Colonial Dames

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?”

Is it possible to honor an Indigenous ancestor through lineage society membership?

The short answer: yes! Historically, racism has limited the number of Indigenous ancestors documented by lineage societies. That is beginning to change. The Daughters of the American Revolution has made a concerted effort to document new patriots of all backgrounds. The society now offers a “Patriots of Color” database that provides resources to identify serviceContinueContinue reading “Is it possible to honor an Indigenous ancestor through lineage society membership?”

Grandma belonged to the Colonial Dames?

Yes, the fact that Grandma belonged the Colonial Dames may allow you to be considered a legacy candidate when you do your own membership – provided you’re applying to the same Colonial Dames. This issue comes up far more frequently than one would expect. There are three societies who are sometimes referred to as theContinueContinue reading “Grandma belonged to the Colonial Dames?”

How do I find Revolutionary War service for an ancestor from Connecticut?

Updated 2023. Documenting a new ancestor can be one of the more challenging – but also most fascinating – parts of completing a lineage society application. Many societies prefer that you use an ancestor who is already on file for ease of review. However, most will allow you to add someone if you do notContinueContinue reading “How do I find Revolutionary War service for an ancestor from Connecticut?”

I want to join The Colonial Dames of America. How do I start?

The Colonial Dames of America (CDA), one of the three groups referred to as “Colonial Dames,” is based in New York but has chapters in locations as diverse as Melbourne, FL and Rome, Italy. To see if there’s a chapter near you, visit https://cda1890.org/cda-chapters/. Although all chapters support the mission of the organization, each chapterContinueContinue reading “I want to join The Colonial Dames of America. How do I start?”