Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Completing the DAR Worksheet and DAR Application

Q: I have made contact with a local chapter and have been told the chapter registrar cannot help me in locating the necessary documentation/proof to prove the lineage back to my Revolutionary ancestor.
A: The State Registrar, Membership Chairman, Lineage Research Chairman, and volunteer genealogists will try to assist you.

Q: Do I need certified copies of the necessary proof that is submitted?
A: No.

Q: Do I need proof for both mother and father when I am going in on the father's line?
A: Yes, we want you to have complete and thorough proof/documentation for each generation. This helps your generations flow smoothly. You also will have a very rewarding challenge.

Q: Why do I need to check the DAR Patriot Index Lookup Service which is online if I found the ancestor in the Patriot Index Book at the library?
A: Each day more documentation/proof is provided as new applications are approved. Corrections are sometimes made on the ancestor, his wife, or the children. The applicant may have a problem with his residence or correct military service.

Q: Why would I want to order a record copy of an approved DAR application?
A: You can order a record copy ($10.00 fee) of your mother's, grandmother's, or relative's papers, or if you do not have someone that was a member in the DAR, you should request the latest approved application of your ancestor (Revolutionary War) showing full name, dates of birth and death, place of birth and death, and wives' names. Give the name of the child with which you connect. Also, give the name of the first or second wife.

Q: What if they do not have an approved application for my descendant of the Revolutionary War ancestor?
A: That often happens. Your Revolutionary War Veteran may have 5-10 children, and no one has made application to the DAR connecting to your descendant of the Revolutionary War ancestor. Even though this application does not connect to your descendant, the latest application still can be used as a wonderful guideline of information. This application will show what exact information was used for the military service, dates for your Revolutionary War Veteran, and places of residences. Also, you may find references to where this documentary proof can be located which may list your descendant.

Q: How does this application tell me if there is a problem with the Revolutionary War ancestor's military service, residence, wife, or connection to the child?
A: When you receive the Record Copy of the DAR application from National:
1. You should receive a cover letter if there is a problem.
2. You should see in the top of the front page of the application in red, a notation saying there is a problem. The Chapter Registrar should then find further details on what needs to be done to solve the problem.. Many times it can be something easily solved.

Q: Why would the applicant have a problem with the residence or military service?
A: Many of the older approved applications did not require as much documentation/proof as we require now. As new applications are coming in with more detailed documentation and proof, we have found errors and we want those errors to be corrected.

Q: What kind of errors can be made with military service and residence?
A: Example, you may have three (3) George Rodgers living in the same state, county, and even township for that approximate time period. You could have father, son, and grandfather with the same names, or father, son, uncle, and maybe a cousin with the same name. The ages could also be very close. This becomes confusing in research.
1. When you are checking books on military service and residence, they may not give you enough detailed information about the family to make sure you have the correct connection.
2. When you find more than one name, it is best to do a time line on each name to follow his residence and family history.
3. Always check more than one source for information on your ancestor's military service.

Q: When copying information from a book, what all do I need to copy?
A: The following items are recommended:
1. Copy the title page.
2. Copy the beginning of the chapter, also the complete paragraph. Do not copy just the sentence pertaining to your ancestor or the generation.

Q: Why do I need to copy more than the sentence that mentioned my ancestor or the generation?
A: Example: A copy was submitted with only the page that had George Rodgers' name. At the top of the page it read, Oath of Allegiance for-----state. When the book was pulled and the beginning of the chapter and the page before was read, there was a big surprise. The applicant thought her ancestor had signed the Oath of Allegiance, which would have been great. Unfortunately, the page before said this was a list of both men that signed the Oath of Allegiance and also the men that would NOT sign and were fined for not signing. The following pages showed her ancestor was fined for not signing. Easy mistakes like this can be made.

Q: What should I do when the ancestor was married more than once? Is this a problem?
A: You must remember many of our ancestors did not live as long as we do today. Also, many women died in childbirth. Do not be surprised if your ancestor married his sister-in-law after his wife died and they also married first cousins. This was a common practice during that time period.
1. Be careful of dates and names of wives and children.
2. Each wife could repeat the children's names.
3. Be careful to prove which child belonged to the correct wife.

Q: Do I want to use the census records?
A: Yes, the census can help with linking your generations. Many times you may find one, two, or even three generations living in the same house or next door to one another. The census is great for following your ancestors' residences and movement throughout the country.

Q: What should I do when the counties names have changed?
A: This is a common occurrence during the growth of our country. Area genealogical societies, libraries, and even the Internet can be valuable in determining when counties were formed and when they changed. When working with resource materials relating to changing counties:
1. Copy the page showing the dates the counties changed their names.
2. Copy the necessary information for each county that you will be working in regarding vital records, military records, court records, and anything that is available to make this research more detailed and useful as proof.
3. Copy the names and addresses of the county court house, public library, genealogical society, and historical society. You never know what information can be found at each.
4. Copy a map that shows all the counties. Remember our ancestors moved more than we ever thought possible. The ancestor may never have moved and the name changed. Always check surrounding counties.
5. Copy what is available at the state archives. They could have changed their name or the boundaries for the counties may have changed.

Q: Do I need to have all the proofs on acid free paper?
A: No. We request you copy all the proof onto the same size standard paper, if possible.
1. Example: 8 1/2" x 11".
2. If you have an obituary notice, copy the obituary to standard size paper. Please do not send a 3"x 4" obituary. Those are so easy to lose. Yes, you can also enlarge the obituary for easier reading.
3. On the copy of the obituary, type or print the name, date, of article, state, and town of the newspaper.
4. Do NOT use colored paper. Even though it may be a great attention-getter, it does not copy well. Many proofs are microfilmed, and colored paper does not film well.

Q: Can I use a picture of the tombstone?
A: Yes, this is secondary proof. This helps make the generation's proof flow smoothly.
1. It is suggested that you don't send the actual picture, as it would not be returned to you. It is just as well that you send a copy of the actual photograph and secure it to a full-size piece of paper.
2. Copy the picture onto standard size paper.
3. Yes, it's a great idea to enlarge, if possible, and it makes it much easier to read.
4. On the copy of the picture, print or type the name of the cemetery, city, county, and state where the cemetery is located.
5. If the picture of the tombstone is not very clear and hard for you to read, another person will also have a hard time reading the information. Type or print the names and dates that appear on the tombstone.

Q: Do I use highlighter to show the information that is pertinent to the generation?
A: No, never use highlighter or sticky notes on the proof. Only use a red pen and draw a line under the pertinent information.
1. Underline full name.
2. Underline complete date.
3. Underline city, county, and state.
4. Underline parents' names when given, for example, on birth and deaths records.
5. Underline wife and children's names on a will.

Q: Is there a certain type of pen that I should use in signing the DAR application?
A: Yes, always use a black pen when signing the DAR application. The Chapter Regent, Registrar, and/or other endorsers must also sign with a black pen.

Q: Do I need to show only the state for places of birth, death, and marriage on the worksheet?
A: No, you need to show city, county, and state.

Q: How do I show dates?
A: 2 October 2000

Q: My parents were divorced and my mother, whose line I am going in on, has remarried. Do I need information for the second marriage and the divorce?
A: Any time we have a name change or divorce we need to show proof.
a. For a divorce we only need a cover page from the divorce showing names and official date of the divorce. No other private information is needed.
b. If remarried, we need husband's birth certificate and marriage license/application.
c. The second marriage license/application may show a divorce and any children from the first marriage. Remember, we want all generations to flow very smoothly and not leave a place to question the names or dates.

Q: My father died and my mother remarried. Do I also need to have the second husband's birth certificate and marriage license/application?
A: Yes, again any time we have a name change, divorce, remarriage, we need to document and show the proof.

Q: I was told my great grandmother was in the DR. Is this different than the DAR?
A: Yes,
1. Daughters of the Revolution (DR)
2. Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)

Q: I have a copy of my family history. What more do I need?
A: Please remember not all family history information has been proven and referenced.
1. Many family histories have been written using information that a member of the family and other sources have sent the writer.
2. Usually the writer does not go and prove all the information. They do not collect birth, death, marriage, cemetery, wills, and obituaries to verify the information that people have sent to them.
3. Yes, some writers are genealogists and want only proven information in the family history book and will give reference to all proof that people have sent them. Example: Birth record found at Akron, Summit Co., vital records, Morely Heath Center. Marriage record found Akron, Summit Co. Court House.

Q: I have found mistakes on some vital records. What should I do?
A: Do not make any corrections/changes on the birth record.
1. Prepare a cover letter explaining the error.
2. We have seen situations where the birth certificate has one date of birth and the death certificate shows a different date of birth. If so, write the cover letter and look for other documentation to show the exact date.
3. Yes, the tombstone and obituary may also have the incorrect dates.
4. During the traumatic time period of death, the people giving information may be too distressed to remember some of the exact dates.
5. Many death certificates are blank because when they were asked the maiden name of the mother, they could not remember. Many times it may be a child or other family member that really does not know the maiden name of the mother.

Q: I have an old Bible with some information about births, deaths and marriages. Is that proof?
A: Yes, this is secondary proof. We love those old Bibles that families have preserved. Copy all information for your family and also copy the title page, showing date of Bible. It is important to remember that this information may also have some errors, especially when the information has been hand written into the Bible long after the person was born, died, or married.

Q: Is tradition used as proof?
A: No, many errors have been found going by tradition. Use tradition as a guideline to locate the necessary proof of this information.

If you have any other questions, click here to contact the State Registrar or click here to contact the Membership Chairman.