Mayflower Society

I’d like to apply to the Mayflower Society – but I have a budget. Is there anything I can do to save money?

Mayflower Society applications can get expensive. I get it. Not only are you dealing with the application fees, you may have certificate costs of several hundred dollars – and that’s before you decided to hire help from a professional genealogist. If you have a budget, there are a few things you can do to makeContinueContinue reading “I’d like to apply to the Mayflower Society – but I have a budget. Is there anything I can do to save money?”

My ancestors are from Fairfield County, Connecticut. Do I have Mayflower ancestors?

This question comes up far more frequently then I would have expected – and the answer is, unfortunately, generally no. Why? In the 1600s, there were many more colonies in New England than states existing today. Much of Fairfield County fell under the political jurisdiction of New Haven Colony and the commercial realm of NewContinueContinue reading “My ancestors are from Fairfield County, Connecticut. Do I have Mayflower ancestors?”

What’s a “Silver Book”?

You’re working on an application to the General Society of Mayflower Descendants (“Mayflower Society”). Someone asks if you’ve checked the “Silver Books” yet. What do they mean? The “Silver Books” is a term used to describe a series of publications called “Mayflower Families through Five Generations.” Each publication – which has a silver cover -ContinueContinue reading “What’s a “Silver Book”?”

Do I need to have documents translated for my lineage society application?

As you’re preparing a lineage society application, you may discover some of your ancestor’s records are written in a non-English language. Because of the settlement patterns of the United States in the 18th and 19th century, French, German, and Spanish commonly appear in records. That usually raises a question: do I need to have theseContinueContinue reading “Do I need to have documents translated for my lineage society application?”

Can the same person be a qualifying ancestor for multiple societies?

Don’t worry, you’re not the first one to wonder! Your grandmother or sibling has joined one society, and you’d like to join another – using their paperwork. Is it possible? Maybe. First of all, review the qualifying ancestor guidelines for the society you’d like to join and the society your family member joined. Is thereContinueContinue reading “Can the same person be a qualifying ancestor for multiple societies?”