Finding Revolutionary War Veterans in Ohio
Posted June 13, 2025

America 250-Ohio Commission logo. Text reads: America 250 Ohio. 1776-2026

America 250-Ohio Presents the Revolutionary War Graves Identification Project

The Live Results Map, showing real time progress is now available on our website or by visiting this link. Be sure to check out our Project Dashboard to see how many grave markers and cemeteries Public Researchers across Ohio have collected - at the time of writing we have just passed 500 grave markers and 118 cemeteries!

Read on to learn more about this project and how you can contribute to the Revolutionary War Graves Identification Project!

How Ohioans Are Honoring Revolutionary War Veterans, One Grave at a Time

 

Tucked away in quiet cemeteries, the final resting places of some of America’s very first veterans can still be found in Ohio. They fought for independence, helped build a new nation, and then made their way west in search of a fresh start.

Now, more than two centuries later, Ohioans have a chance to help rediscover their stories.

As we look ahead to the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026, America 250-Ohio is leading a remarkable effort to find, document, and honor the graves of Revolutionary War veterans buried across the Buckeye State.

And the best part? You can be a part of it.

The Unexpected Legacy of Ohio’s Revolutionary War Veterans

When people think of the Revolutionary War, Ohio might not be the first place that comes to mind. After all, it wasn’t one of the original thirteen colonies. But when the war ended and the new United States government opened the Northwest Territory for settlement, many veterans made their way west.

Land was often given to soldiers in place of back pay for their military service. Two areas — known as the Virginia Military District and the United States Military District — were set aside for these veterans. By the early 1800s, Ohio was home to thousands of men who had fought in the Revolution.

 

 

“Creating this database will help crystalize this connection and enhance our understanding of just how important Ohio was to the establishment of the United States.”

- Todd Kleismit

Executive Director of America 250-Ohio

Data collection of Massie's grave marker, located in Grandview Cemetery, Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio.

One such veteran was Nathaniel Massie, a private in the Virginia Militia who would go on to become a surveyor, a town founder, and a central figure in early Ohio history. He established the city of Chillicothe in 1796 and is buried on a bluff overlooking the town he helped build. His grave is the first site officially documented for this new project.

 

A Race Against Time to Save Their Stories

Over the years, time, weather, and development have taken a toll on these burial sites. Some grave markers have crumbled or disappeared. Others were never properly recorded in the first place.

 

 

“Gravestones won’t survive forever, but if we can document their location and story today, that information will outlive all of us.”

-Krista Horrocks

Historian and cemetery preservationist with the Ohio History Connection

Grave markers for Revolutionary War veterans located in the Patriot Square of Grandview Cemetery, Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio.

While other surveys have been conducted on local and regional levels, no survey like this project has been attempted across the entire state. That’s what this project aims to change. Because this project captures current information, and is captured in a relatively short window, this effort will not only preserve these veterans’ memories but also help communities care for the sites and honor the people buried there.

Anyone Can Help — Including You

What makes this project so exciting is how simple it is for the public to get involved. Using Survey123, a the free mobile app, volunteers — called Public Researchers — can visit cemeteries, photograph grave markers, record inscriptions, and log GPS coordinates. All of that information goes straight into a growing database and map.

“The beauty of this approach is that it allows anyone who owns a smartphone to be part of something important.”

- Joseph Snider

Archaeological geophysicist at Terracon Consultants, Inc.

 

No experience is necessary. All you need is a smartphone, a little curiosity, and a desire to be part of preserving history. Genealogy enthusiasts, students, scout troops, local history buffs, and descendants of Revolutionary War veterans are all encouraged to join in.

 

Survey123, a phone based application that Public Researchers use to collect grave marker and cemetery information.

 

 

Why It Matters

More than 6,800 veteran graves have already been identified through old records and previous research by groups like the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) and Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). But many of those graves’ precise locations remain uncertain. Some are marked by worn, barely legible stones. Others might be lost altogether.

By July 2026, the goal is to document as many of these sites as possible and make the database publicly accessible. But the work won’t stop there. The Ohio History Connection and State Historic Preservation Office are committed to maintaining this resource for generations to come.

 

Become a Public Researcher Today

This project gives us a chance to honor their sacrifices in a tangible, lasting way — and to make sure their stories are remembered, not lost to time.

To find out how you can get involved, visit us at: www.ohiohistory.org/revwargraves

Download the app, grab a friend or family member, and head out to a local cemetery. You never know whose story you might help uncover.

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