CMA Patriot Ancestors

June 18, 1997


In a recent pair of e-mail messages, David McCallister, (J04), Del City, OK, Member #998, sent me a list of Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Patriot Ancestors (PA) who were named McAllister. A PA is the person who fought in the state militia or Continental forces during the American Revolution, or provided service as a civilian in support of the cause of Independence. All members of the DAR, as well as those of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), must provide in their applications for membership, proof of their lineage, back to the PA. The local chapter researches and certifies this lineage, then passes it to the State and National authorities, which assign a membership number. From time to time, the lists of PA's are published in an index. The DAR index to which David referred is in Volume 2, page 1935.


There were twenty-nine McAllisters on David's list. I checked each name against the CMA computer data base and was astonished to find every name except two on the list. The following lines are represented. They are shown by the line number, progenitor, principal and first spouse, their CMA number, and home state as shown in the CMA database.






PAs in CMA Data Base


  1. A01 (Angus), Andrew and Rebecca Robinson McAllister, A01-2-6, NH.

  2. A04 (Archibald), John and Catherine McKnight McAllister, A04-1, PA.

  3. A04 (Archibald), Richard and Mary Dill McAllister, A04-2, PA.

  4. A04 (Archibald, James and Sally Vance McAllister, A04-3, PA.

  5. A04 (Archibald), Archibald and Elizabeth Carson McAllister, A04-2-4, PA.

  6. A17 (Angus), John and Lilly McRae McAllister, A17-3, NC.

  7. G03 (Gabriel), James and Caty Hughes McAllister, G03-1, PA.

  8. H02 (Hugh), John and Elizabeth Campbell McAllister, H02-1, PA.

  9. H02 (Hugh), Hugh and Sarah Nelson McAllister, H02-3, PA.

  10. H02 (Hugh), William and Sarah Thompson McAllister, H02-4, PA.

  11. H02 (Hugh), James and Eleanor Anderson McAllister, H02-7, PA.

  12. J04 (James), James and Mary McCloughlin McAllister, J04, VA.

  13. J04 (James), Edward and Mary DeHart McAllister, J04-4, VA.

  14. J04 (James), Garrett and Susannah Craig McAllister, J04-5, VA.

  15. J12 (John), Archibald and Maria McKeen McAllister, J12-1, NH.

  16. J18 (Joseph), Joseph and Nancy Gilmore McAllister, J18, VA.

  17. J27 (John), Isaac and Hannah Goddard McAllister, J27-A, NH.

  18. J27 (John), Reuben and Jane McBride McAllister, J27-A-1, NH.

  19. R02 (Ronald), Alexander and Mary McNeill McAllister, R02-1-1, NC.

  20. R02 (Ronald), Coll and Janet Buie McAllister, R02-1-1-1, NC.

  21. R04 (Richard), Richard and Ann Miller McAllister, R04, NH.

  22. R04 (Richard), Archibald and Mary Boyce McAllister, R04-1, MA.

  23. R04 (Richard), Richard and Peggy Cunningham McAllister, R04-1-1, NH.

  24. R04 (Richard), John and Anna Steel McAllister, R04-2., NH.

  25. R04 (Richard), William and Jerusha Spofford McAllister, R04-3, MA.

  26. R04 (Richard), Richard and Susan Diamond McAllister, R04-7, NH.

  27. R04 (Richard), James and Sally McClary McAllister, R04-8, NH.


PAs Not In CMA Data Base


The two McAllisters on the DAR index list who were not identified in the CMA DB were:

  1. John (b. c. 1745, MD, (d. abt. Jun 1821, VA), and Elizabeth McReynolds McAllister, service in VA.

  2. Randal (b. 21 Sep 1744, Scotland, d. 23 May 1819, NH) and Mary Blair McAllister, service in NH.


If any reader can identify either 28 or 29 as their ancestors, please get in touch with me. The DAR list is not the only record of McAllisters who served in the American Revolution. For instance, I am now researching the Pension File (#R6602) of Andrew and Elizabeth McAllister, SC, most of which I copied from the National Archives. Andrew originally received a pension from SC. The Federal Government assumed payment of all pensions when it broadened the required qualifications in the 1830's. Andrew died in 1831, and his wife applied for many years to have her widow's pension approved. If you think that the bureaucracy is slow today, read that file. It will make you weep, when you consider how small an amount she was requesting.

I believe that Andrew is a son of Alexander and Sarah McAllister (A09), and am now corresponding with those CMA members who are most familiar and knowledgeable with SC McAllister families. If you are a member of either the DAR or SAR, please contact me, and I will put your Membership Number on your CMA record in the DB. If you would like to join the DAR or SAR, and recognize one of the above names as your PA, let me know, and I will provide a print out of your lineage in the DB, plus copies of any records which might help on your application. The reason that I encourage CMA members to join these organizations is that they have some of the best genealogical information in the country in their libraries and Membership Application files.

The Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) 1993 index lists two McAllisters as Patriot Ancestors:

  1. Edward McCallister, J04-4. See item (13) above. Edward is the PA for John W. Epley, Plymouth, IN.

  2. Garrett McCallister, J04-5. See item (14) above. Garrett is the PA for Dr. Wayne K. McCallister, Anderson, Indiana

Another principal source of America Revolutionary War veterans is White's index of all pension applications made by the veterans and/or their widows. This encyclopedic work lists all McAllisters, regardless of spelling. As time permits, I will copy the items at the DAR Library and compare it with other sources. This work will be the subject of a future article.

Robert M. McAllister