United States Military Veterans and Lineage Society Records

Veterans and Lineage Society Records
Records of veterans’ organizations and lineage societies may be found at their national headquarters or at state archives, historical societies, and public libraries. Some societies require members to submit applications documenting their ancestry back to a soldier. The applications typically provide birth, marriage, and death information, as well as establish relationship through multiple generations from the applicant to the qualifying ancestor. They may publish membership lists and other records. For eligibility requirements, write to the society’s national headquarters. These Wiki pages give addresses of some organizations that have significant material of use for family history research. Additional veteran and patriotic organizations can be located in:


 * "Encyclopedia of Associations" by Maurer, Christine and Tara E. Sheets, eds. 33rd edition. Vol. 1, pt 2. Annual. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Section 12. (Worldcat) Provides addresses and phone numbers as well as a description of the organizations, their publications, and references to any library or research materials they maintain.

Twentieth Century Wars and Conflicts
Veterans of Foreign Wars 
 * VFW, our first century : 100th anniversary, 1899-1999
 * Discharge book of veterans of foreign wars, 1919-1931 Alabama
 * California, Alameda County, Emeryville, Veterans of Foreign Wars : Post 1010
 * compiled by John W. Blume. History of Veterans of Foreign [sic Wars Edward H. Larsen Post, No. 802, Hammond, Indiana. (1944)]
 * A.R. Patterson Post no. 7, membership applications, Minneapolis, Minnesota
 * Service record book of men and women of Albion, Nebraska and community V.F.W. auxiliary post no. 736
 * Service record book of the men and women of Highland, Wisconsin: McGuire-Lomgmeier Post 9440

 American Legion Library and Museum 
 * About the library
 * Library Collections
 * Library & Museum Services
 * Library FAQ
 * American Legion Digital Archive
 * About the museum
 * American Legion Centennial 1919-2019

 State Department Histories - State Department Histories 
 * Joseph M. Toomey. Georgia's participation in the world war and the history of the Department of Georgia, the American legion. Macon, Georgia : The J.W. Burke Company, 1936.
 * Jacob Armstrong Swisher. The American Legion in Iowa, 1919-1929.Iowa City, Iowa : State Historical Society of Iowa, 1929.
 * Richard J. Loosbrock. The history of the Kansas Department of the American Legion.Topeka, Kansas : Kansas Dept. of the American Legion, 1968. FS Library 978.1 C4L
 * Walter F. Richardson. comp. History, Department of Maryland, the American Legion, 1919-1934.Baltimore, Maryland : American Legion. Dept. of Maryland, 1934.
 * Mills M. Van Valkenburg. The American Legion in Michigan.[S.l.: American Legion. Department of Michigan, 1930.
 * Department of New Jersey, the American Legion : a general account of the activities of the organization from its institution in 1919 to 1924.Trenton, N.J. : American Legion Department Headquarters, 1924.. 1 v.
 * John Linn Murphy. The American Legion in South Dakota : first quarter century. South Dakota : American Legion, 1949
 * Fred D. Estes, comp and edited. History of American Legion, Department of Tennessee, 1919-1953. Nashville, Tennessee: American Legion, Dept. of Tennessee, 1953.
 * History of the American Legion, Department of Virginia, 1919-1924 : including history of individual posts and roster of membership as of August 1, 1924.Richmond, Virginia : William Byrd Press, 1924

Local Post Materials - FamilySearch Catalog
 * Grant N. Lindsley, Fifty years, 1919 to 1969, of the American Legion in Oswego County (1971)
 * Applications for membership in the American Legion auxiliary unit of Champion Hobkirk, post no. 420, 1928-1934 approx. New York, St. Lawrence County
 * Oscar Lee Qwens, comp. History of Oklahoma City, Post No. 35, The American Legion Oklahoma City, Oklahoma : American legion, 1941 FS Library 976.638 C4q
 * Membership applications in Leon Deck Post 991, American Legion, Bethel, Berks county, Pa.
 * retyped, formatted and edited by Malissa N. Browder, Tonya A. Browder Taylor and David P. Taylor Abbeville, S.C., records of the American Legion Auxiliary, Post 2Edgefield, South Carolina : Old Edgefield District Genealogical Society, c2003 FS Library 975.735 M2b
 * Joe H. Welborn, compiled, American Legion : Post # 24 Newberry, S.C. 1995-1997Newberry, South Carolina : J.H. Welborn, 1997 FS Library 975.739/N1 C4w

Society Records by Conflict

 * Colonial Wars, 1607 to 1763
 * Revolutionary War, 1775 to 1783
 * War of 1812, 1812 to 1815
 * Mexican War, 1846 to 1848
 * Civil War, 1861 to 1865
 * Indian Wars, 1780's-1890's


 * Spanish-American War, 1898
 * Philippine Insurrection, 1899 to 1902
 * World War I, 1917 to 1918
 * World War II, 1941 to 1945
 * Korean War 1950 to 1953
 * Vietnam War 1964 to 1972


 * Veterans and Lineage Society]]