Wiki Log

Append-only record of all wiki operations.

2026-04-15 — Initial ingestion of two source documents

Sources ingested: - raw/# Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).md — SAR Application Preparation Guide, 03 January 2026 - raw/National Society, Sons of the American Revolution.md — NSSAR Genealogy Committee Policies, through 10 March 2026

Pages created: - wiki/index.md — Table of contents and source document registry - wiki/revolutionary-service.md — Military, civil, patriotic service definitions; special cases - wiki/genealogical-proof-standard.md — GPS five elements, direct/indirect evidence, proof strength - wiki/acceptable-sources.md — Admissible documents for service and lineage - wiki/inadmissible-sources.md — Explicitly rejected document types - wiki/record-copies.md — SAR/DAR/CAR record copy rules and cutoff dates - wiki/application-types.md — All six application types and their requirements - wiki/application-requirements.md — Form, paper, printing, signatures, dates, places, documentation rules - wiki/lineage-proof.md — Proving lineage, residence, identity, maternal bloodline - wiki/proof-argument.md — When and how to write a proof argument; research tips - wiki/dna-evidence.md — DNA policies, scope limits, professional requirements, consent - wiki/source-citation-format.md — Citation formats for all common document types - wiki/appeals-and-pended.md — Pended application rules, flags, appeals process, expedited processing - wiki/log.md — This file

2026-04-20 — Ingested supplementary source: guidelines-1.md

Source ingested: - raw/guidelines-1.md — General lineage proof guidelines for patriotic/hereditary societies, drawing on Val D. Greenwood's Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy (1973). Treated as supplementary SAR guidance.

Pages created: - wiki/guidelines-1.md — Source summary; 3-tier evidence hierarchy; implied proof pitfalls; land/tax records rule; document handling rules; bloodline/adoption rule; nearest common ancestor rule

Pages updated: - wiki/acceptable-sources.md — Added evidence hierarchy table; land and tax records section; conflict note on 1850–1870 census (guidelines-1 says cannot prove relationship; GCP 3.4001 accepts as proof — GCP governs) - wiki/inadmissible-sources.md — Added: oral/written/published family traditions; applicant/family-authored material; lineage papers from other societies; implied proof pitfalls section - wiki/lineage-proof.md — Added: ancestor chart requirement; implied proof pitfalls; TRUE COPY attestation rule; adopted children rule (explicit); nearest common ancestor rule - wiki/index.md — Added supplementary sources section; registered guidelines-1.md

2026-04-20 — Ingested source: difficultcases.md

Source ingested: - raw/difficultcases.md — "Documenting Difficult Cases," edited by Genealogist General Jim Faulkinbury, 30 March 2020. SAR-specific practical research guide covering pre-1850 records, the full federal census series, vital records, city directories, FamilySearch Catalog navigation, and other sources for difficult cases.

Pages created: - wiki/difficultcases.md — Source summary; pre-1850 record types (deeds, probate, court, tax, tombstone lists); census series overview; vital records; church/cemetery/funeral records; published family histories; IGI/Ancestry.com warning; SAR Genealogical Research Library - wiki/research-strategies.md — FamilySearch Catalog icon guide; census search tips; mortality schedules; city directories; fraternal/military/academic records; genealogy reference books; hiring a local researcher

Pages updated: - wiki/acceptable-sources.md — Expanded census section with year-by-year table, state censuses, mortality schedules, indexing caveats; added long-form vital records requirement; added city directories section; added fraternal/military/academic records section - wiki/index.md — Added difficultcases.md to supplementary sources and raw source registry; added research-strategies.md to application process section

2026-04-20 — Ingested source: SAR-Application-Formatting-Guide.pdf

Source ingested: - raw/SAR-Application-Formatting-Guide.pdf — Official SAR application formatting and review guide. No date or author shown. Covers field-by-field completion instructions, lineage data entry rules, the Registrar review process, and a submission checklist.

Pages created: - wiki/SAR-Application-Formatting-Guide.md — Source summary; service description vs. proof field distinction; bracketed data rule; NSSAR/NSDAR field clarification; multiple-applicant rule; membership certificate spelling; DAR 4-page requirement; inadmissible proof-of-service sources; review process steps

Pages updated: - wiki/application-requirements.md — Added: service description vs. proof of service field distinction (with examples); NSSAR/NSDAR # field clarification; bracketed/parenthetical data rule for record copies; conflicting date slash notation; marriage location split notation; previously married woman's name format; SSN obscuring requirement; transcription submission rule; multiple-applications-same-patriot rule; membership certificate spelling note; DAR record copy 4-page requirement - wiki/inadmissible-sources.md — Added explicit proof-of-service inadmissible sources section (VA grave markers, memorial plaques, county histories caveat, DAR GRS printout clarification) - wiki/revolutionary-service.md — Added DAR patriot search check section - wiki/index.md — Added SAR-Application-Formatting-Guide.pdf to supplementary sources and raw source registry

2026-08-18 — Compiled cites.md from full wiki + raw review

Task: Read every .md file in wiki/ and raw/ and compiled every worked example of an acceptable source citation into one reference page, at user request.

Pages created: - wiki/cites.md — All citation examples by document type (birth/marriage/death, census, published records, court records, Bible, newspaper, SAR/DAR/CAR record copies, proof of service via record copy, tombstones, proof arguments, DNA proof arguments, multi-generation reference notation). Also flags near-miss examples that are not source citations (capacity field descriptions, marriage location split notation) and document types with admissibility rules but no worked citation example anywhere in the source material (pension records, bounty land, affidavits, city directories, fraternal/military/academic records, church/cemetery/funeral records).

Pages updated: - wiki/index.md — Registered cites.md under Application Process; updated Last updated date