Today's DAR
Rise and Shine and learn about the Patriot Records Project Committee! This committee is working to index every name in the Revolutionary War era records available to the DAR. These records span a period of more than 75 years. In addition to indexing the names, we sometimes also capture titles, positions, ranks, locations and other information. This information will be useful to anyone searching the resulting index to find service for a Patriot or the history of the American Revolution. Imagine searching the index and finding the proof you need for a prospective member, proof of a father-to-child relationship, or even a genealogist searching the index, finding a Patriot and deciding to join DAR!
Learn More About -- and Get Involved With -- the Patriot Records Project
Since the committee was formed in 2014, there have been 84 groups of records indexed. These records consist of more than one half million images. A few images have no names on them; however some have more than 500 names. Millions of names have been indexed and are ready to be searched. These names are from records of the original 13 colonies, as well as records covering some of the other states, such as Maine and Ohio. In addition, we have indexed some Mexican and French records. Volunteers are currently indexing names from Massachusetts Muster Payrolls & Various Papers, 1763-1808. Also currently being indexed are Mexican Arch Donativos Vol 21 (Spanish) and Les Combattants Francais de La Guerre Americaine (French) by those who can read these languages.
Registrars – Genealogists – Historians - Did you know you can search the resulting Patriot Records Project index on the Genealogical Research System (GRS)? Did you know the general public can also use the GRS to search the index? You are encouraged to let the public know that this resource is available to them. To search the Patriot Records Project Index, go to dar.org/grs and click on the Rev War tab. Then select the Patriot Records Project Index. If you enter a name such as Paul Revere and find a list of the records where his name appears, you simply click on the listings and see the actual image! If you are lucky enough to find the proof you need, as I recently did for the America 250! Membership Task Force, you can order a copy of that image. All copies must be ordered through the DAR Library's Search Service. Visitors to the DAR Library may make copies from the reports themselves.
Volunteers are welcome! Any member can volunteer with the committee. By volunteering, you not only help create this valuable index but also your time can be recorded as Service to America. Note that the time you spend indexing is totally up to you. There are no set time requirements. You can work any time day or night and on the days, weeks or months you choose. To volunteer to help index these Revolutionary War-era records, simply visit the Patriot Records Project Committee website or email [email protected]. The project is available through eMembership. If you do not currently have access to eMembership, the Patriot Records Project Committee will arrange the necessary access for you. You may submit questions to [email protected]. This address is monitored throughout the day, 365 days a year. The national chair and vice chairs look forward to welcoming you to the important work of this committee.
