International Society, SAR

Who is Eligible to Join?

Bloodline Descent from a Documented Patriot The SAR is a lineage organization. This means that you must be a genetic descendent (no links through adopted children) of an ancestor who provided documented and acceptable service to support the cause of American independence. U.S. Citizenship is not Required The National Society Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) welcomes as members both United States citizens and non-United States citizens. The SAR considers both U.S. and non-U.S. nationals who rendered service in the cause of American Independence as patriots whose descendants are eligible for membership in the SAR. For example, the France Society SAR includes many French citizens who are descendants of men who served in the army of King Louis XVI of France. In addition, U.S. citizens who are descended from these French soldiers or Australian citizens who are descended from US patriots of the Revolution are eligible for membership in the SAR. Article III of the SAR Constitution requires that a prospect must have "an ancestor who was at all times unfailing in loyalty to, and rendered active service in the cause of American Independence either as an officer, soldier, seaman, marine, militiaman or minuteman, in the armed forces of the Continental Congress, or those of any one of the several Colonies or States, as a signer of the Declaration of Independence, as a member of a Committee of Safety or Correspondence, as a member of any Continental, Provincial, or Colonial Congress or Legislature, as a foreign national of; but not limited to, France, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland or Germany who rendered service in the cause of American Independence or as a recognized patriot who performed actual service by overt acts of resistance to the authority of Great Britain" An SAR flyer describes acceptable service and notes where you may find documents that list the individuals who provided that service: Form 910 -- General Information and Application Requirements. Examples of Acceptable Service While each case is judged on its own merits for the purposes of SAR membership, patriotic service for non-U.S. ancestors may include, but is not limited to: military service as a subject or mercenary of a U.S. ally at any location world-wide members of the civil service of the government of a U.S. ally physicians or others rendering aid to the wounded of a U.S. ally military chaplains of a U.S. ally subjects of a U.S. ally who were prisoners of war subjects of a U.S. ally who rendered material aid for the cause of American independence with or without remuneration subjects of a U.S. ally who paid taxes or donated or loaned money specifically in support of American independence If the service was rendered by a subject of a non-US government, it must be between the date that nation entered into a treaty supporting US Independence and November 26, 1783 (the end of the war). For example, France signed the Treaty of Military Alliance with the United States on February 6, 1778. Spain (which had a miltary alliance with France) declared war on Great Britain on 21 June 1779. Other possible examples of acceptable patriot ancestors who were not born in and were not residents of the United States are Canadians who served in regiments that served in the Continental Army non-U.S. diplomats who negotiated the Treaty of Paris captured Hessians who later served in the Continental Army Native Americans and Spanish residents in what is now the Carribean, Texas, and Mexico who provided money or food to support the Spanish military effort against British posts in Florida and along the Mississippi

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