There are two major lineage societies dedicated to honoring our ancestors that participated in the American Revolution: The Sons of the American Revoution (SAR) for male descendants, and the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) for female descendants. To join either society, one has to provide a proven bloodline lineage to a patriot ancestor. Ancestry.com provides access to SAR membership applications from 1899 to 1970. These applications can help us find our own link to a patriot ancestor, and in the case of this blog and the descendants of Jesse Flournoy Graham, it has. His name was Joseph Thompson.
SAR Supplemental Application of Billy Paul Rogers
The connection to Joseph Thompson can be found on a supplemental application of Billy Paul Rogers, a descendant that applied for membership in the Mississippi Society of SAR. Billy’s application states that Joseph Thompson was born in England in 1749 and died in Pendleton County, South Carolina on 9 September 1810. Joseph “furnished forage in Laurens Co. South Carolina prior to 1781 according to South Carolina petition No. X3391.” The reverse side of the application cites as its sources SAR No. 78316 and DAR Nos. 412885, 416306, 418920, 418880, and 442636. These are all crossed out and another source handwritten, “SC dndents Bk X pt II p. 141.”
From Jesse to Joseph
Jesse Flournoy Graham’s parents were Jesse Graham and Elizabeth Caroline Hunnicutt. Elizabeth’s parents were John L. Hunnicutt and Rebecca Thompson. Rebecca’s parents were Joseph Thompson and Mary Jolly, who are identified on line six of Billy Roger’s application. If you’re reading this blog and you’re a descendant of Jesse Flournoy Graham, you may be eligible to join either SAR or DAR by virtue of his descent from Joseph Thompson.
How to Join a Society
I’d like to tell you joining either of these societies is easy, but I really don’t know. I want to join SAR myself but I haven’t yet begun the process. It’s one of my research goals. And research it will take. Both societies require that applicants provide proof of bloodline descent, which means your application must be accompanied by the birth certificates, marriage licenses, censuses, or other records that prove the connection. Assembling all of that will certainly take research and time. In that regard, joining one of these societies won’t be as easy as paying a membership fee and signing your name. You have to do your homework first.
Learn more about joining SAR here:
Learn more about joining DAR here:
It might not be easy, but this next section will help get you started.
Bibliography
Ancestry.com. U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. BrowseID: 371
Original data: Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Louisville, Kentucky: National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Microfilm, 508 rolls.
Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Year: 1850; Census Place: District 28, Benton, Alabama; Roll: M432_1; Page: 273A; Image: 647. Original data: Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Year: 1850; Census Place: District 28, Benton, Alabama; Roll: M432_1; Page: 273B; Image: 648
Original data: Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
“Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKZS-9T5T : 4 November 2017), Jessie Graham and Elizabeth Hunnicutt, 26 Dec 1839; citing Calhoun, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,035,493.
Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 21 March 2020), memorial page for John Hunnicutt (10 Oct 1781–8 Feb 1860), Find A Grave Memorial no. 72186684, citing Camp Ground United Methodist Church Cemetery, Muscadine, Cleburne County, Alabama, USA ; Maintained by Arabelle (contributor 48258804) .
Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 21 March 2020), memorial page for Rebecca A. Thompson Hunnicutt (18 Sep 1793–31 Oct 1884), Find A Grave Memorial no. 40656508, citing Belgreen United Methodist Church Cemetery, Belgreen, Franklin County, Alabama, USA ; Maintained by Wilton Golson (contributor 46944807) .
Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 21 March 2020), memorial page for Mary “Molly” Jolly Thompson (1747–1849), Find A Grave Memorial no. 141358932, citing Camp Ground United Methodist Church Cemetery, Muscadine, Cleburne County, Alabama, USA ; Maintained by Arabelle (contributor 48258804) .
Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 21 March 2020), memorial page for Joseph Patrick Thompson (1747–1810), Find A Grave Memorial no. 190167333, ; Maintained by Memory Maker (contributor 49386461) Non-Cemetery Burial, who reports a unknown.
“Apply in 4 Easy Steps.” National Society Sons of the American Revolution, 2020, http://www.sar.org/how-to-apply/.
“Become a Member.” Daughters of the American Revolution, 1 Feb. 2017, http://www.dar.org/national-society/become-member.
Graham Ancestry 