Group looking for those with revolutionary roots

Group looking for those with revolutionary roots: "Unlike many organizations, Sons of the American Revolution are united by a unique thread heritage.

'You must be able to trace your ancestry back to someone who served or aided in the Revolutionary War,' Texas Society President James Heath of the group's membership criteria.

More than 50 registered members, including elected office holders from several local, state and national chapters, converged on Longview on Saturday for a State Board of Managers meeting to address policy. The weekend event was highlighted by a dinner with speaker Warren Hunt, whose keynote address focused on Francis Marion, a South Carolina native known as the 'Swamp Fox' for his elusive tactics from British soldiers during the war.

Heath, who also has roots in South Carolina, said the Sons are equivalent to the Daughters of the American Revolution. 'We're actually older than the DAR, but they're a lot bigger.'

Prospective members must perform genealogical work to prove their revolutionary ancestry. The group has about 2,500 members in Texas alone, making up nearly a tenth of the more than 27,500 members across the nation. "