Mayflower Society

General Society of Mayflower Descendants
AbbreviationGSMD
FormationJanuary 12, 1897
FounderState societies of New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania[1]
TypeHereditary lineage society
Legal statusNonprofit organization
PurposeDocumenting Mayflower lineage and educating the public about Pilgrim history[1]
HeadquartersPlymouth, Massachusetts
Region served
United States, Canada, Europe, Australia[2]
MembersOver 31,000[3]
Governor General
(position listed on GSMD website; name varies by term)
Main organ
General Congress[3]
Websitewww.themayflowersociety.org

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.[3]

History

Interest in commemorating the Pilgrims grew during the American centennial in 1876.[1]

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.[1]

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.[1]

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.[3]

GSMD is also listed as an approved lineage society with the Hereditary Society Community of the United States of America.[4]

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.[2]

Internationally, GSMD recognizes several affiliated societies that represent members outside the United States. These include the Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants,[5] the Australian Society of Mayflower Descendants,[6] and the Society of Mayflower Descendants in Europe,[7] 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.[1]

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.[2]

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.[2]

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.[1]

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.[1]

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.[8]
  • Mayflower Lineage Match – a verification tool for previously documented lines.[9]
  • Mayflower Meetinghouse Project – an immersive museum and multimedia educational center under development.[10]
  • 1620 Club – a donor society supporting GSMD’s preservation and educational mission.[11]

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.[12]

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.[13]

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.[14]

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.[14]

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.[15]

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.[16]

Notable members

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "About the Mayflower Society". Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "How to Join – The Mayflower Society". Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Organization of the General Society – The Mayflower Society". Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  4. ↑ "Hereditary Society Community – Directory". Retrieved 2026-01-19.
  5. ↑ "Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants". Retrieved 2025-07-15.
  6. ↑ "Australian Society of Mayflower Descendants". Retrieved 2025-07-15.
  7. ↑ "Society of Mayflower Descendants (Europe)". Retrieved 2025-07-15.
  8. ↑ "Research Services – The Mayflower Society". Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  9. ↑ "Mayflower Lineage Match – The Mayflower Society". Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  10. ↑ "Mayflower Meetinghouse – The Mayflower Society". Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  11. ↑ "1620 Club – The Mayflower Society". Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  12. ↑ "Patriots to Passengers – The Mayflower Society". Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  13. ↑ "Patriots to Passenger Project – Virginia SAR". Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  14. 1 2 "Pilgrim Academic Research – The Mayflower Society". Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  15. ↑ "The Pilgrims – The Mayflower Society". Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  16. ↑ "Mayflower House Museum – The Mayflower Society". Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  17. ↑ Dopp, Jakob (2019-08-05). "In Her Own Right". Michigan Medicine. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
  18. ↑ The Mayflower Descendant. Vol. 11. Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendents. 1909. p. 61.
  19. ↑ "Designers Responsible for Their Creations". The Dispatch. Moline, Illinois. May 8, 1983. p. 6. Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ Walker, Danna Sue (May 8, 1983). "News of People and Places: Mayflower Descendants". Tulsa World. Tulsa, Oklahoma. p. 84. Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ↑ "GEORGE WARREN DIES; FOREBEARS PIONEERS \; Last Surviving Charter Member of Society of Mayflower Descendants Here Was 81". The New York Times. 1933-11-09. Retrieved 2025-08-17.


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