America 250-Ohio has initiated a statewide project to locate and document the gravesites of Revolutionary War veterans in Ohio. The commission, which is responsible for organizing Ohio's semiquincentennial celebrations in 2026, estimates there are about 7,000 such graves across the state. The public is invited to help identify, photograph, and record these sites in a publicly accessible database.
"We suspect that few Ohioans are aware of how many Revolutionary War veterans settled in the state after the war ended," said Todd Kleismit, executive director of America 250-Ohio. "Creating this database will help crystalize this connection and enhance our understanding of just how important Ohio was to the establishment of the United States."
The project is led by the Ohio History Connection and its State Historic Preservation Office with support from Terracon Consultants, Inc. It uses an online portal and the mobile app Survey123 to gather data. Historians, genealogists, local historical societies, students, scouting groups, and descendants are encouraged to contribute.
"The beauty of this approach is that it empowers anyone who owns a smartphone to contribute meaningful data to the project," said Joseph Snider, archaeological geophysicist at Terracon.
Despite not being one of the original 13 colonies, Ohio holds many graves of Revolutionary War veterans due to land grants given as payment for military service. "These are the very first veterans of the United States of America," said Krista Horrocks from the Ohio History Connection. "This project is about reclaiming those stories and ensuring they are remembered for generations to come."
The Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) and Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) have already identified around 6,800 veterans buried in Ohio. This existing information will form the basis for a new database aimed at preserving these sites through detailed GPS data and photographs.
Horrocks emphasized that many graves have been lost over time due to deterioration or development. "Gravestones won’t survive forever," she noted. "But if we can document their location and story today, that information will outlive all of us."
The goal is to establish a comprehensive public record by July 2026, marking 250 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed. More information on participating can be found at ohiohistory.org/revwargraves.
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