Does July 4th have you thinking about your Revolutionary War ancestry – and the family story that you were eligible for the DAR? Is it time to finally do something about it?
Here’s what you need to know to get started:
- If you’ve already researched your family tree, identify an ancestor who is likely to meet their qualifications. An ancestor who was aged between 18-45 during the War often had military service; an ancestor between 45-65 may have had civil or patriotic service. Check DAR’s GRS to see if an ancestor is already on file. As our blog post explains, you’ll need to use the information it provides with caution.
- To connect with DAR, visit https://www.dar.org/national-society/become-member/membership-interest-form and fill out the “Membership Interest Form.” The Society will generally connect you with the closest chapter to your mailing address. If the local chapter isn’t a good fit, you are welcome to join another chapter.
- Once you’ve connected, the registrar will help you check to see what information is already on file for your line and what you’ll need to provide. You may or may not be able to use a grandmother’s application.
- You’ll next gather the documents for the “first three.”
- You’ll then gather any documents needed for other generations. Keep in mind, vital records are preferred where they exist. Other sources can be submitted when they do not. Stuck? If you’d like to do the research yourself, DAR offers help programs. They are not set up to do the full applications for you. That’s where we come in!
- Once you’re sure that you have everything together, you’ll provide it to the registrar, who will prepare the application, ask you for the fee and a signature, and submit.