Lineage Societies

How do I document a new Revolutionary War ancestor?

If you’re interested in joining a Revolutionary War lineage society, it’s recommended that you use an ancestor already on file. However, with the exception of the Society of the Cincinnati, the recommendation is not a requirement. Most Revolutionary War lineage societies allow you to add new ancestors – provided that the ancestor meets their requirements.ContinueContinue reading “How do I document a new Revolutionary War ancestor?”

Do I need to have documents translated for my lineage society application?

As you’re preparing a lineage society application, you may discover some of your ancestor’s records are written in a non-English language. Because of the settlement patterns of the United States in the 18th and 19th century, French, German, and Spanish commonly appear in records. That usually raises a question: do I need to have theseContinueContinue reading “Do I need to have documents translated for my lineage society application?”

Family Bibles: a valuable source for a lineage society application

Many families become extremely difficult to trace in the early 1800s. Migration routes were opening across the United States. New European settlements may have kept land records, but they often didn’t have the resources to keep civil registration or easily store church records. Many of the records we would typically use to document birth, death,ContinueContinue reading “Family Bibles: a valuable source for a lineage society application”

Can the same person be a qualifying ancestor for multiple societies?

Don’t worry, you’re not the first one to wonder! Your grandmother or sibling has joined one society, and you’d like to join another – using their paperwork. Is it possible? Maybe. First of all, review the qualifying ancestor guidelines for the society you’d like to join and the society your family member joined. Is thereContinueContinue reading “Can the same person be a qualifying ancestor for multiple societies?”

I have Canadian roots. Might I have Mayflower ancestors?

The simple answer: yes. If your family was from an area that was popular with the New England “planters” , Revolutionary War era Loyalists, or economic “Late Loyalists,” they may have roots in colonial Massachusetts. If you want to identify Mayflower line ancestors, focus on using established techniques for researching planters, loyalists, or late loyalists.ContinueContinue reading “I have Canadian roots. Might I have Mayflower ancestors?”