I stumbled across The David Library, http://www.dlar.org/, by accident yesterday and it looks like one of the best places to research Rev. War era and French Indian war records, especially bounty land grants. Since we had some discussion of bounty grants a while back I wanted to share this. Many of the research materials are found at other resources but you'd be hard pressed to find as comprehensive and specific a library with all these records in one place, and they also have commissioned microfilm of many rare and otherwise hard to access archives. It's one of few specialized private history libraries that doesn't charge a daily fee just to use the facilities. I'd add it to lists of research sites to visit in the greater Philadelphia area if you have Colonial ancestors. "The David Library, a specialized research institution, is open to the public upon completion of a simple registration form. Admission is free. The Library is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 am to 5 pm. It is closed Sundays, Mondays, and holidays. The Library's street address is 1201 River Road, Washington Crossing, PA." (Reservations are recommended to ensure Microfilm reader access) ... "The David Library is primarily a microform archive of approximately 10,000 reels that contain an estimated 8 million pages of documentation. The collection is supported by a reference collection of 40,000 books and pamphlets in both bound volumes and microcards. Although the main focus is on the American Revolution, in recent years the library has been augmenting its materials on the French and Indian War and the early national periods. Microfilm holdings currently include over 200 collections from domestic and foreign repositories. " ... "..containing original American, British, Loyalist, French and German records. The collections also hold a wealth of material on women, families, African Americans, and Indians. Facilities include the research library, a conference center, and a residence facility for visiting fellows." http://www.dlar.org/guide.html details some of the holdings The Bounty Land records include much more than just this below, but this set seemed worth mentioning: United States. National Archives. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land-Warrant Application Files.2670 reels. Accompanied by guide and Index of Revolutionary War Pension Applications in the National Archives (Washington, D.C., 1976). Abstracted in Virgil D. White, Genealogical Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Files 4 vols. (Waynesboro, Tenn., 1990).Contains an estimated 80,000 applications to the Federal government for survivor's disability and service pensions, widow's pensions, and bounty-land-warrants. Also includes rejected applications. In addition to the application, the file may contain supporting documentation: affidavits, marriage and family records, property schedules, correspondence, commissions, discharge papers, muster rolls, diaries, journals, orderly books, and account books. Originals are in the National Archives. [FILM 27]

Thank you for this information, is any of this at The David Library on-line to be researched from home ? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mal Humes" <mal3@mal.net> To: <PA-OLD-CHESTER-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2006 6:55 PM Subject: Rev. War Bounty land grants and war era research >I stumbled across The David Library, http://www.dlar.org/, by accident > yesterday and it looks like one of the best places to research Rev. War > era > and French Indian war records, especially bounty land grants. Since we > had > some discussion of bounty grants a while back I wanted to share this. > > Many of the research materials are found at other resources but you'd be > hard pressed to find as comprehensive and specific a library with all > these > records in one place, and they also have commissioned microfilm of many > rare > and otherwise hard to access archives. It's one of few specialized private > history libraries that doesn't charge a daily fee just to use the > facilities. I'd add it to lists of research sites to visit in the greater > Philadelphia area if you have Colonial ancestors. > > "The David Library, a specialized research institution, is open to the > public upon completion of a simple registration form. Admission is free. > The > Library is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 am to 5 pm. It is closed > Sundays, Mondays, and holidays. The Library's street address is 1201 > River > Road, Washington Crossing, PA." (Reservations are recommended to ensure > Microfilm reader access) > ... > "The David Library is primarily a microform archive of approximately > 10,000 > reels that contain an estimated 8 million pages of documentation. The > collection is supported by a reference collection of 40,000 books and > pamphlets in both bound volumes and microcards. Although the main focus is > on the American Revolution, in recent years the library has been > augmenting > its materials on the French and Indian War and the early national periods. > Microfilm holdings currently include over 200 collections from domestic > and > foreign repositories. " > ... > "..containing original American, British, Loyalist, French and German > records. The collections also hold a wealth of material on women, > families, > African Americans, and Indians. Facilities include the research library, a > conference center, and a residence facility for visiting fellows." > > http://www.dlar.org/guide.html details some of the holdings > > > The Bounty Land records include much more than just this below, but this > set > seemed worth mentioning: > > United States. National Archives. Revolutionary War Pension and > Bounty-Land-Warrant Application Files.2670 reels. Accompanied by guide and > Index of Revolutionary War Pension Applications in the National Archives > (Washington, D.C., 1976). Abstracted in Virgil D. White, Genealogical > Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Files 4 vols. (Waynesboro, Tenn., > 1990).Contains an estimated 80,000 applications to the Federal government > for survivor's disability and service pensions, widow's pensions, and > bounty-land-warrants. Also includes rejected applications. In addition to > the application, the file may contain supporting documentation: > affidavits, > marriage and family records, property schedules, correspondence, > commissions, discharge papers, muster rolls, diaries, journals, orderly > books, and account books. Originals are in the National Archives. [FILM > 27] > > ______________________________