"Connecticut Men in the Revolution" is the shorthand used by many lineage society researchers for a publication authorized by the State of Connecticut in 1889 entitled The Record of Connecticut Men in the Military and Naval Service during the War of the Revolution. A derivative source, it draws from a number of original sources, including:… Continue reading What’s “Connecticut Men in the Revolution”?
Category: Sources of Service
What sources are available to document service for a female patriot from Connecticut?
For a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, documenting a female patriot can offer a special satisfaction. Not only are you putting a new ancestor on file, but you are documenting one whose history is little covered. What sources can help you complete her line? Due to coverture, it can be extremely difficult… Continue reading What sources are available to document service for a female patriot from Connecticut?
Did Connecticut pay the 1780 beef tax?
The simple answer: yes. "And be it further enacted That a tax of two shillings and six pence on the pound be and the same is hereby laid upon the polls and rateable estate of the inhabitants of this State upon the list aforesaid to be paid by the first day of December next in… Continue reading Did Connecticut pay the 1780 beef tax?
What was the 1780 beef tax?
In order to furnish the Continental Army with supplies, the 1780 Massachusetts legislature passed a tax specifically designed to provide beef. This tax was allowed to be paid in either money or in cattle. Because this was a payment of tax specifically in support of the Revolutionary cause, it can be considered qualifying service for… Continue reading What was the 1780 beef tax?
Did my Connecticut ancestor swear allegiance to the Revolutionary cause?
Many Connecticut towns and organizations required a public statement of support for the cause. The statements, issued in the form of an oath, were considered binding. Even better for the Revolutionary cause, they had public relations value. After you'd just sworn in front of the entire town to support the cause, public pressure was likely… Continue reading Did my Connecticut ancestor swear allegiance to the Revolutionary cause?
I’m researching a patriot of color in Connecticut. Should I check militia records?
The simple answer: yes. It seems to have been more common for patriots of color to serve on the Continental Line. Due to longer enlistments, the financial benefit of joining the Continental Line was greater. A Continental soldier could have an enlistment bounty in addition to his regular pay. Enslaved soldiers may have been promised… Continue reading I’m researching a patriot of color in Connecticut. Should I check militia records?
A Revolutionary War spy in Connecticut?
If your family has a story of an ancestor serving as a spy in Revolutionary War Connecticut, there is a source that can help you learn more. Mark Allen Baker's Spies of Revolutionary Connecticut: From Benedict Arnold to Nathan Hale was published by the History Press in 2014. The text starts by outlining the basics… Continue reading A Revolutionary War spy in Connecticut?