Application Requirements – The Society of the Second War with Great Britain in the State of New York

Qualifications for Membership

Any male person above the age of eighteen (18) years, who participated in, or who is a lineal descendant of one who served during the War of 1812, in the army, navy, revenue-marine, or privateer service of the United States, offering proof thereof satisfactory to the State Society to which he may make application for membership, and who is of good moral character and reputation, may become a member of this Society when approved of by said State Society, under such regulations as it may make for passing upon applications for membership.

The following Service and no other shall be regarded as Satisfying the requirements of the preceding paragraph:

Service as an officer or enlisted man in the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps or Volunteers at any time between 7 Nov 1811, and 18 Jul 1815; This includes all of the “Uniform Services of the United States, which served during the War of 1812”. Besides the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, the other services were the Revenue Marine (which would become the US Coast Guard in 1915), the Flotilla Service (a service separate from the Navy but still under control of the Secretary of the Navy) and the US Voluntary Corps (this service was made up of militiamen who enlisted in the Army for one year).
Service at any time between June 7 Nov 1811, and 18 Jul 1815, as a member of the ship’s company on any public armed vessel of the United States or any vessel sailing under letters of marque and reprisal issued by the United States;
Service in the militia of any state or territory or the District of Columbia duly called out for service against an armed enemy or for coast or border defense between 7 Nov 1811, and 18 Jul 1815;
Service in the forces of the United States at the Battle of Tippecanoe.
Service as the President of the United States, Secretary of War or Secretary of the Navy between November 7, 1811 and July 18, 1815.
Service as a Governor of a state or territory of the United States between November 7, 1811 and July 18, 1815.No service, however, shall be regarded as qualifying if the person who rendered such service voluntarily bore arms against the United States at any time between the dates named or if such person’s latest service between said dates was terminated by a separation from the service under conditions other than honorable.In case of the failure of lineal descendants of an actual participant in the War on behalf of the United States, one collateral descendant, who is deemed worthy, may be admitted to represent the said participant.Provided, always, that such representation shall be limited to the descendant of either a brother or sister of the participant in the war, in right of whose services application for membership is made.

The application forms that arrive at state Registrar must be prepared as follows:

Only computer-generated forms using black print, available from the Society of the War of 1812 will be accepted. Applicants without computer access-Please contact the Registrar.
NO handwritten applications will be accepted!
Nothing can be attached to the application form by staple, glue, tape, pin, thread, or other means.
If the complete and documented application has been submitted and is found to need additional documentation, the application will be held for update and returned to the applicant for addition of documentation.
Membership transfers from another state will be accepted without comment. However, supplemental applications from the transferred application will be subject to the requirements of this state. A complete copy of the original application or membership certificate must be supplied to the State Registrar. The State Registrar shall assign the applicant a state number and return the number information to the applicant.

First page of the Application

Leave the General Society and State Society number locations blank. Numbers will be added later by the state Registrar.
Type: State of New York.
Type full name of applicant. (First middle last)
Fill in the ancestor’s name without title or rank. Fill in all other information as fully as possible including county in parenthesis. Ex: (Tompkins)
Fill in Residence, Occupation and Business Address. The Signature of the applicant, Proposer, and Seconder are to be added after preliminary approval by the state Registrar.

Affidavit Section/Page 2

Beginning with the applicant as Generation 1, every generation must be completed from the applicant back to the ancestor. The lineage should not be completed beyond the ancestor’s generation.
Throughout the application, use the full or legal name. DO NOT use initials alone. A woman is referred to by her maiden name. If a widow, list as “Mrs.” first, middle, (maiden name), surname.
Example: Mrs. Mary Ann (Smith) Brown.
List all dates by day, month, and year format, e.g. 01 Jan 1900, using three-letter abbreviations for the month, without a period. Names, dates, and places must be complete with proof that will clearly tie each generation to the preceding one.
List places as town, county or parish, and state, using common postal abbreviations for states.
Example: Ithaca/Tompkins/NY or /Tompkins/NY (if no city given) or Ithaca/ /NY (if no county given)
Ensure that each name, date, and place agrees with, or is confirmed by, the proof submitted. Proof is requested for dates, places, and relationships listed.

Entering Information about the Ancestor.

Supply the most complete information possible on the applicant’s ancestor, supported by proof documents. The child through whom descent is claimed must be proved.
The date of birth should be given, if it can be obtained. If it is impossible or impracticable to ascertain the date of birth, some fact shall be furnished, with proof, to show the ancestor was living at the time of claimed service and of an age for the service claimed.
The date and place of marriage, if known, need be furnished only as to the marriage from which the applicant is descended. When the marriage date cannot be furnished, but the date of birth of the oldest child of the marriage can be proved, the marriage date may be approximated from such birth date, and so stated.
The date of death is to be given. If it cannot be secured, some proven date identified with the ancestor, occurring after the date of service, may be used as a substitute. (e.g. “After 1795 when he signed deed.” Proof: A copy of the deed.).

“Services” Section (Page 2)

Fill in the ancestor’s full name with rank.
Fill in all known Military service. Rank, units served and commanding officers under whom served.
Dates of service must be included.

“Authorities as to Service” Section (Page 2)

Give references to documentary or other authorities and submit photocopies. Photocopies of the title page and pages cited must be supplied.

“Authorities as to Descent” Section (Page 3)

Give references to sources for each generation. Photocopies of all references are to be supplied. Do Not send original documents-photocopies only. Documents will not be returned.
References are to include the complete title of the referenced source with page and volume number
Ex: B/C, D/C, M/C of John Brown (Birth, death and Marriage certificates)
John brown, 1900 US census, (Tompkins) New York, Page X, Line X

Signature section (bottom of Page 3)

Fill in ancestor name
Signatures will be added after review by the state Registrar.

Additional fact and personal Family information (page 4)

(These sections are at the discretion of the applicant to fill out.)
The ancestor’s cemetery location is requested to allow others to honor his service. Any civilian public service and historical significance of the ancestor honors the memory of the ancestor and deserves recognition.
The personal family sections allow descendants and others to prove connections to this veteran of the War of 1812.
All other signatures and date locations are reserved for the State and National Registrars.

Guidelines for Sources, Documents, or Evidence Proving the Applicant’s Lineage

A copy of the applicant’s birth certificate showing parentage must be furnished, if available. If not available, a Hospital record or church baptismal certificate showing applicant’s full name, parentage, date of birth, and certification may be furnished. If these are not available, a combination of the following suggested sources may be submitted:
1. Photocopy of full-page census records, showing the applicant in the household of his parents.
2. The marriage record of the applicant showing the parents of the parties being married if available. Legitimacy of birth in any generation is not a requirement for the Society of the War of 1812.
3. The death record of one of the applicant’s parents showing the applicant’s name as a child of the decedent.
4. Wills, probate records, etc., of the applicant’s parents showing the applicant’s name as a child of the decedent.
5. Land records, court records, etc., in which relationship of parent and child is explicitly mentioned.
An applicant who is a blood descendant of a qualifying ancestor, but who has been adopted by another family, the applicant must provide proof of the adoption procedure.
Submitted photocopies of all evidence are to be marked for each generation by underlining the pertinent data in red and placing the generation number in the margin next to it. Do NOT use a highlighter or attach notes. Photocopies may be marked with more than one generation number-duplicate photocopies are not required.
For proof, send the best source available, such as birth, death, or marriage certificates; pages from Bible Records, including title page and date of publication; wills; probate records; deeds; censuses; diaries, etc.
Family Group Sheets, Family Tree Charts, LDS IGI or Family Search records, World Family Tree
Records, member supplied information from Ancestry.com, World Family Tree, and items attributed to oral or family tradition, will not be accepted. Copies of the NEHGS Register may be accepted.
Properly annotated family histories and genealogies may be accepted as evidence. When the family history or genealogy is authored by the applicant or any member of his immediate family, copies of the sources used for the compilation must be furnished. Books with an ISBN number will be accepted as proof if the title and ISBN number/copyright pages are included with the appropriate pages showing the lineage.
When the reference is to a published record, the title, volume number, and page must be given. Photocopies of the title page and pages cited must be supplied.
When the reference is an unpublished record, a photocopy must be furnished. The documents location is to be noted on the photocopy.
A certified copy of a handwritten record/document must be an exact transcript of the complete text.
Applications of other hereditary societies are NOT acceptable for “Authorities as to Descent” for The General Society of the War of 1812.

Guidelines for Sources, Documents, or Evidence Proving the Ancestor’s Service

Published War of 1812 records of the various states.
Unpublished records, e.g. muster rolls and payrolls, now reposing in State Archives, Adjutant Generals’ Offices, State Libraries and the National Archives.
Minutes of Town Meetings, and similar records of State and County governments, listing the service of the ancestor.
In any event, the service must be found in the official records of the day, and the War of 1812 ancestor must be mentioned by full name. Unsupported statements in town and county histories, biographical dictionaries, family histories and genealogies, and prior applications may not be accepted.
Regarding the service of an ancestor or the line of descent, family tradition is not acceptable as documentation.

Supplemental Applications (Additional ancestors)

Applications for additional ancestors may be accepted using the same computer generated forms as the original ancestor. Duplicate documentation of identical lineages need not be supplied if the original is on file with the state Registrar. Sons, Brothers and Fathers may also be accepted if the lineage is identical. Only the differences in the lineage need to be supplied.
The same application fees apply.

Approval and signatures

1. When all steps have been completed, and all appropriate documentation has been assembled, the preliminary application and documentation shall be mailed to State Registrar for review and approval. The computer generated application shall be e-mailed to the State Registrar.
After approval by the State Registrar, the final application shall be printed on acid free archival paper and returned to the applicant for signatures.
The completed signed application with signatures signed in black ink, one set of marked documentation,and the fees shall be submitted to the State Registrar.

Application fee of $20 with check made out to: The Society of the Second War of Great Britain in SNY.
Per Capita fee of $12 with check made out to: The General Society of the War of 1812.

State and Chapter Dues shall be administered by the State and Chapter Treasurers.
Please contact the State Registrar if you have questions.
(This document issued 03 May 2009 revised 07 Mar 2009)

Please contact the State Registrar if you have any questions.

Wayne G. Thurston
State Registrar, Society of the Second War with Great Britain
113 South Parkway, Groton, NY 13073
607-898-3381
Thurstonwg@hotmail.com

Required Fees:

$12 check made out to: Treasurer, General Society War of 1812
$8 check made out to: Treasurer, Society of the Second War of Great Britain
$20 check made out to: Registrar, Society of the Second War with Great Britain in the SNY
The State Registrar shall distribute the checks to the State and General Society Treasurers.
Chapter Dues and future year dues shall be administered by the Chapter Treasurers.