I’ve finished all my paperwork. I’m about to turn in my Sons of the American Revolution Application. What else should I do?

It can seem like a huge relief. You’ve done the hard work of locating your documents, filling out the application, and signing the check. You’re done, right? Technically, yes.

But there are things you can do now that will save you time down the road. Applications do get misplaced, as much as we’d like to claim otherwise. You may decide you want to join a different society using the same line or submit a supplemental application that includes some of the same people. Make the right choices will cut your long term stress.

  1. Make copies of everything. Make a copy of your application form file. Make copies of all supporting documentation. (If you don’t want to keep paper, scan them.) This will save you from hunting down documents later if something disappears.
  2. Organize everything by generation. You are generation 1 in most societies; your parents are generation 2. If you store your paperwork by generation, it’s just a matter of recopying the file, rather than organizing everything again.
  3. Store it someplace you can find it again! This work will do you no good if you misplace your files. Be sure to store your work someplace that you can locate it again.

Need help organizing? Contact Charter Oak Genealogy.

Published by Bryna O'Sullivan

Proprietor of Charter Oak Genealogy, Bryna O'Sullivan specializes in assisting clients with lineage society applications and with French to English genealogical translations.

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