This scenario is more common than you might expect. An ancestor joined one society (often DAR). You’re joining another society, who doesn’t take the first society’s paperwork as “proof.” Is there any value to obtaining your ancestor’s application?
Maybe – and it depends on what you’re trying to “prove” or document on your lineage society application. When societies allow the use of another society’s paperwork as “proof,” they mean one thing: that they allow that paperwork to substitute for documentation of the line. However, that’s not the only role the application could play.
Early applications are often not supported by documentary evidence – which is why they’re typically not allowed to serve as a substitute – yet applicants were often asked specific information about their life and ancestry. An applicant would likely have primary knowledge of their marriage date, parentage, and more. The application can in essence become a personal statement of family history.
In short, your ancestor’s application might also provide supporting documentation for your application.