Mayflower Society

The General Society of Mayflower Descendants (GSMD), commonly known as the Mayflower Society, is a hereditary lineage organization founded in 1897 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The Society documents and preserves the lineal descent of the 102 passengers who arrived on the Mayflower in 1620 and promotes education about the Pilgrims’ role in early American history. GSMD includes 54 Member Societies across the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia and has more than 31,000 members.

History Interest in commemorating the Pilgrims grew during the American centennial in 1876.

The first Society of Mayflower Descendants was founded in New York City on December 22, 1894. Three additional state societies were established in 1896: Connecticut (March 7), Massachusetts (March 28), and Pennsylvania (July 1). Delegates from these four societies met in Plymouth, Massachusetts, on January 12, 1897, to form the General Society of Mayflower Descendants.

Organization GSMD’s mission is to research and document the lineal descent of the Mayflower Pilgrims and to educate the public about their historical significance.

Governance The Society is governed by the triennial General Congress, the General Board of Assistants (GBOA), and the Executive Committee. A staff of more than twenty employees works at the headquarters in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

GSMD is also listed as an approved lineage society with the Hereditary Society Community of the United States of America.

Member societies GSMD consists of 54 Member Societies, formerly known as State Societies, located in all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Canada, Europe, and Australia.

Internationally, GSMD recognizes several affiliated societies that represent members outside the United States. These include the Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants, the Australian Society of Mayflower Descendants, and the Society of Mayflower Descendants in Europe, each of which operates under GSMD guidelines while serving members in their respective regions.

Family societies GSMD also formally recognizes a number of Mayflower Family Societies, independent organizations dedicated to the descendants of specific Mayflower passengers. These groups collaborate with GSMD on lineage research, historical education, and heritage preservation. Examples include the Alden Kindred of America (John Alden), the Elder William Brewster Society, the Pilgrim John Howland Society, the Soule Kindred in America, the Society of Myles Standish Descendants, and Warren Cousins, which represents descendants of Richard Warren. These Family Societies are officially acknowledged by GSMD as part of the broader Mayflower heritage community.

Membership Membership is open to individuals who can document direct lineal descent from a Mayflower passenger. Applications are submitted through one of the 54 Member Societies.

Applications for membership in GSMD are submitted through one of the 54 Member Societies and must demonstrate direct lineal descent from a passenger on the Mayflower. Applicants are required to provide primary documentation for each generational link, including vital records, probate files, land records, and other genealogical evidence. Member Societies review applications locally before forwarding approved submissions to GSMD for final verification.

GSMD places particular emphasis on the use of its published lineage resources, commonly known as the “Silver Books.” These volumes, formally titled Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, document the first five generations of descendants for each Mayflower passenger and serve as authoritative reference works for establishing lineage. While applicants must still provide documentation for later generations, the Silver Books significantly streamline the verification process by supplying thoroughly researched and GSMD‑approved information for early generations.

Silver Books The “Silver Books,” formally titled Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, are GSMD’s authoritative lineage publications documenting the first five generations of descendants for each Mayflower passenger. They serve as foundational reference works for membership applications and are widely used by genealogists and researchers.

Passenger Volume(s) Notes William White Vol. 1 Covers descendants of William White; includes Susanna (Jackson) White Winslow. Susanna (Jackson) White Winslow Vol. 1 Included with William White. George Soule Vol. 3 Covers descendants of George Soule. Edward Fuller Vol. 4 Covers Edward Fuller and his descendants. Henry Samson Vol. 5 Documents descendants of Henry Samson. Stephen Hopkins Vol. 6 Covers descendants of Stephen Hopkins. Myles Standish Vol. 8 Documents descendants of Captain Myles Standish. Samuel Fuller (physician) Vol. 10 Documents descendants of Samuel Fuller, brother of Edward. Edward Doty Vol. 11, Parts 1–3 One of the largest Silver Book sets due to Doty’s many descendants. Francis Cooke Vol. 12, Parts 1–2 Covers Francis Cooke and his descendants. Francis Eaton Vol. 13 Covers descendants of Francis Eaton. Richard More Vol. 14 Documents descendants of Richard More. William Mullins Vol. 15 Covers descendants of William Mullins. John Alden Vol. 16, Parts 1–3 Covers John Alden and his descendants. Isaac Allerton Vol. 17, Part 1 Includes Isaac Allerton and his documented descendants. Mary (Norris) Allerton Vol. 17, Part 2 Covers the Allerton family through Mary (Norris) Allerton. John Billington Vol. 18 Documents descendants of John Billington. Richard Warren Vol. 18, Parts 1–2 One of the largest Silver Book sets due to Warren’s extensive descendant lines. Thomas Rogers Vol. 19 Covers descendants of Thomas Rogers. Moses Fletcher Vol. 20 Documents descendants of Moses Fletcher. Degory Priest Vol. 21 Documents descendants of Degory Priest. William Bradford Vol. 22 Covers descendants of Governor William Bradford. John Howland Vol. 23, Parts 1–3 One of the most extensive Silver Book sets due to Howland’s large family. William Brewster Vol. 24, Parts 1–2 Extensive coverage of Elder William Brewster’s descendants. Edward Winslow Vol. 25 Documents descendants of Edward Winslow. John Tilley Vol. 27 Covers descendants of John Tilley and wife Joan Hurst Tilley. Peter Browne Vol. 30 Documents descendants of Peter Browne.

Programs and activities GSMD sponsors genealogical, educational, and preservation initiatives, including:

Research Services – professional genealogical assistance.

Mayflower Lineage Match – a verification tool for previously documented lines.

Mayflower Meetinghouse Project – an immersive museum and multimedia educational center under development.

1620 Club – a donor society supporting GSMD’s preservation and educational mission.

Patriots to Passengers Project The Patriots to Passengers Project is an initiative that documents lineage connections between Mayflower passengers and individuals who later served as Patriots during the American Revolution. The project highlights how families descended from the 1620 colonists contributed to the founding of the United States more than a century and a half later. GSMD maintains a growing list of documented connections and encourages researchers to submit newly verified lines for inclusion.

State-level lineage organizations also participate in expanding the project. The Virginia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution maintains a complementary research effort that identifies Virginians who descend from both Mayflower passengers and Revolutionary War Patriots, contributing additional documentation and encouraging public engagement with the project’s goals.

Pilgrim Academic Research Award GSMD sponsors the Pilgrim Academic Research Award to encourage advanced scholarship on the Pilgrims, the Mayflower migration, and early Plymouth Colony. The award supports original academic research by graduate students and emerging scholars whose work contributes to a deeper understanding of seventeenth‑century New England. GSMD evaluates submissions based on historical rigor, use of primary sources, and relevance to the Society’s educational mission.

Recipients of the award have represented a range of academic institutions and research specialties, and some have published or presented their work in professional historical venues. As GSMD continues to expand its educational outreach, the Pilgrim Academic Research Award serves as a key component of the Society’s efforts to promote scholarly engagement with Mayflower history and its broader cultural legacy.

The following individuals have received the Pilgrim Academic Research Award:

Year Recipient 2025 Blaine Bettinger 2024 Christopher C. Child 2023 Peggy M. Baker 2022 Richard H. Pickering 2021 Judith H. Swan 2019 Caleb H. Johnson 2018 Susan E. Roser 2017 Dr. Jeremy Dupertuis Bangs 2016 Dr. David Landon and Dr. Christa Beranek 2015 James W. Baker

List of Pilgrims and other passengers with known descendants This list includes Mayflower passengers known to have living descendants, as documented by GSMD.

John Alden Priscilla (Mullins) Alden Bartholomew Allerton Isaac Allerton Mary (Norris) Allerton Mary (Allerton) Cushman Remember (Allerton) Maverick Elinor Billington Francis Billington John Billington William Bradford Love Brewster Mary Brewster William Brewster Peter Browne James Chilton Mrs. Chilton Mary (Chilton) Winslow Francis Cooke John Cooke Edward Doty Francis Eaton Samuel Eaton Sarah Eaton Moses Fletcher Edward Fuller Mrs. Fuller Samuel Fuller (son of Edward) Samuel Fuller (brother of Edward) Constance (Hopkins) Snow Giles Hopkins Stephen Hopkins Elizabeth (Fisher) Hopkins John Howland Richard More William Mullins Degory Priest Joseph Rogers Thomas Rogers Henry Samson George Soule Myles Standish Elizabeth (Tilley) Howland John Tilley Joan (Hurst) Tilley Richard Warren Peregrine White Resolved White Susanna (Jackson) White Winslow William White Edward Winslow

Museum In 1941 the Society purchased the Edward Winslow House in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The mansion, built in 1754, is operated as the Mayflower House Museum, an 18th‑century historic house museum with period furnishings. The GSMD headquarters and genealogical library are located behind the mansion.

Notable members Sarah Gertrude Banks, American physician and suffragist Jeannette Osborn Baylies, 31st president general of the Daughters of the American Revolution Ada Brown, United States federal judge for the Northern District of Texas William P. Carey, philanthropist and businessman who is the namesake for the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, the Arizona State University W. P. Carey School of Business, and the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School Anna Matilda Larrabee, American social leader and First Lady of Iowa Harriet Wright O'Leary (1916–1999) first woman elected to serve on the Choctaw Tribal Council and one-time governor of the Oklahoma Mayflower Society chapter. Edith Scott Magna, American civic leader and 15th president general of the Daughters of the American Revolution Maria Purdy Peck, American essayist and social economist Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., American intellectual and Pulitzer Prize for Biography winner Phyllis J. Wilson, Command Chief Warrant Officer of the US Army Reserve and president of the Military Women's Memorial George Warren (died 1933), last surviving founding member

Mayflower Society

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