Video library

In this online lecture, Chief Genealogist David Allen Lambert will discuss how to research your colonial ancestors and determine if—and how—they may have served the cause of the American Revolution.

Embroidered, painted, stamped, carved, and engraved coats of arms enjoyed continuous popularity in colonial and Revolutionary America. As expressions of family identity—remembered or aspirational—heraldic arts are among the most compelling and enduring symbols of our interest in family roots. We will survey the major genres of heraldic decoration from the seventeenth to early nineteenth centuries, considering how, why, when, and for whom they were made, and focusing on some examples from the collections of American Ancestors.

With the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War fast approaching, you may be interested in documenting your family connection to an American patriot and applying to a lineage society. Join Vice President of Research and Library Services Lindsay Fulton for a step-by-step look at applying to Revolutionary War lineage societies.