In 2014, I joined the Daughters of the American Revolution under my 6th great-grandfather, Benjamin Byam. I did my application through him because he was an already established patriot and I already had most of the documentation needed to prove my descent from him, so it was an easy application to do. In reality, I do have other Revolutionary War Patriots in my ancestry that I could have submitted under – and I’ll probably submit them as supplementals one day.

Benjamin Byam was born November 29, 1733 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. He had some military service prior to the Revolution, but during the War, he served both in Massachusetts and New Hampshire (where he moved to). Benjamin ended up dying in Randolph, Vermont on November 22, 1795.

Lot Hutchinson, another 6th great-grandfather, was born in Sutton, Massachusetts on August 1, 1741. Lot served as a Sergeant in Captain Abijah Burbank’s company among others during the war, marching from Sutton to Providence, Rhode Island. Lot would eventually move his family from Massachusetts to Braintree, Vermont where he died on March 24, 1818. Lot has not previously been proven a patriot in the DAR database.

Lot’s father-in-law, Moody Morse, my 7th great-grandfather, was born April 1, 1719 in Newbury, Massachusetts. Moody is a proven DAR patriot for performing civil service during the war. Moody died on August 14, 1805 in Sutton, Massachusetts.

Josiah Blanchard was born on December 10, 1733 in Concord, Massachusetts and is another 6th great-grandfather. Josiah is not a currently approved DAR patriot, but he does appear on the muster roll for Cogswell’s Regiment of the Militia in 1778 (part of the 16th Regiment for Massachusetts). He also appears on the rolls for Captain Danforth’s company of Colonel Nixon’s regiment. Josiah died March 18, 1800 in Barre, Vermont.

Abraham Smith (one of several in my tree) was born in 1730 in Subury, Massachusetts and is yet another 6th great-grandfather. He is a DAR approved patriot who served under Captains Brownson, Simonds and Colonels Allen, Warner and Bradley. He died in Tinmouth, Vermont on November 4, 1809.

Bartholomew Towne was a private in Captain Josiah Crosby’s Company of Colonel Moses Nichol’s Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteers. Bartholomew was born April 8, 1741 in Topsfield, Massachusetts and died in 1800 in Milford, New Hampshire. Bartholomew is not currently a DAR approved patriot.

Eli Stiles was born May 22, 1746 in Westfield, Massachusetts. He appears on the rolls as serving under Captain Darby’s company of Colonel Scammel’s registment in New Hampshire. It is not known yet exactly when Eli died. He is not currently an approved DAR patriot.

John T. Wortman was born August 25, 1757 in New Jersey and is a fourth great-grandfather. John is an approved DAR patriot who was a teamster in George Allen’s & Samuel Hunt’s teams.  John died on May 19, 1831 in New Jersey.

John’s father, another John Wortman was born November 16, 1730 in Somerset County, New Jersey. He is a DAR approved patriot for being a Corporal and a Wagon Master during the war. John died on August 25, 1807 in Bedminster, New Jersey.

Daniel Munson was born April 4, 1745 in Stratford, Connecticut and is a fifth great-grandfather. Daniel is an approved DAR patriot for having civil service during the war as he was a surveyor of highways in Milford. Daniel died on October 27, 1827 in Milford, Connecticut.

There are probably others that I just haven’t discovered yet. 9 out of 10 of these ancestors are through my mom’s side of the family. I’m sure there are probably more on dad’s side – I just haven’t discovered them yet.