Revolutionary War Era Genealogy Research

Links to Revolutionary War era records held at the Pennsylvania State Archives.

An overview of the military service records concerning the American Revolution that are held at the National Archives.

Abstract card file containing transcriptions of data extracted from original records in the custody of the Pennsylvania State Archives concerning Revolutionary War service in the Pennsylvania Militia, Pennsylvania Line, and the Navy.

Compiled Military Service Records (CMSR) were created by the U.S. War Department to document the military service of Volunteer soldiers. The National Archives holds CMSRs for Volunteer Soldiers from the Revolutionary War to the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902). CMSRs from the Revolutionary War and Post-Revolutionary period have been digitized and are available through Ancestry.com and Fold3.

A project of the Valley Forge Park Alliance detailing soldiers who were at winter quarters at Valley Forge from 17 December 1777 to 19 June 1778.

State Library - US Documents Collection AE 1.115:36
Available digitally from Hathi Trust

The names of the officers and militiamen enlisted in the Philadelphia city militia.

A roll book of men who enlisted with the Philadelphia City Lieutenants office during the Revolutionary War.

A record of fines paid by militiamen. Typical information that might be entered includes the name, rank and regiment of the militia member; the fines extracted; and the name of the officer in charge.

A listing of warrants payable to the militia as indicated by the Receiver General. Information provided includes certificate number, name of person to whom certificate was issued, number of years interest was paid, principal of the individual debt, interest allowed in the land office, and a dollar amount.

Images of militia receipts, returns, operations documents, and lists of white males between ages eighteen and fifty-three for Allegheny, Bedford, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Huntingdon, Lancaster, Luzerne, Montgomery, Northampton, Northumberland, Philadelphia, Washington, Westmoreland, and York counties.

Images of receipts, accounts, returns, payrolls and muster rolls for associators in Bedford, Berks, Bucks, Cumberland, Lancaster, Northampton, Northumberland, Philadelphia, Westmoreland, and York counties. While the accounts and returns usually only list the soldier's name, rank and military unit, the pay and muster rolls may also record the associator's residence, commanding officer, and dates of entering and leaving the service.

Statements filed by Pennsylvania residents to demonstrate that they or their kin should be exempt from fines being imposed for not serving militia duty.

A detailed listing of clothing articles, food, and miscellaneous items delivered to Pennsylvania regiments during the Revolution. Typical information in these registers might include the name of the officer who received the supplies, the cost of the purchases, and the money owed to vendors after an initial deposit.

Contained within the accounts files are dated Depreciation Interest Certificates, 1782-1787, which normally list the name and rank of the soldier, the military organization to which he was attached, and the amount of the interest. A published account of this record appears in Pennsylvania Archives, Fifth Series, Volume IV.

Images of certificates signed by John Pierce who was Paymaster General and Commissioner of Accounts for the United States Continental Army. Certificates were issued to the men of the Pennsylvania line in lieu of cash. The certificates bore 6 percent interest and have an official date of July 1, 1784.

Images of muster and pay rolls that usually give the name, rank, station and pay rate of the sailor; the time of his service; and the dates of his entry, discharge or desertion.

Pay and muster rolls that may show the name, rank, regiment, company and pay rate of each soldier; the name of his commanding officer; and the dates and locations of the musters.

A record of pensions, "due to Act of Assembly passed 14 April, 1834 'An Act Authorizing and Directing County Treasurer to Pay Gratuities and Pension to Soldiers and Widows of Revolutionary Soldiers Residing Within the Commonwealth'". Besides giving the date, the list shows the names of soldiers or widows of soldiers, gratuities now payable, annuity for life, and amount of accrued annual annuity.

Images of records that pertain to various militia men or their widows petitioning for pensions from the Commonwealth.

Certifications prepared by the Orphans' Court or the State Supreme Court entitling Revolutionary War veterans or their wives to obtain state compensation such as that provided for in the Act of September 22, 1785.

A census of Revolutionary War pensioners containing names, ages and places of residence.

Images of entries record the name, rank and corps of the soldier and the number of acres drawn. Remarks concerning whether the person was killed in action or was a foreign officer are often included.

from the On-Line Institute for Advanced Loyalists Studies

Originally published by:
Ontario Historical Society
Papers and Records
Volume 7, Published in Toronto in 1906
Pages 112-120.

A record of persons whose estates were seized because of their allegiance to the British crown during the Revolutionary War, and for other sundry reasons. Data provided by this series about each forfeited estate includes date of seizure by the state, name of the owner, and appraisal of the goods on the estate. Names of purchasers of seized goods and the prices they paid at auction are listed, as well as the date of sale.

A series of guides covering how to use the DAR libary and how to research a Revolutonary War-era ancestor. Special guides for researching Revolutionary War Patriots from specific ethnic and national groups are also covered.

A collection of genealogical and historical materials available for research by SAR members and the general public.

A curated collection of maps relating to the American Revolutionary War era from the Norman B. Levanthal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library.

Teaching resources for the American Revolutionary War.

Lesson plans about the American Revolution from EDSITEment, a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Educator resources from the National Archives.