{"id":93603,"date":"2023-08-07T09:27:07","date_gmt":"2023-08-07T13:27:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=93603"},"modified":"2023-08-07T09:27:37","modified_gmt":"2023-08-07T13:27:37","slug":"genealogy-tips-researching-your-revolutionary-war-ancestors-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/genealogy-tips-researching-your-revolutionary-war-ancestors-part-2.html","title":{"rendered":"Genealogy Tips: Researching Your Revolutionary War Ancestors (part 2)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> In this article \u2013 the second in a two-part series \u2013 Katie Rebecca Garner gives tips for researching your Revolutionary War-era ancestors. Katie specializes in U.S. research for family history, enjoys writing and researching, and is developing curricula for teaching children genealogy.<\/em><\/p>\n

In the first article<\/a> of this two-part series, we learned about what records the Revolutionary War generated for our ancestors. Now we will explore where we can find these records.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: Revolutionary War reenactors marching.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Photo credit: https:\/\/depositphotos.com\/home.html<\/a><\/p>\n

How to Find Revolutionary War Records<\/strong><\/p>\n

As mentioned previously, we want to start with what we know. What you know about your Revolutionary War ancestors may come from family sources, including family stories, artifacts, or papers. All of these are clues more than evidence. A family story could have been embellished \u2013 those embellishing the story may have wanted their ancestor to sound more heroic or less cowardly. Papers could be documentation about service or a story a grandchild wrote 100 years after the event. Artifacts could include the ancestor\u2019s weapon that he took into the war with him.<\/p>\n

Once you have gathered what you know, the next step is to see what others have researched. FamilySearch Family Tree<\/a> is an excellent place to start this. With a free account, you can enter your ancestor\u2019s information to find a profile. On the Sources page of the profile, you can examine the records other descendants have attached.<\/p>\n

Looking up your ancestors on the websites for the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)<\/a> and the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR)<\/a> can also point you to research already done. For another descendant to join one of these societies, they had to prove the relationships of every generation between themselves and the ancestor and prove the ancestor\u2019s service. It is important to note that an ancestor\u2019s absence from either of these databases doesn\u2019t necessarily mean they didn\u2019t serve. It may mean that none of the descendants of that veteran have attempted to join the DAR or SAR.<\/p>\n

Both websites for the DAR and SAR have ancestor databases that you can use to research veterans whose descendants are members. You can purchase applications to see the research these other descendants have done. Some of these applications include copies of the documentation.<\/p>\n

When you are ready to expand into your own research, you will want to look up pension and bounty records, then service records. You can gain additional information by looking up unit histories and learning the historical context around the Revolutionary War.<\/p>\n

Pension and bounty records will indicate your ancestor\u2019s unit, which will be helpful in searching for service records and unit histories. If your ancestor did not have a pension, see if his neighbors did. Because units were organized at the county and town levels, men in the same unit tended to be neighbors. After identifying the neighbor\u2019s unit, see if your ancestor was in that unit.<\/p>\n

Another way to identify the unit is to look for newspaper clippings of Revolutionary War events published in your ancestor\u2019s town. News of the war would have been published during the war, and veterans\u2019 reunions would have been posted long after. If a veteran lived a long time, something might have been published about him as his birthday approached. Pay attention to the military units mentioned, then check those units for your ancestor. You can use GenealogyBank\u2019s Historical Newspaper Archives<\/a> for these searches.<\/p>\n

Pension and bounty land records can be found on FamilySearch or the National Archives (NARA). Pension indexes include the veteran\u2019s unit and application number, which can be used to request the full pension packet from NARA.<\/p>\n

If your ancestor applied for bounty land, you may be able to find recourses in the FamilySearch Wiki land page<\/a> for the appropriate state. Additional FamilySearch resources for Revolutionary War research can be found in the wiki<\/a> and in the card catalog<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: Revolutionary War reenactors firing cannon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Photo credit: https:\/\/depositphotos.com\/home.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Learn More about the Revolutionary War<\/strong><\/p>\n

When researching your Revolutionary War ancestors, it is helpful to have an understanding of the historical context. There are many resources available to learn about the Revolutionary War-era in America. Here is a list of a few books:<\/p>\n