Patriot Research 101

Do not rush to conclusions. Lay the groundwork.

Be prompt in providing available documentation.

Begin with yourself. Photocopy or scan the originals of birth certificates and marriage record for you and your husband, label them “1st generation” and set them aside in a file folder or envelope. It is important that you have the birth records that show the parents’ names. Some do not, and they are not acceptable proof of lineage.

Gather the same documents for your mother and father, using the same instructions as above, except label them “2nd generation” and put them in the same folder or envelope. If applicable, you must submit the death certificate.

If you have already identified your patriot ancestor, gather the same documents for either your paternal OR maternal grandparents. It will be one or the other, not both sets of grandparents for whom you will need birth, death, and marriage records. If you have not already identified your patriot ancestor, skip to the last item below for direction. (You may still wish to read the other items for enlightenment.)

Beginning with your great grandparents, you are allowed to use census records as part of the evidence of your lineage. However, if vital records are available for them, their birth, death, and marriage records are the best evidence available. With census records you will need additional supporting evidence such as Bible records, wills, deeds, tombstone inscriptions, etc., for each birth, death, and marriage.

If you already know your lineage to a patriot or have an aunt, cousin, or other relative who is or was a member of DAR, your next step would be to complete a worksheet using the first three generations as basis and providing the name and/or patriot. There is a good chance we could then link you to a line already established, in which case you would not need to provide some of the documentation to the patriot.

If you do not know which set of grandparents might lead to the patriot ancestor, you will need to complete a pedigree chart to assist in finding which line to document. The pedigree chart should be filled out as completely as possible from what you know or what your family has told you. At this stage of the research, each husband or wife could be the one who leads to your patriot.

This is how you help us to help you! The ease of verification

depends directly upon accuracy from the beginning.

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Website maintained by Webmaster,Judge David Campbell Chapter.

Last Modified 6-17-2017.