The General Society of Mayflower Descendants – the Mayflower Society – has among the lineage world’s most strict requirements about the documents that need to be provided in an application.
Here are the basic guidelines:
- The Silver Books and previous applications should be used to document any generations already on file.
- If a vital record could exist for the other generations (ie. the event happened after the state start recording vital records), you need to provide it.
- If you cannot provide it, you’ll need to get a “no record found” letter from the office that issues vital records. (That might be the county recorder, the town clerk, the state vital records office, or another office.)
- If the spouse the line runs through (the “line carrier”) was married more than once, you’ll need to document all marriages.
- For generations where vital records do not exist, you can substitute other documents to document birth, marriage, and death. Probate files, gravestones, deeds, and military records are acceptable options.
- Uncited family genealogies and/or local histories should not be used as the only documentation in any generation.
Questions? Contact us.