Newspapers - A Great Source for "4th of July" News

 Historic and Current Newspapers are a gold mine!  Think of key years and locations, and start searching.

Old Newspapers (such as 1820 and 1876)

(1) Using nyshistoricnewspapers.org as an example, I filtered on Otsego County and searched on "Revolutionary War Pension".  I filtered on the year 1820.

The result?  I found a front-page article in The Otsego Herald on 03 April 1820 about the House of Representatives discussing a military pension bill .  

Try it.  Then, adapt your search to your ancestors and locations, along with relevant newspapers.

(2) Again, using nyshistoricnewspapers.org as an example, I filtered on Ontario County and searched on "Centennial Sketches". I filtered on the year 1876.

The result?  I found The Geneva Daily Gazette from 21 April 1876 with one in a series of sketches from 1776 (Revolutionary War).  

Current Newpapers

For this example, I did a Google search using the name of a newspaper (Finger Lakes Times) and "Bicentennial 1976".

The result?  I found relevant articles dated both in 1976 and 2026 ("looking back").

Enjoy your searches!  Don't forget to keep track of your search terms, sources, and downloads.

DAR - One Week Countdown to the 4th of July!

 

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR or "DAR") are wrapping up their annual Continental Congress in Washington, DC.

The evening sessions focus on:

• Opening Ceremony
• Focus on Education
• Defense Night

See this video link for the Opening Ceremony.  This is available to the public for viewing.

What you'll see - flags procession, patriotic music, and a bald Eagle in flight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCFQ3yfRiMo&list=PLuKbN0pt1xvNC33zzUZfIYpS6Imn7FdC7&index=3

Defense Night is on Saturday June 27. If interested in livestream, check this link around 6 pm Central time. It also will be available as replay later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDCHMEa8NCo&list=PLuKbN0pt1xvNC33zzUZfIYpS6Imn7FdC7

DID YOU KNOW?  See labels on the right hand side of this Genfriends blog. 

Click on DAR Label to see a March 17, 2026 blog post about DAR website research tips.

Researching Revolutionary War Ancestors

The 250th anniversary of the United States (July 4, 2026) is officially known as the Semiquincentennial. It marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. There is a focus on resources to research ancestors who served in the Revolutionary War on both sides. Here are a few that might help:

• American Ancestors Revolutionary Roots https://americanrevolution.americanancestors.org/
• Free Research Guides
• Researching Patriot Roots
• Researching Loyalist Roots
• Video - Friend or Foe by David Allen Lambert
• Fold3 - Free access with a Plano or Dallas Library Card from home
• Revolutionary War Burial Index 1775-1875 - Index cards created by BYU Library from lists of burial locations of soldiers published by the DAR https://www.fold3.com/publication/1464/revolutionary-war-burial-index

Card for Joseph Durfee

• Revolutionary War Pension Files, 1775-1900 - Full Text Search - https://www.fold3.com/publication/467/us-revolutionary-war-pensions-1800-1900

Joseph Durfee mentioned in the Pension file for George Read. 

• Revolutionary War Service Records, 1775-1783   https://www.fold3.com/publication/470/us-revolutionary-war-service-records-1775-1783

Compiled Military Service Record - Joseph Durfee

Do you have any Revolutionary War Patriots in your family?

 

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) public website has a wealth of resources for you to discover potential patriots.

(1) Ancestor Search https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search/?Tab_ID=1

Try searching on Livingston for last name, and Robert for first name.

Scroll down and click on Robert Henry Livingston (1760-1804) as an example.

Now try searches for couples in your direct line that may have service. For common surnames, it's helpful to also include spouse's name in your search. Also you can search using only the first 3-4 letters of a surname since spellings can vary.

(2) Descendants Search https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search/?Tab_ID=5

Try searching on Washington for last name, Martha for first name, and VA for state of birth.

Do you see Martha Dandridge Custis Washington (1731-1802) on the list?

Now try searches for your relatives who may have joined DAR already.

(3) Library Catalog -  https://nsdar.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?vid=01DAR_INST:DAR

This link has some helpful finding aids - See Revolutionary War Service (By State) as an example at: https://www.dar.org/sites/default/files/RevWarService.pdf

Happy exploring. Share your successes and/or add a question (in the comments field for this blogpost) to learn more.

RootsTech - Check All Sponsors (Boston Tea Party Descendants as an example)

 

If you’re looking for world-class family history products and services, you’ll want to see what RootsTech sponsors have to offer! With trusted solutions, innovative products, free samples, and incredible deals, they may have just what you need for the next step of your family history adventure.

RootsTech, the largest international genealogy conference, is available to attend in person or online. If you’re attending RootsTech in person in Salt Lake City, you can visit our sponsors in the RootsTech Expo Hall. If you’re attending online, you can visit the virtual Expo Hall, where you'll have access to many of our sponsors’ booths. You can even interact with them online and ask questions.

Register for RootsTech Today

Get to know our valued sponsors below. They are categorized by sponsor level—platinum, gold, silver, bronze, or society—and then listed alphabetically in each level. Be sure to visit their websites to learn more and to find out about any special RootsTech deals!

Here's one I want to learn more about during the conference:

Boston Tea Party Descendants Program

The Boston Tea Party Descendants® Program is dedicated to fostering interest in genealogical connections to the Boston Tea Party participants, their families, and those involved in the colonial rebellion in Boston. The program is a growing resource for descendants, researchers, and organizations, providing access to historical documents, guidance from American Ancestors’ genealogists, lesson plans, oral histories, digital exhibits, and more.

Explore the Boston Tea Party Descendants online portal to discover and contribute to this remarkable historical archive.

https://www.bostonteapartyship.com/boston-tea-party-descendants

January Saturday Seminar - The Road to Independence: Defying the British During the Revolutionary War

 

January 17, 2026 - "The Road to Independence: Defying the British During the Revolutionary War" by Michael Strauss, MA, AG, AGL - This lecture examines the complexities of the American Revolutionary War and its immediate aftermath, tracing its origins in escalating colonial tensions with Great Britain through its conclusion in 1783. Drawing on a range of primary source materials, we will explore the individual and collective experiences of military service in both the Continental and state forces. In addition to analyzing compiled military service records, pension files, and land bounty warrants, the lecture will incorporate naval and marine documentation to construct a more comprehensive understanding of the conflict. The analysis extends beyond the war's conclusion to address the national emergencies of Shay’s Rebellion and the Whiskey Rebellion, framing them as critical moments in the new republic’s post-war trajectory. 

Genealogy News

♦  Now through March 24th, Ancestry is offering 6 month memberships for 1/2 off! Take advantage of their Spring Sale here.

♦  Irish roots? MyHeritage is offering free access to their Irish record collection through March 18th. Details at the MyHeritage blog.

♦  St Patrick's sale on Irish books at Genalogical.com. Save 20% now through March 20th. Details here.

♦  Free webinar - Germany's Shifting Map: What It Means For Your Research - presented by Katherine Schober of Germanology Unlocked. Three dates to choose from: March 18th, 19th, or 20th. Register for free now.

♦  Check out Fishwrap, the official blog of Newpapers.com, for information about the 2.5 million pages of Irish newspapers recently added to their archive. 

♦  A new genealogical resource book titled San Agustín de Laredo Baptisms, 1823-1845, Laredo, Texas is now available on Amazon. It picks up where Gloria Villa Cadena & Angel Sepulveda Brown’s book, Annotated Baptisms 1789 to 1823 of San Agustin de Laredo (present day Laredo, Texas), published in 2008 by Los Bexareños Genealogical Society, left off. The baptisms, translated from Spanish to English, are the focus; however, Grace Scruggs Rolph also shares her mother’s family story, reveals answers to long buried secrets, and why it is so important to use traditional research methods in conjunction with DNA analysis.

♦  MyHeritage has released their new DNA ethnicity model: Ethnicity Estimate v2.5. This MyHeritage Blog article provides much information about this exciting new ethnicity model including these highlights: 

• Identifies 24 percentage-based European ethnicities.

• Quite a few of the new percentage-based ethnicities, such as Armenian, are unique to MyHeritage and not identified by other tests.

• Distinguishes between 15 different Jewish ethnicities, more than most other DNA tests on the market.

♦  American Ancestors will host an online seminar April 2-30, Revolutionary War Research: Tracing Patriot and Loyalist Ancestors. This five week course will delve into the many primary and published records that can help document your Patriot or Loyalist ancestors. Learn more.