Praise for Hereditary Organizations

If you’re interested in genealogy, you’ll be interested in hereditary organizations related to your ancestors. If you know—or believe—that you are a descendant of one of the 102 passengers that landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620, the Mayflower Society may be the place to start.

Maybe your ancestors served in the Civil War. If they were in the Union Army, the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) or the Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War (DUCVW) is for you. If your ancestors were in the Confederacy, check out the Sons of Confederate Veterans or the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

If, like me, you have ancestors who served in the American Revolution, you will find the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR) and Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) great resources. There’s even an organization for children: The National Society of Children of the American Revolution (CAR).

Lineal descendants of citizens of the Republic of Texas have the Sons of the Republic of Texas (SRT) or the Daughters of the Republic of Texas (DRT). Many other states and localities have similar organizations.

All of these hereditary organizations do great work in preserving history and honoring the service of the leaders, soldiers, and citizens of the generations that built America. Each organization requires that prospective members document their lineage to prove they are eligible to join as a descendant of a qualifying ancestor (i.e., American Revolution patriot for the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution). However, the organizations have excellent historical and genealogical records as well as genealogists to help you document your ancestry. This genealogical help can be just what you need to move your family research forward.

I would never have known where to find the records I needed for my own research without the help of genealogist Thomas Bresnehan of the local SAR. Tom is now deceased, but I will always appreciate the help he and the Sons of the American Revolution gave me.

I’ve learned that anyone whose family has been in the country for six or seven generations probably has at least one ancestor who fought in the Revolution—especially if the family was Protestant as there were not many people of other religions at that time.

If you think you might qualify for membership in one or more of the hereditary organizations, I strongly recommend you contact them. You’ll find them a big help.