Revolutionary War Cemetery Records
1775–1783
The Revolutionary War (1775–1783) created a new nation and a new genealogical record system. Patriots who fought for independence are documented in pension files, muster rolls, and Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) lineage records — some of the most thoroughly researched genealogical records in American history. This era bridges the poorly-documented colonial period and the more systematic record-keeping of the early republic.
📜 Historical Context
The Revolutionary War generation lived at a crucial genealogical transition point. Colonial church record traditions were still dominant, but the new republic was beginning to create civil record systems. Revolutionary War pension files (created by the federal government starting in 1818 and expanded in 1832) are extraordinary genealogical documents — they include detailed personal histories, family relationships, and birth and death information provided by soldiers and their widows. The National Archives holds the most complete collection of Revolutionary War records, with many now available online.
Available Record Types
Federal pension applications from soldiers (from 1818) and widows. Among the most genealogically rich records ever created — contain detailed personal histories.
Muster rolls, pay vouchers, and service abstracts for Continental Army and state militia. National Archives holds these; many are on Fold3 and Ancestry.
Daughters of the American Revolution maintains lineage databases proving descent from Revolutionary patriots. Extensively researched and documented.
Same as colonial era — church registers and New England town records are the primary burial documentation.
British Loyalists who fled to Canada or Britain left records in British colonial archives, Canadian provincial archives, and Loyalist claim files in UK National Archives.
Revolutionary War patriots were often commemorated with special markers. Many have been inventoried by SAR and DAR chapters.
⚠️ Research Challenges
- •The "burned county" problem from the colonial era continues — records in some states remain incomplete
- •Loyalist ancestors are often underrepresented in American records — research requires going to British and Canadian archives
- •African American patriots who fought for independence are often documented only in pension files, not individual graves
- •Many Revolutionary War graves were unmarked or markers have been lost over 250 years
- •The 1832 pension law required soldiers to describe their service in their own handwriting — many elderly veterans had poor literacy
Research Tips for Revolutionary War
Revolutionary War pension files are a genealogical goldmine — search them at Fold3.com and the National Archives catalog (catalog.archives.gov)
DAR membership applications require documented Revolutionary War patriot ancestry — their database (dar.org) has millions of verified lineages
Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) has parallel male-line lineage records and patriot grave marking programs
Look for "widow's pensions" — Revolutionary War widows who applied for pensions after 1836 had to document marriages and deaths in detail
State pension records exist alongside federal records for many states — these may cover militia service not in federal records
Published genealogies of founding era families are extensive — search Google Books and HathiTrust for 19th-century family histories
What Makes Revolutionary War Records Unique
Pension files as genealogy goldmines
The 1832 Pension Act required veterans to provide sworn testimony about their service, naming officers, battles, and often family members. Widow's pension applications (from 1838) contain detailed marriage and family history. Many of these files are 20–100+ pages of irreplaceable genealogical content.
African American patriots
Thousands of African Americans — free and enslaved — fought in the Revolutionary War, on both sides. Many served in the Continental Army with the promise of freedom. Their records are in the same pension and muster roll files as white soldiers, though their stories are often harder to follow through subsequent generations.
Loyalist diaspora
An estimated 60,000–80,000 Loyalists fled to Canada, Britain, or the Caribbean after the war. Their descendants often have Canadian or British records that predate the US records. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Ontario have significant Loyalist genealogy collections.
Famous Americans of the Revolutionary War
Commander of the Continental Army and 1st President
Mount Vernon Estate, Mount Vernon, VA
Second President, founding father
United First Parish Church, Quincy, MA
Founding father, inventor, statesman
Christ Church Burial Ground, Philadelphia, PA
First woman to serve as a soldier in the Continental Army
Rock Ridge Cemetery, Sharon, MA
Sample Records from the Revolutionary War
| Name | Birth | Death |
|---|---|---|
| Benjamin Franklin | 1706 | 1790 |
| Tecumseh | 1768 | 1813 |
| Mary Wollstonecraft | 1759 | 1797 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I prove my family has Revolutionary War ancestry for DAR membership?
DAR membership requires documenting an unbroken line of descent from a qualified Revolutionary War patriot (who could be a soldier, sailor, or civilian supporter). The proof chain requires vital records (birth, marriage, death) for each generation. Start by researching from yourself back to a known patriot ancestor, then document each link with primary records.
Where are Revolutionary War pension files?
Most are at the National Archives in Washington, DC. They're searchable in the Archives catalog (catalog.archives.gov) and many are digitized on Fold3.com (subscription) and at FamilySearch (free). The pension index (M804) is fully digitized and includes images of original application files.
Were Loyalists documented in American records?
Loyalists who left the US are poorly documented in American records — their records are in British and Canadian archives. Those who stayed in the US often had their property confiscated and some were documented in confiscation records held at state archives. The British Loyalist Claims Commission files (UK National Archives) document thousands of American Loyalist families.
How do I find where a Revolutionary War soldier is buried?
Many revolutionary soldiers are documented in SAR and DAR patriot grave databases. The DAR maintains a patriot memorial registry. Many state societies have marked and inventoried Revolutionary War graves. County histories (published in the late 1800s) often list burial locations of local founding-era figures.
Search Revolutionary War Burial Records
Free to search · 250 records/month · No account required
Search Cemetery Records →Also: All historical eras · Browse by state · Browse by surname