On July 4, 1776, fifty-six delegates signed the Declaration of Independence, launching an experiment in self-government that continues nearly 250 years later. As we celebrate America’s Semiquincentennial, I’ve been reflecting on the men in my own family tree who helped make that declaration more than just words on paper.
Over the years, I’ve used the DAR Ancestor Database along with FamilySearch to identify Revolutionary War patriots among my direct ancestors. Some served in the Continental Army or local militia. Others supported the cause by furnishing supplies, serving in civil offices, or taking oaths of allegiance to the new nation. Together, they remind me that the American Revolution depended upon ordinary people serving in many different ways.
What strikes me most is the geographic diversity of these ancestors. Their service stretched from New England through the Mid-Atlantic and into Virginia and North Carolina. Long before later generations migrated westward into Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, and beyond, these families were helping shape the new United States.
My Revolutionary War Patriots
Paternal Line
- Elizur Talcott (1709–1797)]– DAR Ancestor A113367. Colonel of the 6th Connecticut Regiment militia under Brigadier General Erastus Wolcott.
- John Foster (1735–1800)] – DAR Ancestor A041635. Served as a private from Maryland under Capt. Peter Mantz.
- Daniel Harris (about 1737–1821)] – DAR Ancestor A051563. Served as a private from Virginia.
- Samuel Demarest (1707–1785)] – DAR Ancestor A131555. Recognized for patriotic service in Pennsylvania.
- Simon Van Arsdale (1746–1802)] – DAR Ancestor A117118. Served as an ensign, captain, and major in the York County, Pennsylvania militia.
- Henry Banta (1718–1805)] – DAR Ancestor A005785. Patriotic service in Pennsylvania.
- Harmanus Ostrander (1729–1803)] – DAR Ancestor A210554. Private in the Ulster County, New York militia.
- Ebenezer Merry (1748–1809)]– DAR Ancestor A078189. Private from Connecticut.
- Stephen Peabody (1753–1838)] – DAR Ancestor A086830. Sergeant from Massachusetts.
- Nathaniel Hammond (1733–1817)] – DAR Ancestor A050625. Patriotic service for Connecticut.
Maternal Line
- Benjamin Rush (1752–1819)] – DAR Ancestor A100014. Furnished supplies in North Carolina during 1780.
- Crawford Rush (1720–1788)] – DAR Ancestor 1134442. Took the Oath of Allegiance in Randolph County, North Carolina.
- Thomas Evans (1740–1808) – DAR Ancestor A037718. Rendered material aid in Virginia.
- James Buckles (1733–1797)] – DAR Ancestor A016515. Captain in the Berkeley County, Virginia militia.
- William Osborn (174?-1816)] – DAR Ancestor 1084580. Furnished supplies and served as a frontier ranger.
- Thomas Dawson (1760–1832)] – DAR Ancestor A030832. Furnished supplies for Virginia.
- Oliver Miles (1738–1820)] – DAR Ancestor A078880. Private from Massachusetts.
- John Josselyn Jr. (1735–1810)] – DAR Ancestor A063118. Captain at Lexington and later in the Worcester County militia; also served as town treasurer.
- Nathaniel Wells Sr. (1730–1804)] – DAR Ancestor A122573. Private from Connecticut.
- Oliver White (1724–1789)]– DAR Ancestor A125317. Private who answered the Lexington Alarm and later served in Massachusetts.
- David Kennedy (1730–1792)] – DAR Ancestor A064685. Private from Connecticut at Lexington.
- Comfort Barnes (1737–1816)] – DAR Ancestor A006295. Civil servant who served on the Committee of Safety or Correspondence in Massachusetts.
Looking Beyond Military Service
One aspect I appreciate about the DAR Ancestor Database is that it recognizes the many ways individuals supported the Revolutionary cause. While military service is often the first thing that comes to mind, my ancestors also qualified through:
- Military service in state militias
- Leadership as officers
- Furnishing food, livestock, or supplies
- Civil service on Committees of Safety
- Frontier service
- Taking oaths of allegiance to the new government
These varied forms of patriotic service remind us that winning independence required the efforts of entire communities—not just soldiers on the battlefield.
Continuing the Search
This list will likely continue to grow. As I continue researching colonial families and documenting each generation, I hope to identify additional Revolutionary patriots among my ancestors.
The DAR Ancestor Database has become one of my favorite research tools. Even if you have no plans to join the Daughters (or Sons) of the American Revolution, the database is an excellent resource for discovering documented Revolutionary War service and learning more about your colonial ancestors.
This Fourth of July, I’m grateful not only for the freedoms these patriots helped secure, but also for the opportunity to preserve their stories for future generations.
Happy Independence Day—and Happy Researching!