Colonial Wars, 1607 to 1763

United States

U.S. Military

Colonial Wars, 1607 to 1763

List of Colonial Wars

The following are the wars that occurred before 1775 in what is now the United States. (May not be complete)

Date	Name of the War
1607-1615	Tarrantine War
1637	Pequot War
1675-1676	King Philip's War
1689-1697	King William's War
1702-1713	Queen Anne's War
1721-1725	Drummer's War
1739–1748	War of Jenkins' Ear
1744-1748	King George's War
1755-1763	French and Indian War
1774	Lord Dunmore's War

States Involved in Colonial Wars

Connecticut Delaware Florida (part of Spain) Georgia Louisiana (part of France) Maine (Mass. and France disputed)

Maryland Massachusetts New Hampshire New Jersey New York North Carolina

Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina Vermont (NH and NY disputed) Virginia

Canadian Provinces Involved in Colonial Wars

• Map of Provinces around 1750

• New Brunswick (French)
• Newfoundland (British and French)
• Nova Scotia (British and French)
• Ontario (British and French)
• Quebec (British and French)

Where to Find Records

Many colonists served in local militias and participated in King William’s War (1689–97), Queen Anne's War (1702-1713), King George’s War (1744–48), and the French and Indian War (1754–63). Because these were local units and not part of the British Army, any surviving records are in historical societies and state libraries and archives.

The FamilySearch Library has copies of many of the records that have been published. These are found in Place Search in the FamilySearch Catalog under:

[STATE] ‑ MILITARY RECORDS

[STATE], [COUNTY] ‑ MILITARY RECORDS

[STATE], [COUNTY], [CITY] ‑ MILITARY RECORDS

Lineage Society Records

General Society of Colonial Wars

This society was established in New York in 1892. Membership in the society requires that the member be a male at least 18 years of age and be able to show direct lineage to an ancestor who served in the Colonial Wars. Society's Website.

Index of Ancestors and Roll of Members

The "Index of Ancestors and Roll of Members of the Society of Colonial Wars" (Google Books) (FS Library 1036804 item 4) (Worldcat) was published in 1922. The book is divided into three parts. Part I contains an alphabetical list of Colonial Wars ancestors with birth and death dates, war in which they served, rank, and a list of members who descended from that person as of about 1921. Part II contains a list of members with their General Society Number, reference to the page where they are listed as a descendant, and state membership. Part III contains an "Honor Roll", or list, of members that served during World War I. The "Honor Roll" has its own index.

• Part I - Index of Ancestors (Google Books)
• Part II - Roll of Members (Google Books)
• Part III - WWI Honor Roll (Google Books)

Additional Sources

• General Register of the Society of Colonial Wars
• ist of officers and members, including pedigrees and a record of the services performed by ancestors in the wars of the colonies - Wisconsin -1906

Records at the FamilySearch Library

The FamilySearch Library has the following records of this society:

• Register of Members (1893-1967): FS Library 528676
• Lineage Papers (1607-1967): various film numbers
• Supplemental Records (1607-1967): FS Library 528429-675
• Member Index: FS Library 528677-89
• Ancestor Index: FS Library 528690-92, 533971-74

Society of The Colonial Dames

The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America (NSCDA) was founded in 1891. Membership in the society requires direct descent from an ancestor who resided in an American colony prior to 1750 which ancestor or some one of his descendants being a lineal ascendant of the applicant shall have rendered efficient service to his country during the Colonial period up to July 5, 1776. The society consists of 44 state societies and the District of Columbia.

Index of Ancestors

The society's website has a ancestor index which gives the name of the ancestor and links to materials written on that person. The index may not be complete.

Member Registries

The state societies often published lists of their members which usually contain the members names and a lineage showing their connection to a colonial ancestor. A list of ancestors and a description of their service is also usually included. See the state military pages for publications related to the Colonial Wars.

Books

• "Colonial Wars of North America 1512–1763: An Encyclopedia" Gallay, Alan, ed. 1996. (FS Library 973 M2cw) (Worldcat) Contains short essays with references on people, events and topics from the Spanish conquistadors to Pontiac Wars of 1763.

• Lydon, James G. Struggle For Empire: A Bibliography of the French and Indian War

• Howard M. Peckham. The Colonial Wars, 1689-1762. Chicago, Illinois : University of Chicago Press, c1964. FS Library 973 M2pe