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Lineage, First Family and Pioneer Societies On the Web

DIANE L. RICHARD GOES ONLINE IN HER SEARCH FOR LINEAGE, FIRST FAMILY AND PIONEER SOCIETIES

MANY OF YOU QUALIFY to become these societies can be found at a 2. There is no online application members of a Lineage, First website mentioned at the end of form. Family or Pioneer Society. Most of the article. these societies do have a website Canadian Society of Mayflower and it is important that you visit The Mayflower Society Descendants the appropriate website to learn http://www.themayflowersociety.com/ http://www.rootsweb.com/~canms the eligibility requirements and 1. A list of the Mayflower Pilgrims /canada.html what documentation must be sub- from whom one must be descended. 1. Some general information is mitted with your application. The 2. A “Preliminary Review Form” provided about membership and requirements for each are unique that you fill out and submit since the Mayflower Society is the and exacting and many are “invi- online (there is no charge for organization, check the tation only” societies. this). This is reviewed and you details on that website. Here are a sampling of some will receive a report on the find- 2. No online application. One can of the famous — and not-so- ings with complete instructions be requested via e-mail. famous — societies that you may on how to proceed. feel you are eligible to join. An Jamestowne Society overview is given of what mem- The National Society, Colonial http://www.jamestowne.org bership information is available Dames XVII Century Invitation Only online for each (they are not listed http://www.colonialdames17c.net 1. “Membership is by invitation in any particular order). Invitation Only and in accordance with Jamestowne 1. An Eligibility page with the Society by-laws. You can start the LINEAGE SOCIETIES explanation that “Any woman of membership process by contacting These are societies where member- good moral character, 18 years of a local Jamestowne Society ship eligibility is based on your age or over, is eligible for member- Company. A prospective member ability to document and substanti- ship, provided she has been invit- must demonstrate descent to our ate your ancestral connection to a ed by the Society and is the lineal registrar-genealogist from one type of individual stipulated by descendant of an who qualifying Jamestowne Ancestor.” the society. In this first group, the lived and served prior to 1701 in The website does include a list of focus is societies based on your one of the Original Colonies in the the local Companies and a list of ’ activity. geographical area of the present “Qualifying Ancestors” is also A more comprehensive list of United States of America.” provided.

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Lineage, First Family and Pioneer Societies 2. You may download the the jurisdiction of the Court of prehensive list of similar type soci- “Membership Application Rensselaerswyck prior to the eties. Software”. establishment of their own courts.” of the American FIRST FAMILY AND PIONEER 2. Application form and guides are Revolution SOCIETIES online. http://dar.org These are societies to honor the 1. An Eligibility page states details first and pioneers of a Daughters of the Republic of with the main requirement being particular state. You will also find Texas that the applicant is “Any similar organizations for select http://www.drtl.org/drtinc/index.asp woman… who… can prove lineal, counties. Like the Lineage 1. Eligibility for membership “is a blood line descent from an ances- Societies already discussed, you lineal descendant of a man or tor who aided in achieving will need to provide proof that woman who rendered loyal serv- American independence.” you meet the eligibility require- ice for Texas prior to the consum- 2. You can submit a “Prospective ments — meaning that your mation of the Annexation Member Information Request ancestor lived in a certain locale Agreement of the Republic of Form” online to start the applica- before a certain date. tion process. If you don’t see a society that pertains to your state, search on of Union Veterans of the “your state’s name” and “First Civil War Family” (or “Pioneer”) and see http://www.suvcw.org what you find. Otherwise, at the 1. Eligibility information for mem- end of the article, I reference a bers, junior members and associ- great website that lists Hereditary ates, including the stipulation that Societies websites. the applicant “is directly descend- ed from a Soldier, Sailor, Marine The Order of the First Families of or member of the Revenue Cutter Maryland Service (or directly descended http://www.rootsweb.com/~mdoffmd from a , , half-brother, 1. The requirement that “Invitation or half-sister of such Soldier, etc.) to membership in The Order of the who was regularly mustered and First Families of Maryland is served honorably in, was honor- extended by the Governing ably discharged from, or died in Council to individuals 18 years of the service of, the Army, Navy, age or older, of good moral charac- Daughters of the Republic of Texas Marine Corps or Revenue Cutter ter and respectable standing in badge. Service of the United States of society, who are acceptable to The America or in such state regiments Order and have a verifiable, lineal Texas with the United States of called to active service and was descent from either... (1) Sir America on the nineteenth day of subject to the orders of United George Calvert, The First Lord February, eighteen hundred forty- States general officers, between Baltimore, who was granted the six (19 February 1846).” The web- April 12, 1861 and April 9, 1865” Palatinate of Maryland by King site also stipulates what is meant 2. An application form with a doc- Charles I of England, or (2) an by “loyal service”. umented genealogy describing ancestor who aided in the estab- 2. No online application form. your relationship to the veteran lishment of the Palatinate of and proof of his service. Maryland or who was an office OTHER LINEAGE SOCIETIES holder, real property owner or res- Similar to the above Lineage and National Huguenot Society ident in Maryland prior to First Family and Pioneer Societies, http://www.huguenot.netnation December 31, 1734.” A list of quali- you must meet the eligibility .com/general fying ancestors is provided. requirements. These are a little dif- 1. Membership must be made 2. An application form is online. ferent in that the requirements go through a local branch of the socie- beyond an individual descending ty and then one is automatically a Dutch Settlers Society of Albany from an ancestor who lived in a member of the national society. To (NY) certain place at a certain time. become a member, an individual http://timesunion.com/communities There is an additional element must meet four qualifications: i. be /dutchsettlers such as participation in an armed at least eighteen years of age, ii. 1. You are eligible for membership conflict (war), ancestral trade or a adhere to the Huguenot principles if you are “descended from a per- particular political or religious of faith and of liberty, iii. be a residing in Fort Orange, the affiliation. member of the Protestant faith, Colony of Rensselaerswyck, or the Don’t forget to check out the and iv. be lineally descended in the Village of Beverwyck before 1665, website mentioned at the end of male or female line from either “a. and/or in other areas subject to the article, which has a more com- a Huguenot… subsequent to 10

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Lineage, First Family and Pioneer Societies December 1520 and prior to the promulgation on 28 November 1787 of the Edict of Toleration, emigrated from France to North America or some other country, or, b. a Huguenot who, in spite of religious persecu- tion, remained in France. “France”, as used here, refers to any territory lying within the Kingdom of France on the date of the promulgation of the Edict of Toleration. 2. Membership forms are available online.

United Empire Loyalists’ Association of Canada http://www.uelac.org/ 1. To be a descendant of a Loyalist, your ancestor was “a. Either male or female, as of 19 April 1775, a resident of the American colonies, and joined the Royal Standard prior to the Treaty of Separation of 1783, or otherwise demonstrat- ed loyalty to the Crown, and settled in territory remaining under the rule of the Crown, b. or a soldier who served in an American Loyalist Regiment and was dis- banded in Canada, c. or a member of the Six Nations of either the United Empire Loyalists’ Association Grand River of Canada badge. or the Bay of Quinte Reserve who is descended from one whose migration was similar to that of other Loyalists.” 2. No online forms available, but you join a local branch and then work with them to confirm your Loyalist ancestry.

Sons of Confederate Veterans http://www.scv.org 1. Eligibility information for members: “Membership in the Sons of Confederate Veterans is open to all male descendants of any veteran who served honorably in the Confederate armed forces. Membership can be obtained through either lineal or collateral family lines and to a veteran must be documented genealogically.” 2. Application form is online.

Guild of Colonial Artisans and Tradesman 1607-1783 http://www.averymiller.com/ Invitation only. 1. Membership eligibility includes those who are “lin- eally descended from an artisan or tradesman who lived in the American Colonies from the founding of

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Lineage, First Family and Pioneer Societies Jamestowne, 13 May 1607, to the ity of the ‘taverns’ as we think of listed that don’t show a hyperlink Treaty of Paris, 03 September 1783. them in that time probably did not actually do have a website. For a Artisans and tradesmen are have names… The key to estab- society that interests you, just defined as those who were accom- lishing membership is proving search on the society’s name using plished in the field of art and that your ancestor was licensed by your favorite search engine. those who crafted or traded items the local authority to conduct the Remember that all of these and/or were part of select Royal business of keeping an ordinary, societies require you to carefully Guilds previously established in hostelry, inn or hotel or licensed to document your ancestry back to the Old World who continued sell spirituous liquors.” the person in your family who fits their practices in the American 2. No online application form. the particular criteria for member- Colonies.” ship in the society; online 2. Though this is an invitation- These are just a sample of resources can help you make sure only organization, you may sub- societies for which you (via your that you have a clear understand- mit a “Proposal Inquiry Form” ancestor) may qualify for member- ing of each society’s unique which is available online. ship. If you seek more information requirements. IG about Lineage, First Family or Flagon and Trencher Pioneer Societies or want to learn Diane L. http://www.flagonandtrencher.org more about both the societies’ Richard has 1. Membership eligibility is “limit- membership requirements and been doing ed to those who can prove direct their activities, visit their respec- genealogy descent from a person conducting tive websites. research for a tavern, inn, ordinary, or other For a fairly comprehensive almost 20 years. type of hostelry prior to 4 July listing of lineage societies with an Diane resides in 1776 (within the area which online presence, go to North Carolina where many at became the first 13 states)… In http://www.hereditary.us/list_date.htm. the state archives are research- colonial times, taverns, ordinaries, Online you will also find a ing documentation for Lineage pubs and other hostelries were listing of societies from the Society applications. Diane usually kept in a person’s home Hereditary Society Blue Book, can be found online at and no other building existed for http://members.tripod.com/~Historic_ www.mosaicrpm.com/Genealogy this purpose. Therefore, the major- Trust/society.htm. Several societies

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