America 250-Ohio Presents the Revolutionary War Graves Identification Project

Are you related to a Revolutionary War veteran? Read on to learn tips & techniques that may help you find out!

By Marie Swartz, Digital Platform Administrator for the Ohio Revolutionary War Veteran Graves Project & Archaeologist at the Ohio History Connection

I’ve been chipping away at my family tree for over a decade now. Progress has been slow and my efforts have mostly focused on chasing my direct ancestral line further and further into the past.

My roots here are old. So old, in fact, that for some ancestors, their birth and death places are recorded as “British America” rather than the “United States.” Over the years, I hadn’t given much thought to how many, or if any, of those ancestors may have served or lent patriotic service during the Revolutionary War.

That changed earlier this year, when I began working with the Ohio Revolutionary War Graves Project. The experience prompted me to revisit my genealogical research with a new question in mind: do I have a personal connection to this chapter of history?

As it turns out - I do. I’ve identified at least 17 direct ancestral ties to men who either served in the War or contributed what’s termed Patriotic Service, meaning they rendered aid or pledged allegiance to the cause for independence.

To be honest, my research is still a work in progress. Consider this: each of us has 128 5th great-grandparents, 256 6th great-grandparents, and 512 7th great-grandparents. That’s a lot of people to track down! But along the way, I’ve learned a few tips and techniques that might help you uncover whether your family tree has Revolutionary War veterans among its branches.

No family tree? How to grow one

If you haven’t started a family tree yet, don’t worry as it’s easier than you might think. A common refrain you’ll hear when beginning your family tree is to start with what you know. Begin with yourself and your immediate family. Record birth dates, event locations, marriages, and other key details. Conversations with relatives can uncover family stories, old photographs, and perhaps even reveal research someone else started before you.

Once you have a foundation, there are both free and paid resources to help you build and document your tree. Websites like Ancestry, FamilySearch, MyHeritage, and WikiTree offer access to a wealth of vital records and historical documents. Many of these sites are collaborative, meaning other researchers may have already contributed information about your ancestors.

As your tree grows, your entries might start linking to existing family records created by others. It’s important to maintain a discerning eye — do the dates and places make sense? Are there conflicting records? Genealogy is often like solving a puzzle, and it’s easy to get drawn in.

In addition to online databases, don’t overlook physical archives and resources like the Ohio Genealogical Society, the Ohio History Connection Archives & Library, and your local or regional historical societies and libraries.

How to spot a potential veteran

Once your family tree is established - or if it’s already well-grown - you can begin searching for Revolutionary War veterans among your ancestors.

The strategy that’s worked best for me is to look for individuals born before 1783 (the year the War ended) and who lived in one of the American colonies. For reference, my ancestors who served were born between 1699 and 1769.

This can be a time-consuming task, especially if your tree is extensive, so consider making it a leisurely project. It's a great a activity for a rainy weekend paired with your favorite TV series in the background.

Investigating veteran status

To illustrate the steps I take to confirm veteran status, let's walk through a real example.

Pick an ancestor

My 6^th great-grandfather, Michael Horner Sr. meets the initial qualifications for investigation. His record shows strong documentary support, he was born in 1746, and while his birthplace is listed as Germany, his place of death appears in the state of Pennsylvania, post-dating the War.

Find their grave

Check to see if your ancestor has a grave marker documented on Find A Grave. Some memorials include visible Revolutionary War markers in photographs or mention military service in the biographical notes. Michael is located in Zoar Lutheran Cemetery in Pennsylvania, a photograph of his grave marker and a note describing his service are present, strengthening the likelihood that he served. If your ancestor isn't in Find a Grave - that's okay! You can still proceed to the following step.

Search the databases

From there, we turn to the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Ancestor Search and the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) Patriot Research System (PRS). These databases allow you to search by surname, birth year, death year, and other known facts. If your ancestor appears to have been buried in Ohio, you can also check out the Ohio Society Sons of the American Revolution Patriot Grave Registry. It’s important to stay flexible here — names were often misspelled or recorded differently in early records. In Michael’s case, his surname appears as Hornor in both the DAR and SAR databases.

To confirm the DAR or SAR record matches the ancestor I’m researching, I compare not only the vital details (birth and death dates) but also spouse and children’s names. These cross-references help ensure the record belongs to the correct individual.

Once verified, these records reveal valuable details: the state he served in (Pennsylvania), his qualifying service (Lieutenant and Patriotic Service), and often additional sources for further research. Some entries even include biographical sketches, offering more context about the individual’s life and service.

These are just the first steps in confirming your ties to Revolutionary War veterans. For more informati0n on how to continue documenting and proving your lineage see the DAR and SAR standards for gathering information on your family history.