Mayflower Genealogy Society accepts autosomal DNA with paper trail as proof of ancestry!

Wow! Knock me over  with a feather. I thought it would never happen. I could always see so many arguments against it. But the Mayflower society has accepted DNA proof of lineage--not on its own, but with accompanying paper trail. I have seen many queries about DNA for the DAR and I always thought it would never be, but now I have to become more open-minded. I have read that a case of autosomal DNA has been accepted for  Bonham (and thus Fuller) descendant  Brownie McKie (source: New Jersey Hunterdon County list on rootsweb.com).

I find this absolutely fascinating. It may be that DNA will be used to help prove ancestry in many of the lineage societies in the future. The paper trail and the DNA info combined appear to have been used to prove the lineage. Clearly, if the paper trail had been enough, the DNA wouldn't have been brought in to the mix. It looks like DNA alone is not enough, but can add to a paper trail that is not entirely definitive on its own by showing a relationship to a descendant with accepted proof of lineage.

Update April 2016: DAR accepts DNA evidence in applications supported by documentation of the family line. See: Link to DAR and DNA

image from: endtimepilgrim.org

Starting that DAR application process

The DAR application process has gotten much simpler in recent years due to the fact that the DAR has made excellent use of technological resources. But it is also good to know that the local chapter officers will help you with understanding the paperwork, and may be able to suggest steps to take in your research to document your Revolutionary War ancestor.


At http://www.dar.org/, an excellent boon to your application research, and to your research of any other Revoutionary War soldiers and their families, is the Genealogy section of the website. Just click on "Genealogy" to get into that section and, then click on the left for online research, and then directly to the left for "GRS." It is a little complicated, but once you get the hang of it, it will be a snap.

Then you will enter that part of the site, and you will see tabs above. If you choose "ancestor" you can begin researching the database for your ancestor, and it will often include information about descendants who have already proven their connection to that ancestor. This opens up many possiblities for research and documention, and is an invaluable resource for famly history research.
Image source: vadar.org

Revolutionary Soldiers

The fourth of July is a good time to think about the soldiers of the Revolution. If you have one in your ancestry, you may be able to find out more about that soldier in one of two easy ways: The first is to look at what is available at the website hosted by the Daughters of the Revolution, an organization which recently made genealogy information about soldiers of the Revolution available to everyone at: http://www.dar.org/. You may find information about the ancestor, and if you are fortunate, there will be some genealogies to accompany the information. It is all very well documented, and an excellent resource. The second excellent option is to find a pension application by the ancestor or the ancestor's relatives. The application would only be granted if Revolutionary service was long enough, could be proved, and if the family could demonstrate need.  The applications themselves reveal a great deal of information, often including place of birth, person to whom the soldier was married, and details of the military service itself. The pensions were often not granted, due to what the courts considered lack of proof. Many of these applications are now available at ancestry.com and make riveting reading. The applicant was often impoverished. Sometimes the pension was granted to the widow, the soldier having died during the lengthy application process.