Eligibility:
Any man is eligible for membership in this Society who meets the following requirements:
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Is a citizen of good repute in the community.
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Is the lineal descendant of an ancestor who was at all times unfailing in loyalty to, and rendered service in, the cause of American independence, either as:
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An officer, soldier, seaman, militiaman or minuteman in the armed forces of the Continental Congress, or of any one of the several Colonies or States, or
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A signer of the Declaration of Independence, or
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A member of a Committee of Safety or Correspondence, or
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A member of any Continental, Provincial or Colonial Congress or Legislature or signer of Oath of Fidelity, or
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A recognized patriot who performed actual service by overt acts of resistance to the authority of Great Britian.
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Does not advocate the overthrow of the Government of the United States by use of force or violence.
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Is personally acceptable to the Society.
Collect and Organize Your Documentation:
When you have identified an ancestor who provides eligible service (i.e. fits one or more of the criteria listed above), you will need proper documentation to prove your lineage. This documentation will include certified birth, marriage and death certificates, wills, federal census and other records. Printed genealogies may be accepted as proof only if the genealogy is adequately documented; however it is best to rely on primary documents. You will also need adequate documentation to prove that your ancestor provided eligible service. The SAR has provided a worksheet for prospective members to organize this information, you can download it here (it is in a PDF file format, so make sure you have Adobe Reader installed OR a compatible browser).
How Can I Get Started?
Christopher Smithson
C. Louis Raborg, Jr., MDSSAR State Secretary
Resources:
We have compiled many genealogical resources for you to use in your own research, including Patriot Indexes, Tax Lists, and links to external resources that our members have found particularly useful. Click on one of the links below to get started.