Sources of Service

4 Common Issues that can Mess Up your Revolutionary War Genealogy Research

With the 250th arrived, many are digging into their ancestors’ activities during the American Revolution. This topic has been a popular one for research since the late 19th century, so there’s a lot of material available to help. How do you know what you’re reading is right? These four common issues can throw off yourContinueContinue reading “4 Common Issues that can Mess Up your Revolutionary War Genealogy Research”

Proof Argument and the Lineage Society: It’s (really, really, really) complicated.

Most lineage society applications rely heavily on the use of direct evidence, the statements of birth, death, and marriage date and place and family relationships in original documents. Sometimes, however, those statements don’t exist. If indirect evidence, evidence that provides relevant information about the question but does not actually answer it, can be used toContinueContinue reading “Proof Argument and the Lineage Society: It’s (really, really, really) complicated.”

Lineage Society Applications FAQs: Can I use my Daughters of the American Revolution paperwork to join the Colonial Dames?

This is one of the more frequent questions I see as a genealogist specializing in lineage society applications. And the answer? Maybe. Remember that there are three societies that use the nickname “Colonial Dames.” (To learn more, visit our blog post on the topic.) Ancestors qualifying for the DAR would be too young to beContinueContinue reading “Lineage Society Applications FAQs: Can I use my Daughters of the American Revolution paperwork to join the Colonial Dames?”

Ancestral service: right name, wrong place?

If your family has used the same ancestor to join a lineage society for several generations, it can be shock to find out the ancestor is no longer being accepted by that society. There’s one reason driving most of the rejections: the service is no longer being considered valid. In other words, the things theContinueContinue reading “Ancestral service: right name, wrong place?”

Can this source be used for a lineage society application?

As a professional genealogist who helps with lineage society applications, I often spend time sorting through an applicant’s prior research to determine what sources can or cannot be submitted. Here is some guidance to get you started on that process for your own work: Birth, death, and marriage certificates: Yes! Societies tend to prefer theseContinueContinue reading “Can this source be used for a lineage society application?”