Ohio volunteers locate and honor graves of Revolutionary War veterans

Key Concepts

• Revolutionary War Veterans’ Graves Project: A statewide initiative in Ohio to locate, document, and digitize the burial sites of Revolutionary War veterans.
• Semiquincentennial (250th Anniversary): The upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States, focusing on grassroots, local historical engagement.
• Digital Preservation: The use of GPS technology and online databases to create permanent, accessible records of historical sites.
• Grassroots History: The shift from top-down, federally managed commemorations to community-led historical research and preservation.
• Northwest Territory Land Grants: The historical context explaining why many Revolutionary War veterans migrated to Ohio (receiving land in lieu of monetary payment).

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1. The Revolutionary War Veterans’ Graves Project

The project aims to identify and catalog the estimated 7,000 graves of Revolutionary War veterans located within Ohio.

• Methodology: Volunteers like Matthew Lucas travel across the state to locate gravesites. They record precise GPS coordinates, the condition of the headstone, any visible markings, and the orientation of the grave.
• Data Management: This information is compiled into a centralized online database, ensuring that these sites are documented before natural erosion or neglect destroys them.
• Scale: As of the report, over 4,300 graves have been cataloged. Volunteers like Lucas have personally identified hundreds of sites, with Lucas alone documenting over 700.

2. Historical Context and Motivation

• The "Why": Many veterans moved to Ohio because the post-war government, lacking liquid capital, provided land in the Northwest Territory as payment for military service. This led to veterans uprooting their families to settle in what was then the frontier.
• Community Connection: The project serves as a bridge between modern citizens and their ancestors. It allows individuals to discover genealogical links and fosters a sense of local ownership over history that exists outside of major urban centers or Washington, D.C.

3. Lessons from the 1976 Bicentennial

John Dichtl of the American Association for State and Local History highlights a strategic shift in how the nation approaches major anniversaries:

• The Bicentennial Failure: The 1976 Bicentennial was marred by political turbulence (the Nixon administration) and accusations of commercialization. It was viewed as overly centralized and top-down.
• The "Bottom-Up" Approach: For the 250th anniversary, the strategy is to encourage "grassroots" participation. This ensures that the commemoration is defined by local stories rather than federal mandates.
• Lasting Impact: Historical organizations learned that local engagement is the most effective way to sustain interest; notably, 30% of all history groups existing in 1980 were founded during the Bicentennial era.

4. Challenges in Preservation

• Physical Deterioration: Krista Horrocks (Ohio History Connection) notes that erosion is inevitable. Documentation is the only way to ensure these sites "outlive all of us."
• Missing Markers: In many cases, such as the Ritter Cemetery in Pickaway County, headstones are missing or piled up. Volunteers must rely on rigorous archival research to verify a veteran's presence before marking a site, ensuring historical accuracy.
• Complexity of History: The project includes diverse figures, such as a Hessian soldier who fought for the British but defected to the American cause, highlighting the nuanced nature of Revolutionary-era history.

5. Notable Quotes

• Krista Horrocks: "These grave sites will not live on forever. There's nothing we can do to stop the erosion permanently, but to be able to document them is the best thing we can do."
• John Dichtl: "America's history is more than the founding fathers. It's more than what happens in Washington D.C. It's more than what happens in big cities, it's people's stories from every corner of the country."
• Matthew Lucas: "The picnics, the parades and all that are wonderful. But this is something that can last so much farther."

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Synthesis and Conclusion

The Revolutionary War Veterans’ Graves Project represents a shift in how the United States commemorates its history. By moving away from the commercialized, top-down models of the past, the project empowers citizens to engage in "citizen science" and historical preservation. Through the use of modern technology (GPS and digital databases), volunteers are creating a permanent, accessible record of the nation's origins. This effort not only honors the veterans who settled the Northwest Territory but also strengthens the bond between local communities and their unique historical identities, ensuring that the 250th anniversary is defined by personal connection rather than just national spectacle.