Revolutionary War Research Made Easy

Transcript:

Host (Heather Haunert):
Hi everyone, and welcome to The Family Treehouse, a podcast series brought to you by Storied, where I chat with people who have a passion for genealogy, storytelling—or both!

I’m your host, Heather Haunert, and I love attending RootsTech. I just got back from RootsTech a few weeks ago, and I love going in person every year. It’s just such a great way to be surrounded by people who love family history and storytelling as much as I do.

And I’m super excited that I got to meet today’s guest, Deborah Maddox, in person. A lot of times I don’t get to meet my guests face-to-face, so this was a real treat. Deborah has spent the last 11 years as a staff genealogist for the National Society Sons of the American Revolution. I’m so jealous! She’s developed and presented SAR seminars to public and private groups—including at RootsTech.

Deborah, I am just so excited you’re here today. Welcome!

Guest (Deborah Maddox):
Thank you! First of all, thank you so much for having me and giving me a chance to talk about this wacky history and genealogy that we love so much. I’m so grateful.

Host:
Oh, I’m so happy to! I love it when I get to chat with people who are just as passionate about it as I am. So let’s start with your background. How did you get started in the field of family history and storytelling?

Guest:
I was born into it—I really was. And I know people say that, but the storytelling aspect has always been in my family.

I’m an only child of an only child on my father’s side, so I didn’t have cousins or aunts or uncles on that side. But on my mother’s side, she was number six of seven siblings, and they had 18 grandchildren. I was number 18—and there was a four-year gap between me and the next youngest cousin.

When we had family gatherings in Louisville, most of the older grandkids would pair off into groups, and I’d either be stuck at the adult table or begging someone to play with me. It just felt natural for me to sit and listen to the adults tell stories.

It made these people come alive for me—Uncle Irv and Aunt Canela weren’t just names. They were real. That’s how it all started.

Then, when I turned 18, my grandmother on my father’s side and her oldest sister died within six months of each other. That’s when it hit me—if I didn’t start documenting this, the stories would disappear. It became a connection point for my dad and me too. We’d research together and dig around for what we could find.

My mom used to laugh and say, “I don’t understand Deborah—we’d be on family trips, and she’d want to stop at every cemetery. We don’t have people buried there!” [laughs] But I was fascinated—even by strangers’ headstones.

Host:
That makes me laugh too. My husband and I drive around Georgia now that we’ve moved here, and if we pass a cemetery, he’ll say, “Do you want to stop?” [laughs]

Guest:
Yes! But you’ve got to time it—fall is perfect when everything’s died back. Spring? No way. Too many critters. [laughs]

Host:
Very true! So Deborah, beyond records, why do you think storytelling is so important to family history?

Guest:
I’ve thought about this a lot lately.

We can get all the dates and places—but that doesn’t help us when we’re having a bad day or going through a divorce or loss. When we know that someone in our family also went through something similar, it grounds us. It reminds us we’re not alone.

My grandmother on my mother’s side lived 30 years as a widow. Knowing her personality, remembering how resilient and capable she was—it puts my life in perspective.

All the things we go through—loss, births, new beginnings—they’ve been happening for generations. And as humans, we’ve always told stories. I picture cavemen sitting around fires recounting their day. That’s how we connect.

Host:
Yes! I love that. You really hit the nail on the head. Even cave paintings were stories. It’s ingrained in us.

Let’s shift a little. I’d love to pull in your experience with the SAR—especially for people with Revolutionary War patriots in their line. Can you recommend resources or tools for someone wanting to research a patriot and write their story?

Guest:
The great news is—we’re using the same records any genealogist would use.

We use payroll cards, pension files, county histories… all of it. Same primary and secondary sources you’d use in regular research.

Yes, there are some compiled resources like Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution—it’s a massive multi-volume set. We use it a lot.

But the process? It’s the same. Trace your lineage back to the era and then look for the service records.

There are SAR and DAR-specific websites where you can check if someone’s already used your ancestor. But don’t jump ahead—build your lineage first. People often say, “I know I’m descended from so-and-so,” and maybe they are, but you have to prove it.

Host:
Yes. I’ve gone through the DAR process, and that’s a really good point. Is there help for someone who wants to apply to SAR?

Guest:
Absolutely. It’s very similar to DAR. It has to be a direct-line ancestor—not a sibling or cousin. But if you go to sar.org, there’s a “Join Now” button. Fill out the contact form and it’ll get routed to someone in your state or local chapter. They’ll reach out and help you.

We don’t want anyone to feel overwhelmed. It’s like the old saying—“How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”

When I joined DAR, I already had done most of the research. I just needed to add my birth certificate and a few other documents.

Most people have more than they think—they just need help putting it all together.

Host:
Yes! I remember getting that approval letter—getting my number—it was such an exciting moment.

Guest:
It really is. And to tie this into storytelling—joining a lineage society is about preserving that story. When you validate your ancestor’s service, you’re documenting it for posterity. You’re saying, “This story matters.”

Host:
Yes! I couldn’t agree more.

So, when it comes to writing family stories, what are your top three tips?

Guest:
Mine are simple:
Do it. Do it. Do it.

And yes, that’s just one tip repeated. [laughs] But it’s that important.

Just get it down. Don’t worry about it being perfect. This isn’t the final version. Don’t let perfection stop you from preserving the story.

And write like you speak. It adds personality. I wrote a final letter for my kids—where things are, what to do, etc.—and I ended it with, “Haha, points to Mom because you just read this in my voice.”

Host:
Yes! I love that. I’ve been transcribing something my grandma wrote, and I’ve vowed not to change a single word. Because when I read it, I hear her voice exactly.

Guest:
That’s exactly it. That’s part of your personality that gets passed down.

Host:
Here’s a newer question I haven’t asked many guests yet—if you could meet one ancestor, who would it be, and what would you ask?

Guest:
Oh, definitely my 2nd great-grandfather—William Lewis Despain. I call him Slick Willie. [laughs]

Every document I find about him is wild.

He was born in the early 1800s. He had nine kids with his wife Eliza Ann. About eight days after she gave birth to twins, he took off—with her sister Mariah. They vanished.

Mariah came back later—with two children who were clearly his.

My great-grandfather had to grow up seeing those half-siblings every day. It caused a lot of pain. That story was always talked about in hushed tones at family gatherings.

Years later, I set up a Google alert for his name—and it pinged. A request for a tombstone. Turns out he had served (briefly) in the Union army in the Civil War—as a 2nd Lieutenant. And he deserted.

The pension office denied his request for benefits, even though he kept writing letters saying, “I didn’t know I needed a discharge!”

He’d moved to Illinois, married two more women, and was buried there. His second wife even requested a military headstone for him.

Host:
Slick Willie indeed! [laughs]

Guest:
Right? My aunt’s jaw dropped when I told her. That story had haunted our family—and now we had answers.

Oh, and the newspapers? A Chicago paper ran a notice about him leaving his wife and stealing horses—and that story was reprinted across the country from New York to California!

The best part? His father-in-law listed in detail the height, color, and build of the horses… then casually ends with, “And my daughter Mariah, 15 or 16 years old.” [laughs]

Clearly, the horses were the priority!

Host:
That is amazing. One of the best stories I’ve ever heard!

As we wrap up—what advice would you give someone who feels overwhelmed starting out?

Guest:
Start with who you know. Talk to all the elders. Get their stories.

But also—write down your sources. “Aunt Martha said so” isn’t enough.

And remember: it’s okay to take breaks. Life happens. You can always come back.

Learn the tools that work for you. Whether it’s Ancestry, FamilySearch, Airtable—learn it your way. Everyone’s process is different.

And—leave yourself notes. I can’t tell you how many times I picked up a project five years later and had the exact same theory all over again. Leave yourself a breadcrumb trail!

Host:
Yes! That’s such great advice. Deborah, thank you so much—for your expertise, your stories, your humor… and Slick Willie! [laughs] It’s been such a pleasure.

Guest:
Thank you! It was a joy.

Host:
Until next time, friends—embrace the power of your family’s untold tales and embark on a journey of discovery. Let the ink flow and the words dance as you weave together the threads of your ancestors’ lives.

Start writing your family stories today—and let their voices echo through generations to come at Storied.com.

Have a great day, everyone!