Membership
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Thank you for your interest in our Society. The following information is to assist you in filling out your application(s) and avoid delays. Please read the entire instructions and make a work copy before beginning to type/print on the Application Form.
These instructions supersede all previous application instructions and should be strictly adhered to.
You will need to do your own genealogy research for each generation back to your Patriot ancestor. The Society does not do genealogy research.
1) The application(s) needs to be filled out completely through your Patriot ancestor, either typed or printed.
2) You are required to include documentation copies for each generation. Following are types of documentation that are needed for each generation: birth certificates or baptismal records showing the names of the parents, certified copies of church or governmental records, marriage records, obituaries, death records or certificates showing the names and birthplaces of the parents, census records, wills, pension records and/or probate records giving the names of the children of the descendant by full name, court records and/or land patents in which the name of the parent and children are explicitly stated, Bible records, either certified transcripts or photocopies of the title page of family records and muster roll(s) — showing dates and stating “Valley Forge”.
3) If you do not have documentation proving your Patriot ancestor served at Valley Forge, one of the best sources for military service records is the National Archives. Please write to the address below or call (301) 837-2000 and request NATF Form 86 (rev. 5-2002):