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- Acceptable Service for a Patriot Ancestor
- The National Society reserves the right to determine the acceptability of
all service and proof thereof. The National Society accepts service, with
some exceptions, for the period between 19 April 1775 (Battle of Lexington)
and 26 November 1783 (withdrawal of British Troops from New York), as follows:
- Signers of the Declaration of Independence
- Military Service, such as participation in
- Army and Navy of the Continental Establishment
- State Navy
- State and Local Militia
- Coast Guard and Privateers
- Military or Naval Service performed by French nationals in the American theater of war
- Civil Service (holding office under authority of the Provisional or new State Governments) such as:
- State Officials
- County and Town Officials (Town Clerk, Selectman, Juror, Town Treasurer, Judge, Sheriff, Constable, Jailer, Surveyor of Highways, Justice of the Peace)
- Patriotic Service, which includes:
- Members of the Continental Congress, State Conventions and Assemblies
- Membership in committees made necessary by the War, including service on committees which furthered the cause of the Colonies from April 1774, such as Committees of Correspondence, Inspection and Safety, committees to care for soldier's families, etc.
- Signer of Oath of Fidelity and Support, Oath of Allegiance
- Members of the Boston Tea Party
- Defenders of Forts and Frontiers, and Signers of petitions addressed to and recognizing the authority of the Provisional and new State Governments
- Doctors and nurses and others rendering aid to the wounded (other than their immediate families)
- Ministers who gave patriotic sermons and encouraged patriotic activity
- Furnishing a substitute for military service
- Prisoners of war or refugees from occupying forces
- Prisoners on the British ship Old Jersey , or other prison ships
- Service in the Spanish Troops under Galvez or the Louisiana Militia after 24 December 1776
- Service performed by French nationals within the colonies or in Europe in support of the American cause
- Those who rendered material aid, such as furnishing supplies with or without remuneration, lending money to the Colonies, munitions makers, gunsmiths, etc.
- Documenting Your Lineage
- The following sources of documentation are suggested by the NSDAR Genealogy Office.
| BIRTH |
| Complete Birth Certificate |
Birth Record |
| Delayed Birth Certificate |
Baptismal Certificate/Record |
| Church Records |
Newspaper announcement |
| Census-State, Federal, School |
School Records |
| Social Security Application |
Hospital Certificate/Record |
| Passport Application |
Baby Book |
| Doctor and Midwife Records |
Work Permit Application |
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| MARRIAGE |
| Complete Marriage Record |
Marriage Certificate/Record |
| Marriage Bond |
Published Marriage Banns |
| Newspaper Announcement |
Divorce Record |
| Engraved Article (caution) |
Tombstone |
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| DEATH |
| Complete Death Record |
Delayed Death Certificate |
| Tombstone/Cemetery Record |
Church Notice |
| Commercial Cemetery Record |
Obituary |
| Mourning Cards |
Professional Organizations |
| Funeral Home Records |
Fraternal Organization Records |
| Coffin Sales & Burial Permits |
Insurance Policy |
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| CLASSIC SOURCES |
| Census-Federal & State |
Probate Records |
| Land Records |
Bible & Family Records |
| Military & Pension Records |
Church Registers & Records |
| Tax Records |
Encounters with the law |
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| CONTEMPORARY SOURCES |
| Employment Record-private industry |
Telegrams |
| Church Personnel |
Resumes (caution) |
| Mortgage or Loan Applications |
Passport & Visa Applications |
| Business/Trade License Applications |
Institutional (Orphanage, prison, police) |
| Letters from Town Clerks and Town Historians |
Cemetery Associations |
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| PROBLEM AREAS |
| Certificate of Failure to Locate Record |
Sworn Statements & Affidavits |
| Records in Foreign Language |
Unreadable Records |
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