I was wondering if anyone could tell me where I could write to get Revolutionary War Records for my ggggrandfather. I have done this before for another lineage, but can't remember where I wrote for these records. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Beth

If he received a pension or applied for one there could be info at the National Archives or Heritage Quest which is now available online at some libraries. Some libraries let you access at home with your library card. What is his name? Wife's name? I might find him in the DAR Index and it would tell me if he received a pension--or his wife or heirs received one. There might be several men with same name. Some states have info in their archives.
If he or family didn't receive a pension, the National Archives might have service records but usually they don't contain much info.

Beth,

Gayle's suggestions are good starters if your ancestor was in service in one of the Continental Regiments, but not so much for State Troops or County Militia units.

While the National Archives does have some scattered militia rosters, those records are mostly held locally. Some State Archives have also compiled County Militia records; this varies a lot by time and place.

State Troops' records are principally held by the States, but some rosters for some State Troops (such as NY Levies) can be found in National Archives.

The National Archives' holdings of muster- and pay-rolls are mainly within Micropublication #246, the rolls arranged very roughly alphabetically by State. These are the records from which clerks transcribed items onto old-style file cards many decades ago. If you write the Archives for a "service record" you will get photocopies of these cards. They are not complete transcripts of what's on the rosters; many names are not correctly transcribed and not all entries were transferred to the cards.

There is another huge body of Revolutionary War records in the Archives that is also on microfilm, but it is seldom used because poorly indexed and the microfilm indexes are hard to use. It's great if you know what's there and how it is indexed.

You can borrow the actual microfilm by inter-library loan for a few dollars per microfilm roll. You can do the same through a local LDS Stake.

Heritage Quest's offering of pension files is only the Selected Records from Micropublication #804. What you want to look at is the complete file in #805. Here again you can borrow the microfilm as above. The rolls are arranged alphabetically by name of soldier. More libraries have the listing of what each roll covers than have the listing of the rosters' arrangements in Micropub. #246. Many major libraries have the pension application files in their collections already.

Good hunting,
Judy

Galyle, I was wondering if you could check a Dar Listing for me. I have been trying for 8 years to tie my line out so I could join. I am searching for:

Nicolas Vincent b. 1752 in Rhode Island Married Anna Hall.
he served under Gen. Joseph Stanton, Rhode Island.

Trisha Donovan

I checked both spellings--yours and Nicholas but didn't find him. I also checked all with last name Vincent but didn't find him listed. It doesn't mean he didn't serve--it means no one has submitted him and been approved for membership yet. I checked WorldConnect Rootsweb and there are several entries for the couple (spelling Nicholas) but didn't find one that mentioned Rev. War. Sometimes they do.
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi
There are 3 Vincents who served from Rhode Island: Joshua, Samuel & William. Sorry I couldn't help.

Gayle,
I would appreciate it very much if you would please check the DAR index for a Rev. War Service Record of:
John COPELAND, b 1755 in Chatham County, North Carolina, wife's name was Judith. Emigrated from NC to Liberty Township, Clinton Co., OH abt 1806. They both died on the same day, Jan 22, 1826. Thank you.
Julia

There are 3 with his name listed but none with wife named Judith.
John Copeland, b. circa 1737, d. ante 1808 Robeson Co., NC, serv. Sergeant NC, wife Mary
John Copeland, b. 1762 Orange Co, NC, d. 30 Sept 1844 Wayne Co., Tenn., serv. Soldier, Civil Service,
pension: # R2310V (I'm not sure what the R is for--usually there is an S) Wife Sally.
John Copeland b. 12 Feb 1748, d. 7 Sept 1826 Laurens Co., SC, Serv. Lieutenant , SC, wife Margaret Blakely.

Gayle, thanks for checking the DAR index for my John Copeland. The Copeland family history suggests he served in the Rev. War. Will keep searching for a military record that may not have been submitted as yet to the DAR.
Julia

Microform publication #805 is the "selected records" from the Rev War pension applications, which is available at Heritage Quest. The #804 microfilms are the complete files. I am the current author of a series of books, currently containing 23 volumes, of abstracts of the M805 series, "Revolutionary War Period Bible, Family & Marriage Records, Gleaned from Pension Applications." These abstracts sometimes contain letters from the War Dept, in reply to inquiries from descendants, that summarize a soldier's file. I have found that whenever the letters contain information that is not in M805, the M804 films should be checked. This was the case with one of my ancestors, so I read the M804 file, too. My goodness! There were so many more clues in the M804 file. I guess whomever "selected" the records was not a genealogist. :-) In any event, I have noted these files in my abstracts.

Dee Dagner

There are two listed in a 1976 printing of "Index of Revoluntionary War Pension Applications in the National Archives" book:
1. Copeland, John, N.C., S40052
2. Copeland, Jonn, N.C., R2310 (Gayle mentioned in her post)

The above is the only information listed for each, but S40052 Copeland, John, N.C. may be a lead for you. Hope this helps. I'm not a Copeland researcher but saw your post.