Archive for the ‘Revolutionary War’ Category

This patriotic lineage society is not your grandmother’s DAR.  The Daughters of the American Revolution of 1776, (DOR) or (DofR), was active from 1890 to 1983 and is similar in scope to the well known National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, (NSDAR) or more commonly, (DAR).

The DofR was available to join by any female that could show direct lineage to an ancestor that served in the revolutionary war as a soldier, sailor or an official in any of the thirteen original colonies, or of Vermont.  There were 12,266 DofR membership applications in the collection when they disbanded in 1983.

Here is an excerpt from the North Carolina Chapter in 1906 that states the full scope of the society.
The Society “Daughters of the Revolution” was founded by Mrs. Flora Adams Darling, October 11, 1890 It was organized August 20, 1891 and was duly incorporated under the laws of the State of New York as an organization national in its work and purpose.

The occasion of its founding was to provide a society whose terms of membership should be based upon direct descent from Revolutionary ancestors, in which organization admission upon collateral claims would be impossible. This rule, clearly stated at time of organization, has been rigidly observed, and the Society is justly proud of its membership, representing as it does the direct descendants of soldiers and statesmen of the Revolution.

The distinctive feature of the government of the Society is its system of State Societies and local Chapters; the officers and Board of Managers of the General Society have entire superintendence and management of the whole organization, while subject to this oversight, State Societies regulate and direct their own affairs. A State Society may be organized wherever there are at least twenty members residing within the State, and a local Chapter may be formed by five members living in the same locality. The State membership includes all members of local Chapters formed in the State.

The objects of the Society as stated in the Constitution are: “To perpetuate the patriotic spirit of the men and women who achieved American Independence; to commemorate prominent events connected with the War of the Revolution; to collect, publish and preserve the rolls, records and historic documents relating to that period; to encourage the study of the country’s history, and to promote sentiments of friendship and common interest among the members of the Society.”

© This work is the property of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text.

Source Description:
(caption) The N. C. Society Daughter of the Revolution and Its Objects
(cover) The North Carolina Booklet Great Events in North Carolina History
(title page) The North Carolina Booklet
Mrs. E. E. Moffitt, Regent
146-150 p.
[Raleigh]
North Carolina Society Daughters of the Revolution
1906
Call number CR970 N87b (North Carolina Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

The records of all of the states members were donated to the Suffolk County Historical Society in Riverhead, New York, and the index to the collection is on the German Genealogy Group website.  When you do a search for your ancestors name if positive results come back, there will then be an icon to click that will give you a form to fill out and mail in to the Suffolk County society.  The fee for a copy is $10.00 plus an SASE.

This is very exciting information to me as I located two ladies in the database from Denver, Colorada who joined in 1903 under one of my Revolutionary War Patriot ancestors, Aaron HULET (1755-1835) of Shaftsbury, Vermont.  Aaron was a pensioner and his wife, Cynthia (HOPKINS) HULET (1775-1860) also received a widow’s pension.  I have visited their graves several times in an abandoned cemetery in Shaftsbury known as the Little Rhody cemetery, as many of the early families, mostly MATTISIONs, were from Rhode Island.

I always wondered why no one had ever joined the DAR under him as he was fairly well known to have served and still has HULET/HULETT descendants in the Bennington county area.  This is the very first time I have ever seen him listed in any of the patriotic societies, so I have just sent off twenty dollars for two application copies and will be anxiously awaiting them.

Perhaps this will motivate me to become a member of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), which I have always been going to do when I could get a Round Tuit.  I’ll keep you posted.

Thanks to the Familysearch.org wiki on the DofR.

Here is a link to the controversial founder of the DofR, Flora Adams Darling.

While feeling quite patriotic for the holidays I decided to revisit one of my Revolutionary War patriot ancestors, Private Aaron HULET (1755-1835) who was a pensioner and is buried in Shaftsbury, Bennington County Vermont.

His second wife, my ancestor, was Cynthia (HOPKINS) HULET (1775-1860) and I have worked on them both for many years. Cynthia had at least two sisters, Bethia (HOPKINS) REYNOLDS and (presumed) ‘Sylvia’ (HOPKINS) PARKER, that I had previously noted were from an unknown place when they both signed an affidavit attesting to their sister Cynthia’s having been the widow of Aaron HULET.

Through the years I have left queries on many message boards and mail lists for these two sisters all to no avail.

So I decided to revisit the Revolutionary War pension file of Aaron HULET that is online at footnote.com. Got to tell you it pays to go back over your research and notes from time to time.

The document that the two sisters signed was written by an attorney and they both signed with their “X” and it very clearly states that I am a jerk. Well so to speak, because the one sister’s name was absolutely NOT ‘Sylvia’ as previously had read it from a quite dark microfilm image, and is very clearly “Lydia” PARKER in the online digitized scan of the document.

Not only that, and I don’t know how I ever missed this, it stated that at the time they signed the affidavit 1838, that they were both living in the Town of Jackson, Washington county, NY. Well that is embarrassing to say the least, as I am the self-appointed expert on the Families of the Old Cambridge District, which includes the now towns of Cambridge, Jackson and White Creek.

I did know that Aaron and Cynthia had been married in Foster, Providence county, Rhode Island on 28 MAR 1793, from published vital records of Foster, and the bible record in the pension file. The two sisters had attested to witnessing the marriage while living at their father, Joseph HOPKINS, in Foster in the spring of 1793.

Well needless to say this was exciting and I have been at the computer all through the holiday weekend. Did someone say there were fireworks?

So now I am putting together family records from various online secondary sources and entering all of these details into my computer database which will then provide a platform from which to go forth and do primary evidence research at Washington county, NY, Bennington county, Vermont, and Providence county Rhode Island.

I am hoping to find estate records, land records, possibly church records, as well as looking at all of the New York State censuses and Federal censuses that might shed some light on these families. I have already a fairly good picture of some of the descendants of both sisters.

I expect to find quite a lot of supporting details in various online resources in the mean time and will be looking at the USGenweb sites, FamilSearch.org, Ancestry.com, Google Books, old maps online and dozens of other resources.

I just am amazed at how quickly one can put these family groups together now with online sources. Just remember all that is online is not necessarily proof and it all needs original records research to back it up.

The following is a transcript of the actual document that provided all of these choice clues.

State of New York
Washington County
Town of Jackson } SS.

Bethia REYNOLDS & Lydia PARKER of the Town of Jackson afore’md being duly sworn make oath and say that they are personally acquainted with Cynthia HULET, widow & relict of Aaron HULET deceased, of the Town of Shaftsbury in the County of Bennington & State of Vermont. They are sisters to the said Cynthia HULET, their maiden names were HOPKINS. In the year one thousand and seven hundred and ninety three they the said Bethiah REYNOLDS and Lydia PARKER together with their sister Cynthia HULET lived with their father Joseph HOPKINS in the town of Foster in the State of Rhode Island (the county is not now recollected) their residence was fifteen or sixteen miles from Providence in said State as they now recollect & verily believe – Some time in the spring of the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety three they the said Bethiah & Lydia were present at their fathers Joseph HOPKINS house in said town of Foster and saw their sister Cynthia married to Aron HULET aforesaid – The marriage ceremony was solemnized by one Esqr SIMMONS a justice of the peace who resided in that vicinity and they now recollect and verily believe true – these deponents are not positive what month or what day of the month the marriage took place but believe it was in the month of March, are positive that it took place in the spring of the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety three. They the said deponents have been acquainted with their said sister ever since she was married as aforesaid to the said Aaron Hulet whose widow she now is, these deponents have been informed & verily believe that the said Aaron HULET died in the month of May one thousand eight hundred and thirty five & their said sister Cynthia has remained his widow until this time & has not been married to any other person – and further these deponents saith not.

Subscribed & sworn this seventh} her
day of September 1838 before } Lydia X PARKER
me - mark
Anderson SIMPSON Justice of the }
peace } her
Bethiah X REYNOLDS
mark

(next digital image) (verso?)

[affidavits of witnesses to the signatories of above, see pension file for full document]

Fun stuff.

234 years ago today, the Continental Congress voted to approve the break with British Control. Then on the 4th of July the 56 Signers and the founders of this great country subjected their property, their liberty and even their life to the possibility of being taken away, once they signed the Declaration of Independence.

Do you ever think of how totally brave of an act that was? Would you have been able to do it?

Then countless thousands of freedom loving men took up arms against what was considered at the time to by tyrannical rule, and those troops were likewise committing all they held dear to fight for freedom and the ability to raise their families in a country ruled by democracy.

The times have changed, Great Britain is now our staunchest ally, but we still have totally dedicated men and women that are risking their lives every day to allow us to live our life in freedom and democracy.

Please go out of your way this holiday weekend, and any time for that matter, to Thank a Troop Today!

As Pownal is very close to my favorite research area of the Old Cambridge District in Washington County, NY I am pleased to pass this announcement to the readers of the Upstate New York Genealogy Blog.

My name is Julie Bright (jbright@capecod.net) 30 Weathervane Lane, East Sandwich, MA 02537
Phone 774-413-9567

Would it be possible for you to post the following information on an upcoming DOWNER-DUNHAM REUNION, Descendants of John DOWNER (1744-1815) of Pownal and his wife Lydia DUNHAM (1785-1861). They are both buried in Morgan-Towslee

We would love to have one or more descendants of their children attend:

William (1773-1859) married Charlotte RICHMOND
Obadiah L. (1774-1815) married Rachel YELVERTON
Amy (1776-1840) married John AUSTIN
John (1777-1850) married Rence (Amy) FINCH married 2nd Lydia JOSSELYN
Joel (1780-1865) married Lovina RISLEY
Sarah (1782-1861) married Ichabod PROSSER
Lydia D. (1785-1861) married Dr. Thomas BANNISTER of Pownal
Mary (1789-1820) married Timothy BELKNAP
Lucy (1791-before 1850) married John HUNT
Abner (1793-1856) married Harriet HAMBLIN married 2nd Rachel HARRINGTON

Downer-Dunham Reunion Scheduled

We now have the date and place set for the DOWNER-DUNHAM REUNION. It will be October 19th through the 22nd at the Williams Inn in Williamstown, MA. This is about five miles south of Pownal, VT and fourteen miles south of Bennington, VT. We have ten rooms reserved, at a discounted rate at the Williams Inn. If you want to stay there, you will need to call them and reserve a room for the “Downer Reunion” All rooms at the Williams Inn are non-smoking. There info is:
Their site is http://www.williamsinn.com/

Contact Info:
Williams Inn 800-828-0133 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              800-828-0133      end_of_the_skype_highlighting They have October 19, 20, 21 & 22
Williamstown, MA
Rates: Mon, Tues, Wed & Thu nights — $139/room/night
Free Wireless

You can stay all four nights or less at this rate.

Purpose of this reunion:

a.. It would give us all an opportunity to meet & share information and memories.
b.. We will see the area where our ancestors lived.
a.. John Downer served in the Revolutionary War along with his father-in-law Obediah Dunham and brother-in-law Benjamin Morgan.
b.. John & Lydia Dunham Downer lived their adult lives in Pownal, VT and are buried at the Morgan-Towslee Cemetery.
c.. Bennington, VT has a monument for the Battle of Bennington. The battle took place on August 16, 1777. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bennington
a.. The actual battle field is a few miles away and located in New Your State.
c.. Williamstown MA, is home of the much respected Clark Art Institute and North Adams, MA which is now home to MOCA the Modern Art Museum.

We are looking forward to hearing from you. Even if you are not interested in attending or can not make the reunion. All thoughts are welcome and encouraged.

Julie bright
jbright@capecod.net
30 Weathervane Lane
East Sandwich MA 02537

bill downer
wrdowner@comcast.net

Jan Wadoski
janforjan@aol.com

Visit our main website at www.unyg.com

Announcement from Leslie Potter, Battle of Saratoga historian”

As part of its annual teachers’ conference, The Institute for
Archaeology, History and Education is presenting an historical program
on the Battle of Saratoga at the Saratoga Springs Visitor’s Center, in
Saratoga Springs, NY on the morning of Saturday, May 31, 2008. This
program is open to the public. The schedule that the Institute of
History, Archaeology, and Education, sent me is at follows:

Saturday, May 31, 2008 (9:00 — 11:30 a.m.) at the Saratoga Springs
Visitor Center

9:00 Welcome and Introductions

9:15 “British Strategy: Saratoga and the Reconquest of the American
Colonies” ? Ray Raymond, SUNY, United States Military Academy

10:30 “Explaining Defeat Back Home to the Higher-Ups: Burgoyne’s
Rationale for the British Defeat,” Leslie Potter

Should you desire additional information on the Institute’s Saturday
morning program, please contact Dr. Peter Feinman at:

Institute of History, Archaeology, and Education
PO Box 41
Purchase, NY 10577
914-933-0440
feinmanp@ihare.org

http://www.ihare.org/

I am honored to be one of the historians, whom Dr. Feinman asked to
participate in this program. Since the program is open to the public, I
would like to take this opportunity to extend an invitation to all of
the list members to attend. If you can not attend, please know that you
were wanted. On a more personal note, I would love to see and meet the
fine folks with whom I have been corresponding through these lists for
so many years. Additionally, I should add that speaking to large
audiences does not scare me, but speaking to a room full of empty room
does. So I hope to see you in two weeks at the Saratoga Springs
Visitors’ Center.

Sincerely,

Leslie Potter
Glen Mills, PA
————–

Here are some of our most popular previous articles:
New York State Vital Records -
Revolutionary War Patriot or Loyalist -
Palatine DNA Project -
Visit our main website at www.unyg.com

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We have discussed Google Books before on this website.

One of my new found relatives was discussing some Revolutionary War ancestors that she had in Onondaga County and so I looked them up in my own copy of Rev. William Beauchamp’s, “Revolutionary Soldiers Resident or Dying in Onondaga County, N.Y.” - 1913 – Onondaga Historical Association, Syracuse, NY

I had paid over $100 for this gem several years ago. So I went on Google Books, did a search, and sure enough they had a copy digitized online and available as a free download.

There is a certain thing to be aware of in Google’s scanning and digitizing process. While the digital version is online at Google, you can use the full search box method of finding anything you want. Once you download it to your own computer, you are able to view it in all it’s glory with Adobe Reader because the files are pure pdf files. Unfortunately the pdf search tool does not work once it is on your own storage medium.

I’m not sure why that is but must have something to do with the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software that Google uses. Well anyway you can have your own copy to browse at will and you can’t beat the price.

While you are there do some searching and you will be amazed at what is online and free.

Click this link to go to our previous Blog about Google Books – Librivox

To read our previous Blog about Revolutionary War Soldiers in Onondaga County go here: Revolutionary War Soldiers

For  Google Books go HERE:

http://books.google.com

Visit our main website at www.unyg.com