Research by Subject: Genealogy
  
   MILITARY TIMELINE for the U.S.

WVC Library Home Page > Research by Subject Menu > Genealogy > Military Records
 
 

With your list of available men to search for consider their birthdates against the following timeline:

(if they are close to the birth years suggested look because sometimes people served abnormally young or old)

If they were born... They might have served When and Where:
 
1560- General Militia Service 1621 is the first militia formation in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.  Eventually all colonies and later states had required militia duty.
For resources go here to the colonial military page
1570-1621 Pequot War 1636 New England
For resources go here to the colonial military page
1615-1660 King Philips War 1675-1676 New England
For resources go here to the colonial military page
1629-1683 King William's War 1689-1698 New Hampshire, Maine
For resources go here to the colonial military page
1696-1747 French-Indian Wars  A.K.A. Seven Years War 1754-1763 all colonies - particularly watch families on the frontiers and those on the borders near Canada 
For resources go here to the colonial military page
1724-1759 Lord Dunmore's War & the Battle of Point Pleasant 1774 took place western frontier of southern Pennsylvania & northern Virginia 
For resources go here to the colonial military page
1715-1768 American Revolution 1775-1783 in all 13 colonies.  
For resources go here to the American Revolution page
1784-1797 Indian Expeditions 1784-1812 - the frontier states; primarily at this time Ohio, Illinois, Indiana
For resources go here to the Indian Wars page
1734-1779 Whiskey Rebellion 1794 in Western Pennsylvania
1752-1800 War of 1812 1812-1815
For resources go here to the War of 1812 page
1786-1833 Mexican War 1846-1848 – all states. The American army only had 8000 men when it began – more than one hundred thousand enlisted. Average age of soldiers was mid 20s- early 30s but many veterans of the War of 1812 also served and would have been older.

For resources go here to the Mexican War page
1815-1847 (most common) Civil War 1861-1865  Most were between the ages of 18 and 46 but keep in mind there were exceptions. Average age was 26 years old.
good statistics about Civil War Soldier demographics here
For resources go here to the Civil War military page
1858-1875 Spanish American War 1898 - over 325,000 served from all states - average soldier was in his late 20s
For resources go here to the Spanish American War military page
1873-1900 WWI 1917-1918 The War began in 1914 but America entered the war in April 1917. Some didn't come home till 1919. For resources go here to the WWI military page
1900-1924 WWII 1940-1947 For resources go here to the World War II page
1910-1935 Korean Conflict 1950-1953 For resources go here to the Korean Conflict military page
 

Remember...

Prior to the 20th century history, laws, customs made military experience different in different places.  It is important to learn what those differences were for your family. 

State and county histories are wonderful for this

Go to GOOGLE BOOKS

search with terms like

"Mexican American War" Pennsylvania
"Mexican American War"  "Chester County" Pennsylvania
"American Revolution" Guilford Vermont
military history "Hampshire County" Virginia

 

  

 

                                                 Anne Livingston   @WVC Library