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List of members of the Sons of the American Revolution

The Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) is a United States patriotic and lineage organization founded in 1889. The following is a list of distinguished members since the organization's founding.

National leaders

Presidents of the United States

To date, 17 presidents of the United States have been members of the SAR. President Grant was admitted posthumously in recognition of his being a member of the Sons of Revolutionary Sires, whose members were later admitted to membership in the SAR.

Of the presidents who lived since the SAR's founding in 1889 and are not listed above, presidents Grover Cleveland, Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden all had patriot ancestors but did not join the SAR. Presidents Woodrow Wilson, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and Donald Trump did not have ancestors in the United States at the time of the Revolution.

President Joe Biden, then a United States Senator, was awarded a Gold Good Citizenship Medal by The Delaware Society of the Sons of the American Revolution in 1999. Other presidents who received the Gold Good Citizenship Medal include Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush.

Of the 22 presidents who served prior to the founding of the SAR in 1889, six qualify as patriot ancestors – George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe and Andrew Jackson. Two others, Grant and Hayes, were members of SAR. Of the remaining 14, all except for Martin Van Buren had patriot ancestors.

Vice presidents of the United States

National leaders outside the United States

Nobel Prize recipients

Nobel Peace Prize recipients

Nobel Prize for Literature recipient

Military

Medal of Honor recipients

The following 43 SAR Compatriots are known to have received the United States Congressional Medal of Honor. It is possible that there are other Medal of Honor recipients who were SAR Compatriots. The number recipients for each conflict is as follows: Civil War – 17, Indian Wars – 6, Spanish–American War – 1, Philippines – 2, Vera Cruz – 1, Peacetime – 3, World War II – 8, Korea - 2, Vietnam – 3. Only two of these recipients, Major General Patrick Brady and Captain Gary M. Rose, are living as of 2025.

This link is the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Medal of Honor Recipient timeline: https://www.sar.org/sar-compatriot-medal-of-honor-recipients/

(The rank indicated is the highest held by the individual and not necessarily that held at the time the Medal of Honor was earned or awarded.)

Civil War

Indian Wars

  • Brigadier General John B. Babcock, USA – Veteran of the Civil War and earned the Medal of Honor during the Indian Wars.
  • Brigadier General Oscar F. Long, USA – Served in the campaign against Chief Joseph.
  • Colonel John C. Gresham, USA - received the Medal of Honor for actions at Wounded Knee.
  • Colonel Charles H. Heyl, USA - received the Medal of Honor for actions against hostile Indians.
  • Lieutenant Colonel John O. Skinner, USA - Received Medal of Honor for actions against hostile Indians while serving as a civilian contract surgeon.
  • First Lieutenant Powhatan H. Clarke, USA – Commanded African-American Cavalrymen (a.k.a. "Buffalo Soldiers") against Apache Indians.

Spanish-American War

Philippine Insurrection

  • Lieutenant Colonel Bernard A. Byrne, USV - Received the Medal of Honor for heroic actions in the Philippines.
  • Major John Alexander Logan Jr., USV (posthumous recipient) - Died during his Medal of Honor action in the Philippines.

Vera Cruz

Peacetime (non-combat)

  • Major General Adolphus Greely, USA – Civil War veteran and Arctic explorer.
  • Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd Jr., USN – Awarded Medal of Honor for first flight over the North Pole.
  • Lieutenant William Lowell Hill, USN – Awarded Medal of Honor for rescuing a sailor from drowning.

World War II

Korean War

Vietnam

Military and naval officers

Public officials

Cabinet officers

Diplomats

Governors

United States senators

U.S. representatives

Judges

Other public officials

Other distinguished members

References