Revolutionary War Veterans' and Lineage Society Records

Researchers who trace their family line to a Revolutionary War veteran often submit their information to a lineage society. These lineages are usually required to have extensive documentation. Societies such as the Daughters of the American Revolution and Sons of the American Revolution have published indexes to their membership lineages. The Society of the Cincinnati is another lineage society with Revolutionary War veteran information.

National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)

This society was organized in 1890. The following DAR sources are helpful to researchers:

Researching a Patriot Ancestor is an online tutorial. It teaches how to get started researching, finding records of a Revolutionary War patriot, and how to document a lineage back to that patriot in order to apply to join the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
DAR Patriot Index. Three volumes. Washington, D.C.: National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, 2003 (FS Library 973 C42da 2003.) An alphabetical list of over 100,000 patriots whose service has been established by the Daughters of the American Revolution between October 1890 and October 2003. The information was compiled from extracted data of membership applications and other sources.
DAR Patriot Index. An Index to the Spouses of the DAR Patriots. Volume 3. Washington, D.C.: National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, 1986. (FS Library book 973 C42da V.3.) An alphabetical list of the wives of patriots named in the first two volumes of the 1986 edition of the Patriot Index.
Lineage Books. . . . 166 Volumes. Washington, D.C.: DAR, 1895–1939. (FS Library book 973 D2d; fiche 6051226.) Compiled lineages taken from membership applications with national numbers between 1 and 166,000.

An index to these is:

Index of the Rolls of Honor in the Lineage Books

See also Sara Louise Sukol. A History of Changes in DAR Documentation Requirements NGS Magazine 45 #2 (April- June 2019): 20-26 FS Library 973 D25ngs

Copies of membership applications can be obtained for a fee from the national headquarters:

National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution
1776 D Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006
Telephone: 202-628-1776
Fax: 202-879-3252

This web site links to information about headquarters buildings, membership requirements, work of the society, state chapters, overseas units, their genealogy library (including an online library catalog search), museum, and news.

The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) have gathered and preserved many records and many lineages related to people who served in the Revolutionary War:

1720-1960 - Grandparent Genealogical Forms of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Index and forms which are supplements to the DAR lineage books. Originals located at the Western Reserve Historical Society Library, Cleveland, Ohio FS Library film 887589 (first of 367 films) Index FS Library film 1476279 (first of 8 films)
Patriot Index Lookup Service
DAR library site and online catalog
GRC National Index Some of the Genealogical Records Committee Reports of the DAR is searchable online in the GRC National Index. Not all states have been indexed yet, but presently the online index contains more than 18 million names and is continually growing. Once names of interest have been found in the index, you can order copies of the pages from the DAR Library’s Search Service.
Colonial Hall This site has biographies of the founding fathers and the signers of the Declaration of Independence and some of their wives.
Revolutionary War Records at About.com Article on how to get copies of your Revolutionary War patriot's military records.
National Archives and Records Administration, home to many military records.
Rootsweb These pages contain the email and/or URL addresses of descendants or persons who can give you some background on the revolutionary soldier that is listed with each email address.
Rootsweb DAR Message Board

National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR)

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) is an organization of men who can prove direct lineal descent from patriots who wintered at Valley Forge, signed the Declaration of Independence, fought in the battles of the American Revolution, served in the Continental Congress, or otherwise supported the cause of American Independence. Organized in 1889, the SAR is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history and teaching American history to future generations.

National Headquarters and Genealogical Research Library

809 West Main St.

Louisville, KY 40202

Telephone: 502-589-1776

E-mail: https://www.sar.org/library_contact_form/

Internet: https://www.sar.org/

Catalog: https://www.sar.org/sar-library-catalog/

This national genealogical research library houses over 55,000 items, including family histories, local, county and state records. The Library also houses an archival collection containing both institutional and Revolutionary period items. The SAR Library is a Family Search Affiliate library and also provides onsite patrons with FREE access to Ancestry Library Edition, Heritage Quest, Fold3, and American Ancestors (NEHGS). The online catalog allows you to see what is available - with many titles connected to e-book editions through their corresponding catalog record.

The Library is open to the general public for $5 admission per day with FREE admission to Friends of the SAR Library (FOL); SAR members and their spouses; members of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Children of the American Revolution (CAR), and Sons of the Revolution (SR). The SAR Library is a non-circulating, reference facility only.

The library is currently operating by appointment only, M-F, 9:30am-4:30pm.

Search the Patriot Research System (PRS)

The SAR Patriot Research System (PRS) database can be accessed freely by anyone and is a combination of the previous SAR Patriot Record Index, the SAR Revolutionary War Graves Registry, and information from the SAR Patriot Index CD (2002), plus additional information and updates from various state grave registry databases and patriot biographical sketches submitted to tell the story of our patriot ancestors. This link will take you to order forms where you can order previously verified SAR membership and supplemental applications using their Record Copy service. Ancestry.com has an index to U.S. Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 with digital copies of the applications available to view on their website.

For this society, the FamilySearch Library has the following:

SAR Membership Information, 1776–1996

You can also obtain microfilm numbers for the above sources using the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under

UNITED STATES - SOCIETIES

Society of the Cincinnati

The Society of the Cincinnati was organized in 1783 by officers of the Continental Army. Hereditary membership is through the eldest male and his posterity. Published lists of society members include:

Thomas, William Sturgis. Members of the Society of the Cincinnati. Original, Hereditary and Honorary: with a Brief Account of the Society’s History and Aims. New York, New York: Tobias A. Wright. 1929. (FS Library book 973 C4sct.) Lists original hereditary and honorary members in the United States, with a separate list for members in France. Includes name, rank, whether or not an original member, and state society of the member.
Metcalf, Bryce. Original Members and Other Officers Eligible to the Society of the Cincinnati, 1783–1938. Strasburg, Virginia: Shenandoah Publishing House, Incorporated, 1938. ( FS Library book 973 C44mb.) A list of original members and the years they served in the society. It lists their descendants eligible for the society and includes rules of eligibility and admission and officers of state societies.

The society’s address is:

Society of the Cincinnati
2118 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008-2810
Telephone: 202-785-2040

Cincinnati Fourteen is the Society’s newsletter (FS Library book 975.3 C45.)

Daughters of the Cincinnati was established in 1894 by female descendants of Revolutionary War officers. The society’s address is:

Daughters of the Cincinnati
122 East 58th Street
New York, NY 10022
Telephone: 212-319-6915

The following sources are available at the FamilySearch Library:

Ancestor index file, A–Z. (FS Library film 0915852.) Index lists ancestor’s name, regiment and rank, with name of applicant.
Eligible ancestors index, A–Z. (FS Library film 0915853 item 1.)
Application packets, membership list and roster of ancestors. (FS Library film 0915853 item 2.)

Other Veterans' Groups

For details about records of American Loyalists (United Empire Loyalists), see Canada Military Records and Ontario Military Records. For records of German mercenary troops known as “Hessians,” many of whom settled in the United States, see Germany Military Records. For records of British forces who served in the American Revolution, see England Military Records, Ireland Military Records, and Scotland Military Records. For records of French forces who fought as United States allies, see France Military Records.