Why Was His Service Removed?

The simplest answer: we found new information. Another reason: we need more information. And that is why we need the applicant’s assistance in confirming acceptable service.

We know that it is frustrating, in fact, heartbreaking, when an applicant or member submits an Application or Supplemental only to learn that the Patriot’s service is now in question. Please know that we want to recognize service as often as possible – but that service must be verified to current standards in order to be approved. Standards such as these ensure that DAR Applications are accurate, trustworthy and unimpeachable.

When genealogists review an Application, we look at the Patriot’s information, as well as the submitted lineage. If at all possible, we want to accept a paper – but additional information is often needed in order to ensure that the cited service is above reproach.  

The most common reasons for reviewing and possibly removing an ancestor’s service are:

• The ancestor has not had any Applications for an extended period, ranging from a couple of years to nearly a century.  I have reviewed Applications where the previous Application through that ancestor was verified in the 1890s – a time when DAR did not require documentation to prove Patriot service.  When this happens, we need to make sure the ancestor’s information is properly sourced and that these records meet current DAR standards.  Adding to the confusion: another ancestor of the same name may have been established in the meantime, so we need to make sure there are two discrete people.
• There is missing information, such as a source of service or complete residence.  Sometimes looking for this information reveals other issues, such as inaccurate dates or locations, or errors in lineage.  Sometimes we can’t find a source of service at all, or we can’t find service matching the Patriot’s residence.  (Once we find an acceptable source of service, we typically don’t look for additional service to add to the Patriot.)
• He dies during the war. If a Patriot dies during the war, we add the date of his service to the service description to show he was alive at the time. Sometimes we find that an ancestor died before his service was completed. Some Patriots haven’t had an Application since this policy was put in place, so not every description has the required dates of service yet.
• The residence and service location don’t match. Sometimes this is obvious: a man lives in New York but is allegedly performing service in Maryland without any evidence that he moved.  Sometimes this is less obvious: a man has residence based on three children born in Woburn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in 1778, 1780 and 1782; his service is as a member of a committee in Ashby, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in 1779. At first glance, this seems correct – both the residence and the service are in Middlesex County. However, Woburn and Ashby are nearly 45 miles apart, a significant journey in the 1700s. One man probably isn’t moving between these towns. There are likely two men – one in each town. We need proof that the Patriot cited is, indeed, the man with acceptable service.
• There are multiple people of this name in the area, so we must connect and confirm the correct service.  Sometimes this service sorting reveals that a previously established Patriot unfortunately no longer has verifiable service; and sometimes we are unable to distinguish between multiple men of the same name with the resources available. I once had to sort six men named Thomas Gillespie in South Carolina. In the end, only four of the men had properly sourced service.
• The residence is a known center for Loyalist activity. The most well-known is Long Island, New York, but it’s not the only Loyalist location. Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Island signed Neutrality Agreements to support neither side. Some Quebec residents supported the colonists, but Canada remained a British territory. In these cases, we review the ancestor’s service to make sure it was in support of the American cause, and, critically, that it was his/her last known act.
• We don’t recognize the service source.  In this case, it must be found and confirmed as accurate to meet current DAR standards. Sometimes the Patriot doesn’t appear in the source, or what the source says doesn’t qualify as service.  Sometimes the source doesn’t meet current DAR standards, and we are unable to find an alternative. 

For more information on the complexities of documenting Patriot service, refer to the Genealogy Guidelines Part 3: Service, available on the members’ website, or this previous blog post.