service and government compensation.

✔ Encourages discussions on government responsibility toward soldiers.

📌 📖 For Historians & Researchers:

✔ Illustrates state efforts in compensating WWI veterans.

✔ Explores the challenges of large-scale veteran benefit programs.

✔ Provides insight into the administrative processes of early 20th-century government programs.

📌 🧬 For Genealogists & Family Historians:

✔ Confirms a veteran's military service & eligibility for benefits.

✔ Provides a paper trail for tracking soldier compensation.

✔ Helps reconstruct the post-war financial situation of a WWI veteran.

🌟 Final Thoughts: A Fascinating Look at Post-WWI Veteran Compensation

📌 The Minnesota Soldiers' Bonus Board Notification of Receipt for Bonus Application (1920) is an essential piece of post-war history, illustrating:

✔ The massive effort required to process WWI veteran claims.

✔ The challenges faced in verifying eligibility and preventing fraud.

✔ The bureaucratic delays that frustrated veterans awaiting their payments.

✔ The structured, methodical approach used to ensure fairness.

For historians, educators, and genealogists, this document is a window into the realities of veterans’ post-war struggles, offering a tangible connection to the past and a detailed view of the government’s role in supporting those who served. 🇺🇸🏅