The Society of the War of 1812 Applications is the newest title in Fold3’s growing War of 1812 Collection. Thousands of names, dates, and relationships are available in over three hundred membership applications. The Society, founded September 14, 1814, is comprised of thirty-two state societies, one of which is the District of Columbia whose application files are the first to be added to Fold3.

The applications are typically four to six pages, teeming with genealogical data connecting members of the Society to their War of 1812 ancestors. Often, especially in the later applications, you’ll discover verifying documents like family Bible records, awards, newspapers clippings, and memorabilia.

Through his 1962 application, Walter Vancion Ball became member #210 via his descent from Buckley Butterworth, a War of 1812 soldier from Campbell County, Virginia. Ball traces his descent from Butterworth, his great-great-grandfather, providing names, dates, and places to prove his lineage. At the bottom of this page, we also find information about his ancestor’s service which helps us locate the pension file for Buckley Butterworth. It confirms that he received three bounty land warrants for his service, that he served for three months in 1814, and includes many letters questioning whether his widow’s name was Sarah/Sally or Frances. It was later determined that Frances was his daughter’s name and, in the process, the names of several additional relatives are provided.

Ball’s society application also provides service information and “Authorities as to Descent” to document Ball’s genealogy. The final page includes interesting additional facts about his great-great-grandfather Buckley, as well as Ball’s own personal history. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and authored “The Butterworth Family of Maryland and Virginia-1960.”

The General Society of the War of 1812 is a lineage society which commemorates those who fought in the War of 1812. Many members of the District of Columbia society were descendants of the original Washington “Warhawks,” younger congressman who pushed for going to war with Great Britain in 1812 in what is often called America’s Second War of Independence.

Read more about the Ball-Butterworth connections or explore the War of 1812 Society Applications on Fold3 to learn more about the soldiers who served and their descendants.