Are Your Ancestors Patriots?

10 November 2019

History Branch & Archives
833 N. Ocoee
Cleveland, TN 37311

Link to other presentations HERE

Updated 03/23/2020

Look for the symbol:

Slide 01

 

This presentation is the eighth in a series of presentations that I have been asked to give for the Cleveland Bradley County Public Library History Branch & Archives. I’d like to thank Margot Still who runs the library for allowing me to do these.

One of my Patriot ancestors is my 5th great grandfather George Ilgenfritz born 1728 in Wornitz, Bavaria, Germany and died in 1810 in York, Pennsylvania. I believe I have at least 13 other Patriot ancestors of which I am working on their documentation.

 

Slide 02

 

So what is this presentation all about? The focus this month is to explore the possibility that you might have an ancestor that participated in the American Revolution and is considered a Patriot.

My professional background is 27+ years of computer training, course development, consulting, and I have a few published computer technology related books that I have worked on. I have taught over 350 different classes in my career. I primarily now teach companies on how to build a private and pubic clouds and use virtualization to extend their data center capabilities.

I have 45+ years of genealogy experience with the past 33 years using computer software to aid in my research. I have been on Ancestry.com since 2007.

 

Slide 03

 

The definition of what an American Patriot is – is listed in the slide above. One of the key requirements is the time period of 19 April 1775 – 26 November 1783. They must have participated in some fashion during that time frame.

 

Slide 04

 

The types of participation are listed here in this and the following slides.

 

If your Patriot ancestor was a Signer of the Declaration of Independence then there will be plenty of historical and biographical information on them.

This page has a list of those men and short biographies on them – http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/index.html

The Fold3 website has an extensive collection of war records from all American conflicts at: https://www.fold3.com/

Slide 05

 

This slide lists other ways that your ancestor could have participated to qualify as a Patriot.

 

Slide 06

 

This slide also lists other ways that your ancestor could have participated to qualify as a Patriot.

 

Slide 07

 

This slide also lists other ways that your ancestor could have participated to qualify as a Patriot.

 

Slide 08

 

This slide also lists other ways that your ancestor could have participated to qualify as a Patriot.

 

Slide 09

 

In order to determine your relationship to a Patriot you need to prove the ancestor meets the definition of “Patriot” which also means they must of been born BEFORE the Revolutionary dates and were alive and in the colonies at the time. You also have to provide proof of direct lineage to that Patriot.

 

 

Slide 10

 

To get started you should record everything about your recent ancestors as listed in the above slide. This information will be the basis for obtaining the required copies of documents need to prove your lineage to your Patriot.

 

 

Slide 11

 

All of the types of documentation listed in the slide are useful in connecting ancestors to their children. Be sure to get a hard copy and then scan it so you also have an electronic copy as well.

 

Newspapers.com is a great resource for newspaper articles, wedding and death announcements, divorce notices etc.

That website is at – https://www.newspapers.com/

 

Slide 12

 

Family histories can be helpful in making connections to your ancestors but if they don’t provide documentation references then you will need to supply them.

A great starting place is Start Your Genealogy Research – https://www.archives.gov/research/genealogy/start-research

Another good place to start is Genealogy and Family History – https://www.usa.gov/genealogy

The Social Security Death Index (SSDI) is a database of people whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA) beginning about 1962. A small number of deaths are listed before 1962. If your recent ancestors have died since 1962, use that as a starting point to verify death dates. Death Certificates are the hard documentation required when available.

For more info on the SDDI – https://www.deathindexes.com/ssdi.html

I did a presentation on Historical Library resources at – https://ilgenfritz.com/home/cleveland-historical-society-presentations/getting-results-from-local-sources/ ‎

Also Patriot Linage Societies can be helpful providing needed information in your search for your Patriot ancestor.
If your Patriot ancestor is from Pennsylvania then check out the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania – https://genpa.org/

Slide 13

 

Ancestry.com has a huge collection of Revolutionary records.

Ancestry has amassed a collection of almost 2 million names and more than 20,000 images from the Revolutionary War in 33 databases of military records — from state militia records to war service records to officer listings. Some soldiers will have multiple records in the collection, depending upon their rank and other factors. Representing all 13 original colonies, and some U.S. states and territories created after the war, these records span the years of the war 1775–1783, with some extending as late as the 1850’s.

They can be searched at – https://www.ancestry.com/cs/revolutionarywarrecords

U.S. Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775–1783
A collection of more than 425,000 records documenting men who fought for the colonies in the American Revolutionary War.

Abstracts of Graves of Revolutionary War Patriots
Revolutionary War graves found between 1900 and 1987, which include the name of the patriot and the cemetery in which the headstone is found.

Archive.org has the Revolutionary Records Microfilm available for viewing online and you can even download them as pdf documents.

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – CONNECTICUT

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – DELAWARE

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – MASSACHUSETTS

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – MARYLAND

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – NORTH CAROLINA

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – NEW HAMPSHIRE

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – NEWJERSEY

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – NEW YORK

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – PENNSYLVANIA

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – RHODE ISLAND

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – SOUTH CAROLINA

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – VERMONT

 

Slide 14

 

Ancestry.com has a huge collection of Revolutionary records.

Ancestry has amassed a collection of almost 2 million names and more than 20,000 images from the Revolutionary War in 33 databases of military records — from state militia records to war service records to officer listings. Some soldiers will have multiple records in the collection, depending upon their rank and other factors. Representing all 13 original colonies, and some U.S. states and territories created after the war, these records span the years of the war 1775–1783, with some extending as late as the 1850’s.

They can be searched at – https://www.ancestry.com/cs/revolutionarywarrecords

U.S. Compiled Revolutionary War Military Service Records, 1775–1783
Records of regular soldiers, militia volunteers, Navy personnel and members of auxiliary.

Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800–1900
A detail-rich collection of more than 80,000 files from applications by officers and enlisted men who served in the Revolutionary War.

 

Slide 15

 

 

Ancestry.com has a huge collection of Revolutionary records.

Ancestry has amassed a collection of almost 2 million names and more than 20,000 images from the Revolutionary War in 33 databases of military records — from state militia records to war service records to officer listings. Some soldiers will have multiple records in the collection, depending upon their rank and other factors. Representing all 13 original colonies, and some U.S. states and territories created after the war, these records span the years of the war 1775–1783, with some extending as late as the 1850’s.

They can be searched at – https://www.ancestry.com/cs/revolutionarywarrecords

Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolutionary War
Compilation of more than 850,000 records of Massachusetts soldiers and sailors serving in the Army or Navy during the Revolutionary War.

Daughters of the American Revolution Lineage Books
A collection of 152 volumes containing nearly 2.4 million names.

 

Slide 16

 

Ancestry.com has a huge collection of Revolutionary records.

Ancestry has amassed a collection of almost 2 million names and more than 20,000 images from the Revolutionary War in 33 databases of military records — from state militia records to war service records to officer listings. Some soldiers will have multiple records in the collection, depending upon their rank and other factors. Representing all 13 original colonies, and some U.S. states and territories created after the war, these records span the years of the war 1775–1783, with some extending as late as the 1850’s.

They can be searched at – https://www.ancestry.com/cs/revolutionarywarrecords

U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889–1970
This database contains applications for membership in the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution approved between 1889 and 31 December 1970. These records can be an excellent source for names, dates, locations, and family relationships.

Archive.org has the Revolutionary War Records available for viewing and you can download free pdf copies!

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – CONNECTICUT

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – DELAWARE

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – MASSACHUSETTS

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – MARYLAND

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – NORTH CAROLINA

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – NEW HAMPSHIRE

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – NEWJERSEY

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – NEW YORK

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – PENNSYLVANIA

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – RHODE ISLAND

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – SOUTH CAROLINA

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS – VERMONT

 

 

Slide 17

 

The slide lists additional online research aides.

 

 

Slide 18

 

The following 37 Patriot Societies are listed here:

A

B

C

D

E

G

H

L

M

N

O

R

S

U

V

 

 

Slide 19

 

 

 

Slide 20

 

 

Lynn Freeman who currently is the Registrar of the Col. Benjamin Cleveland Chapter, SAR, seated in Cleveland, TN. He helps new applicants process their applications and helps find the required documentation if you are missing anything. Lynn also was a former President of the chapter.

There are a number of steps for becoming a member of the SAR:

  • Determine Eligibility:
    Ensure that you satisfy the qualifications for membership and that your ancestor provided acceptable service.

    Note: The SAR does not restrict membership based on race, color, religion, national origin, or nation of citizenship or residency.  Marriage (and its documentation) for the several generations going back to the Patriot Ancestor is desired, but is not a requirement.  Legitimacy in any generation is not a requirement.   Descendants of plural marriages are not excluded from SAR membership.   Bloodline descent — legitimate or illegitimate — from a Patriot Ancestor is what is required and is what must be documented.  You must also have two members recommend you for membership.

  • Find a Helper:
    Contact the New Member Helper in your state’s society and request assistance in getting started in defining your lineage from a patriot ancestor and gathering the necessary documentation for an application. He can also help you get in touch with your local chapter (If you are in Cleveland, TN you can contact this chapter via our contact page).
  • Collect and Organize Documentation:
    This step involves tracing your lineage back to your patriot ancestor. Your helper should be familiar with form #0912 and able to assist you in completing this step.

    • Your Helper may also provide a copy of an SAR Application Worksheet, you may use this to collect information before you prepare the actual application.
    • If you have a relative in the SAR, DAR, C.A.R., SR, or a similar patriot descendancy organization, you may be able to save yourself a great deal of effort by submitting their established lineage and documentation for the part of your lineage where your ancestors are the same.
    • If you know that an ancestor was cited in an SAR application or know the name and SAR number of a relative, your Helper may obtain a “record” copy of that application (marked up by the staff genealogist) for a modest fee.
    • You can request an Ancestor Search or a Member search from the NSSAR Headquarters using the NSSAR Request Form.
    • If NSSAR has applications on file, you will receive the newest application filed on your ancestor.  In the event that you ask for an application through a particular child of the Patriot, you will receive that application if available.
    • There is a similar procedure for requesting DAR application copies.  Please visit their website for instructions.
    • Please check out our Genealogy Resources and SAR Resources for other helpful information which may help you document your lineage.
  • Complete Formal Application:
    You or your Helper must fill out the formal application using the data you have gathered on the SAR Application Worksheet.
  • Submit Completed Application with Payment for Fees:
    Submit your completed application along with your payment for fees and all documentation to your sponsoring Chapter for approval (you Helper may assist with this). The Chapter will send the application and attachments to the State Society, who will send it to the National Headquarters for review.The approval process normally takes 8-10 weeks. You will be notified by your sponsoring Chapter if additional documentation is needed.

Helpful Links:

The National SAR website is located at: https://www.sar.org

The Cleveland SAR website is located at: http://colbenjaminclevelandchapter.org/chapter-history/

Slide 21

 

All the other presentations I have done are available here – https://ilgenfritz.com/cleveland-historical-society-presentations/

 

Slide 22

 

All the other presentations I have done are available here – https://ilgenfritz.com/cleveland-historical-society-presentations/

 

Slide 23

 

If you are interested in any topics I haven’t covered, let me know and maybe I will use your suggestion for a future presentation.

 

Slide 25

End of Presentation