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Citation Examples

Summary: Every worked example of an acceptable source citation found across the wiki and raw source documents, organized by document type. This page is a reference compilation — see [[source-citation-format]] for the citation rules and general principles behind each format.

Sources: # Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).md (APG, Citing Sources on the Application; Appendix D checklist), National Society, Sons of the American Revolution.md, raw/guidelines-1.md, raw/difficultcases.md, raw/SAR-Application-Formatting-Guide.pdf

Last updated: 2026-08-18

Birth, Marriage, and Death Certificates or Records

Abbreviation + subject's name. Year/place omitted unless there's a special reason.

  • b/c – John Smith
  • m/c – John Smith to Jane Doe
  • delayed b/c – Mary Walser, Sacramento Co. CA, 1952 (born 1889, certificate issued 1952)

(source: # Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).md, APG Citing Sources on the Application; Appendix D)

Census Records

Census year, county, state, page, head-of-household name, and "hh."

  • 1860 cen. Clayton Co., GA, p. 193, John Smith, hh.
  • 1860 cen. Clayton Co., IA, p. 193, John Smith hh (same example restated in Appendix D checklist, different state abbreviation — GA vs. IA — treat as the same illustrative example, not two distinct rules)

(source: # Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).md, APG Citing Sources on the Application; Appendix D)

Published Records (Books)

Title, year published, page number(s).

  • "History of Clayton County, Iowa," 1882, p. 691.

(source: # Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).md, APG Citing Sources on the Application)

Court Records (Probate, Land, etc.)

Place, year, volume/book, page, names of persons of interest.

  • Loudoun Co., VA Deed Bk R (1789), p. 440, Ashley to Mann.
  • Lancaster Co., SC Minutes Court of Equity, Bk B (1834-1841), pp. 222-223, Terrill heirs.

(source: # Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).md, APG Citing Sources on the Application)

Bible Records

Original owner and publication date.

  • Meshak Vanlandingham Family Bible, 1837

(source: # Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).md, APG Citing Sources on the Application)

Newspaper Articles

Type of article, person of interest, newspaper name, date, page.

  • Obit John Smith, San Francisco Call, 21 Feb 1885, p. 4.

(source: # Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).md, APG Citing Sources on the Application)

SAR, DAR, or C.A.R. Record Copies

Organization abbreviation, "RC," member number, patriot's name.

  • SAR RC #156802 – Samuel Hoard.
  • DAR RC #809020 – Richard Terrill.
  • C.A.R. RC #231066 – John Smith
  • DAR RC #123456 – Jonathan Smith (Appendix D checklist restatement of the same rule)

(source: # Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).md, APG Citing Sources on the Application; Appendix D)

Record Copies Used for Proof of Service

Also quote the service sources cited on the record copy itself.

  • SAR RC #184244 – Zephaniah Holcomb cites Roberts, NY in the Rev, pp. 111, 113; O'Callaghan, Docs Rel to the Col History of State of NY, "NY in the Rev," Vol 15, p. 396.
  • DAR RC #965138 – Andreas Gerberich cites PA Archives, 5th Series, Vol. 17, p. 620.
  • C.A.R. RC # 231066 – John Smith cites PA Archives, 5th Series, Vol. 17, p. 620.

Do not cite: DAR ancestor numbers or SAR "P" numbers — neither conveys usable data.

(source: # Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).md, APG Citing Sources on the Application)

Tombstones

"Gravestone" or "Tombstone," name of deceased, cemetery name, cemetery location. Add the memorial number for Find a Grave images.

  • Gravestone – Josiah Smith, Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, VA.
  • Tombstone – Josiah Smith, memorial #78888, Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, VA.

(source: # Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).md, APG Citing Sources on the Application)

Proof Arguments

Name of the proof argument, followed by every supporting document's citation.

Name of the proof argument: citation of first document; citation of second document; etc.

If more than one proof argument appears on an application, each must carry a different designation. (source: # Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).md, APG Proof Arguments)

DNA Proof Arguments

In the Reference sections of both generations involved:

"DNA proof argument: DNA evidence," (followed by citing each piece of traditional evidence, unless the applicant requests certain documents not be listed)

(source: # Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).md, APG Use of DNA Evidence)

Multi-Generation Document Reference

When one document supports more than one generation, note which generation it's cited for:

  • b/c – Tom Jones (gen 1)

(source: raw/SAR-Application-Formatting-Guide.pdf)

Non-Citation Examples Found Nearby (Not Source Citations)

These appear in the same sections of the source material as citation examples but describe other application fields, not the Reference/citation format. Included here for completeness since they're easy to mistake for citations:

Capacity field examples (service description, not proof citation): - Private, Capt. John Smith, Col. Robert Thompson, 6th Dutchess Co., NY, Regt. - Signed Association Test, 1778 - Petit Juror, Hartford, CT, 1779 - Paid Supply Tax, 1781-1782, Bedford Co., VA

(source: raw/SAR-Application-Formatting-Guide.pdf — see [[application-requirements]])

Marriage location split notation (place-name formatting, not a source citation): - Shelbyville/Shelby/KY -- Jefferson Co. rec.

(source: raw/SAR-Application-Formatting-Guide.pdf — see [[application-requirements]])

No Citation Format Found For

Some document types are discussed as admissible in the wiki but have no worked citation example anywhere in the source material:

  • Revolutionary War pension records (only "pension number" is named as required content — see [[acceptable-sources]] and the wiki discussion under [[source-citation-format]])
  • Bounty land records, final payment vouchers, state public claims records
  • Affidavits
  • City directories
  • Fraternal/military/academic records
  • Church, cemetery, and funeral home records (outside of tombstone format above)

If these are cited on a future application, follow the general principle: provide enough information to identify and locate the document (source: # Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).md, APG Citing Sources on the Application).

  • [[source-citation-format]]
  • [[acceptable-sources]]
  • [[record-copies]]
  • [[application-requirements]]
  • [[proof-argument]]