The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is excited to announce a new resource has been added to its Genealogical Research System (GRS). The new resource is an index of over 40,000 digitized family Bible records, and each day more records are digitized and added to the Index. This is one of the largest known collections of such genealogical materials in existence. The DAR collection spans many decades, so even those researchers who are not looking for Revolutionary War era ancestors, may find the new Bible Records Index useful.

“The DAR is committed to making family research materials more readily available to the public,” said DAR President General Lynn Forney Young. “Many of these transcripts of the Bible records may be all that is left of these family Bibles, so it is important to preserve them for our future generations and make them accessible to researchers.”

Genealogists often rely on vital records, among other resources, to aid in their research, but sometimes these records may be difficult to find or are non-existent, which is why these Bible records are such important research tools. Historically, families kept detailed accounts of the family’s history in their Bibles, including births, baptisms, confirmations, marriages and deaths and handed the Bible down through the generations. The Bible Record Index may contain unique information that researchers today are unable to locate anywhere else.

As with any resource there are some disadvantages to Bible records, including errors or inaccuracies, but they are still a useful source when other materials may not be available. Bible records may be an acceptable form of documentation when applying for membership in the DAR. Learn more about the parameters in the application instructions.

Family Bible records can be found in the DAR’s many genealogical collections, but the largest group of these records is found in the reports of the Genealogical Research Committee (GRC). The new Bible Records Index was collected, compiled and digitized by the hard-working DAR members of the GRC. In 1913, this committee of members began to gather and transcribe unpublished genealogical source materials such as military records, deeds, vital records, estate records and Bible records. Through this work, DAR was able to expand its genealogical holdings, made genealogy resources available to the public and today it has now facilitated the creation of the Bible Record Index.

“This new index may be helpful to those researchers who have reached a ‘brick wall’ in their research,” said Eric G. Grundset, Director of the DAR Library. “These Bible records contain information that had previously been extremely difficult to find. The index opens these records for the future.”

To use this new database, researchers will enter a name and the GRS will search the more than 40,000 Bible records for a match. If a match is found, the researcher will see information about the record including: surname, the source, book title, book description and the page on which the name first appears. If the researcher is on-site at the DAR Library they are able to view the Bible records and print off the pages that are needed. If the researcher is not at DAR Headquarters they can use the DAR Library Search Service to acquire the records or they can start planning their trip to the DAR Library so they can access the records.

The DAR Bible Record Index is one of the largest collections of this type of genealogical materials available today and we are excited to make these resources available to the public for research purposes and to help preserve these unique records for future generations.

The GRS Bible Records Index can be found at www.dar.org/grs/bibleindex.

For more information about joining the Daughters of the American Revolution, visit www.dar.org/membership.

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The DAR Genealogical Research System (GRS) is a free resource provided by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) to aid general genealogical research and to assist with the DAR membership process. The GRS is a collection of databases that provide access to the many materials amassed by the DAR since its founding in 1890. To access the DAR Genealogical Research System, visit www.dar.org/GRS.

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 to promote historic preservation, education and patriotism.  Any woman 18 years or older, regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution is eligible for membership. With more than 177,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters worldwide, DAR is one of the world's largest and most active service organizations. Encompassing an entire downtown city block, DAR National Headquarters houses one of the nation’s premier genealogical libraries, one of the foremost collections of pre-industrial American decorative arts, Washington, D.C.’s largest concert hall, and an extensive collection of early American manuscripts and imprints. To learn more about the work of today's DAR, visit www.dar.org.