How to Join a Lineage Society: 6 Tips for a Successful Application

Have you decided that this is the year you will apply to the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Jamestown Society, the United States Daughters of 1812, or the Mayflower Society, but you just aren’t sure where to begin?

Are you worried that joining a lineage society will be expensive, confusing, or time-consuming? Applying to a lineage society may seem like an overwhelming task, but I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t need to be one.

Whether you’ve been working on your family history for many years or you’ve just begun your research, right now is a great time to get started on your lineage society application.

What is a Lineage Society?

Simply put, a lineage society is an organization created to honor a specific heritage or event.

To join a lineage society, members must prove that they are the descendant of an ancestor who was part of that heritage or participated in the event. Most societies require a direct or “bloodline” descent, but a few societies will accept lineage to a collateral ancestor (a cousin, niece, nephew, aunt, uncle, or sibling of your direct ancestor).

Possibly the best-known lineage society is the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), but lineage societies come in many, many varieties. There are societies just for women, societies just for men, societies for both men and women and even societies for children. There is sure to be a lineage society for just about everyone.

Here are a few examples of the different types of lineage societies:

Military

• Revolutionary War (American and Loyalist)
• War of 1812
• Mexican War
• Civil War (Union and Confederate)

Specific Place or Time

• Jamestown Society
• General Society of Mayflower Descendants
• “First Families” organizations (found in many states and territories)

Occupation

• Descendants of Early Postmasters 1607–1900
• Hereditary Society of Teachers
• National Society Descendants of American Farmers

Kindred/Family Societies

• Alden Kindred of America
• Elder William Brewster Society
• Soule Kindred of America

Miscellaneous

• Associated Daughters of Early American Witches
• Descendants of the Honored at Rest in Arlington National Cemetery
• La Société des Filles du roi et soldats du Carignan

These are just a few categories to give you an idea of the wide variety of lineage societies!

Why Join a Lineage Society?

Being part of a lineage society can mean many things to many people. Some people apply because they believe being a member of a certain society is prestigious and adds to their credentials.

Others join because they love “the bling.” Lineage societies sell some truly beautiful membership insignia and jewelry, and there is a Facebook group devoted entirely to sharing images of Lineage Society Swag!

The opportunity to honor an ancestor

Perhaps your ancestor served in a military conflict or had an interesting occupation. Maybe s/he endured a difficult journey in order to become an early settler in a particular location. Joining a lineage society gives you the opportunity to honor his/her service and recognize the hardships s/he had to endure.

Commemorate a historic event

Celebrations of historic events often inspire people to join a lineage society to honor an ancestor who participated in that event. For example, when the 400th anniversary of the voyage of the Mayflower was celebrated in 2020, many people decided that it was the perfect time to apply to the Mayflower Society.

The 250th anniversary of the American Revolution will be celebrated in 2025, so you may want to start working on your application to the Daughters (or Sons) of the American Revolution soon!

Preservation of your heritage

The majority of lineage societies retain and archive your membership application and genealogical documents. Some societies even digitize this information in order to make it available online to other researchers. Your family history will be preserved for future descendants and researchers to find.

Admission to society-owned properties

Being a lineage society member may give you free admission to society-owned libraries, museums, and research databases that are only available to members. For example, admission to the Sons of the American Revolution’s Genealogical Research Library is $5 (U.S.) but is free for members and their spouses. The DAR’s Genealogical Research System is free and available to the public, but members – especially those who assist with preparing applications – have access to even more information. Membership does have its advantages.

Meet with people who share your interests

If you want to talk genealogy, you will likely meet your tribe at a lineage society meeting. That said, there are plenty of members who have zero interest in genealogy, but instead enjoy preserving historic sites and documents, while others prefer to work in the community helping homeless veterans, reading to children, planting trees, or promoting conservation projects.

Where to find lineage societies

There are several websites to help you find lineage societies. Two places to start are:

• The Hereditary Society Community of the United States of America has a list of societies, as well as information about Heraldry and genealogy research.
• Wikipedia also has a list of “notable hereditary and lineage organizations” with links to their Wiki pages for more information.

Genealogical and historical societies in your geographical areas of research may also be of help, especially when it comes to locating information on First Families organizations. For example, the Ohio Genealogical Society manages First Families of Ohio, as well as Century Families of Ohio, Settlers and Builders of Ohio, Society of Civil War Families of Ohio, and Society of the Families of the Old Northwest Territory. The latter four societies are not found on either of the two websites listed above.

Don’t forget to check Google. An organization’s contact information or web address may have changed, and Google or another search engine can help you find the most current information. Also, new societies are continually being formed, so you may have the opportunity to join a brand-new group that isn’t listed in either of the 2 links above.

Tips for Preparing a Successful Lineage Society Application

Preparing an application can be the most daunting part of joining a lineage society. But there are several things you can to do help ensure that your application will be successful.

1. Contact the society

Before you fill out a single form, you must make contact with the society you wish to join. Some lineage societies have local chapters, some have state or geographic organizations, and others have only one central contact. If the society has a website, check to see who you should contact in your area, or send an inquiry asking for a referral.

Once you make contact:

• Find out if you need to be sponsored or invited to join. The vast majority of groups are very welcoming, and this is a formality, but there are a few who take “invitation only” very seriously.
• Ask if there is a deadline to apply. While most societies accept applications on a continual basis, some do have cut-off dates after which they will not process any new applications for several weeks. These typically occur at the end of the year or during the transition time between outgoing and incoming national officers.
• Ask how much it costs. Every society should be up-front about its fees, and you have a right to know how much you will be expected to pay. Some societies have ongoing, annual fees, while others collect a “lifetime membership” fee when you apply. Also, be sure to ask if any part of your fees will be refunded if your application isn’t approved, as some societies charge a non-refundable application fee to cover the cost of verifying your application. Get the full amount in writing so there are no surprises when you are ready to submit your application.
• Request a current copy of the membership application and instructions. If for some reason this is not available, you should at least be able to get an application worksheet or a working copy of the application. It is important to note that some societies do not give a prospective member the “real” application form because it must be prepared by an experienced member or printed on “special” paper. This is not meant to slight you or your research skills in any way. It just means that the society wants the application prepared in a certain way and has trained certain members to do it correctly. You can do your part by filling out the worksheet to the best of your ability.
• Find out who to contact if you have questions during the application process. This is typically the registrar or membership chair, but whoever it is, make sure you get her/his contact information.

2. Ask what sort of documentation is required

I cannot stress to you enough that every lineage society is different, and they each have different application and documentation requirements. You need to know what is required before you begin filling out the application or worksheet.

In general, you will need to provide evidence for all names, dates, and locations included in your application. You may have grown up hearing about how Great-Grandpa Joe was born in a log house in Greenville, Tennessee, but if you can’t find evidence of that exact location, you must use the location you can prove with documentary evidence.

A note about DNA: Some lineage societies will accept DNA evidence, but many others will not. If proving your lineage relies on DNA evidence, you will need to find out what is permitted by the society before assuming that it will be accepted.

3. Find out if you can link to a previously approved application

Most societies not only allow, but encourage this, and it means less work for you! And the farther “up the line” you can match (in other words, descendants of the ancestor), the less you will need to document. Ask the registrar if this is allowed, and then search the society’s ancestor database (if available) and request a copy of the approved application that is the best match for your lineage.

4. Gather your supporting documents

For the majority of lineage societies, you will need to document:

• Birth and death dates and locations for every generation, from yourself to the qualifying ancestor. Some societies also request marriage information if available or applicable. For the first 3 generations (yourself, your parents, and your grandparents), you will most likely need to submit vital records, which are government documents of birth, marriage, and death. If your parents or grandparents were born or died before vital records were required in his/her area, you will need to find another way to verify those dates and locations.
• The link between each generation, from child to parent(s). You can often find the parent-child link in vital records (i.e. a birth or death certificate naming the parents), census records (from 1880 to 1940), wills, land records, county histories, and biographies. This is probably the #1 item that new genealogists forget to document on a lineage society application.
• The eligibility of the qualifying ancestor. Unless it has already been established by a previous applicant, you must provide documentation of the ancestor’s military service, residence in a certain place or time, occupation, or whatever is required for the particular society.

Never use a red pen, marker, or highlighter on your documents. Most lineage societies request that you underline pertinent names and dates on each document with a red pencil, but be sure to ask before you add any markings to a document.

5. Try to locate copies of original records

Document transcriptions may contain errors and/or omissions, so you want to try to get a copy of the original, whenever possible. If it no longer exists, you may want to include that fact in your documentation. The verifying genealogist may ask you to look for it, which will delay the approval of your application.

6. Prepare for mailing

• Make copies of all of your supporting documents – never submit an original or your only copy of any document. In most cases, your documents will be retained by the society and not returned to you.
• Don’t bind your paperwork with clips, staples, or rubber bands, or add dividers between generations unless specifically asked to do so. Some societies digitize your paperwork, and these items interfere with the scanning process.
• Make sure your application is filled out COMPLETELY. If there are blanks or incomplete information, let the registrar know the reason. You may need to include an explanation in a note to the verifying genealogist.
• Before signing your application, find out if your signature needs to be witnessed or notarized and ask what color ink you should use.
• Ask to whom your check should be made out.

Before mailing, it is a very good idea to make a copy of your entire application package. In the unlikely event that your application gets lost in the mail, you don’t want to have to compile your documents all over again. And yes, I have seen this happen.

Finally, don’t forget to ask how long the verification process should take. Some organizations are speedy and some are very slow, but on average, you can expect at least a preliminary answer in 4–8 weeks. The waiting is the hardest part… but it’s somewhat easier to endure if you know how for how long.

Note: Some lineage society offices may still be closed due to COVID-19, while others are operating with a limited staff. The application approval process might take longer than usual until things get back to normal.

If your application is rejected…

First and foremost: don’t panic!

There are many reasons why a lineage society application may not be approved on the first try. Even if you have provided what you and the registrar believe to be a thorough and complete application, the verifying genealogist may have questions or want additional documentation. Try to provide what is asked of you as quickly as possible.

Ask how much time you have before your application will be returned. Some societies will keep them on file for a year or longer while they wait for you to provide additional information. If you are unable to do so within the time constraints, your application will be returned, usually minus an application fee. You will need to submit a new application – along with all the required fees – if you can’t provide the documentation in time.

If you believe your application was unreasonably declined, you may be able to request that it be reviewed by one or more additional verifying genealogists. This is a rare occurrence, but it does happen. The registrar should be able to help you with this process if it becomes necessary.

Wrap Up

Once your application is approved, be sure to display your membership certificate and wear your insignia proudly.¹Many lineage societies will give you the certificate for free, but you will need to purchase the insignia pin and other “bling.” You’ve earned it!

Joining a lineage society can take a lot of work, but it is definitely worth the effort. Not only have you honored the memory of your qualifying ancestor, but you have added your lineage to the rolls of a society that will preserve it for generations to come.

Enjoy your lineage society membership. Go forth and make friends, do good work in your community, and have fun!

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Footnotes

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  Many lineage societies will give you the certificate for free, but you will need to purchase the insignia pin and other “bling.”

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