Bloomington/Normal, Illinois

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Welcome to the General Joseph Bartholomew Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) website. Our mission is to promote patriotism and to reaffirm those values on which our country was established. Our chapter is one of 17 SAR chapters in the state of Illinois, serving Ford, Iroquois, Livingston, McLean and Woolford Counties.

The SAR is a patriotic, historical and educational lineage society headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. It was founded on April 30, 1889 and chartered by an Act of Congress on June 6, 1906. SAR has more than 27,000 members living in all of the 50 states and 23 foreign countries. Throughout its history, SAR has admitted more than 165,000 members from all walks of life. Among them are 15 Presidents of the United States, including George W. Bush and his father George H. W. Bush, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Harry Truman and Theodore Roosevelt. SAR also has among its members Sir Winston Churchill and King Juan Carlos I of Spain, both of whom trace their ancestry to Revolutionary War patriots. We are a society of gentlemen who enjoy the fellowship of a common interest and who want to preserve the memory of our Patriot Ancestors and keep the freedoms that they won for us with their service and sacrifices.

We believe in perpetuating the stories of patriotism, courage, sacrifice, tragedy, and triumph of the men who achieved the independence of the American people in the belief that these stories are universal ones of man's eternal struggle against tyranny, relevant to all time, and will inspire and strengthen each succeeding generation as it too is called upon to defend our freedoms on the battlefield and in our public institutions.

Proving that you have a Patriot Ancestor can be challenging but it is far from impossible and, once it is proven, it is good for generations to come. Perhaps a family story places a forefather in the Revolutionary War or has them supporting the cause in another way. The ancestor need not have your last name and may be on either your maternal or paternal side, but you must document the direct line. If you have a possible ancestor, that's a good first step. Contact us and we may be able to help you document your lineage.

Did you know that there are comparable organizations for women and children? Click here for Illinois chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Click here to find a Children of the American Revolution Society in your area.

Website created by Webmaster February 6, 2010. Last update January 11, 2012