What is your family tree?

Genealogical and family history research can be a very satisfying activity. The thrill of discovering the names and histories of your ancestors is like no other experience. Part of what makes genealogical research so exciting is that, with the advent of modern information technologies, it has become easier than ever before. Computers, the internet, and various information storage and retrieval technologies have significantly increased the efficiency of doing research. However, while modern technological tools greatly facilitate this research, doing it can still be hard work, but the rewards are well worth it.

To join the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, you must document your direct lineage from one of the 26 Mayflower passengers listed at the top of this page. This process might take considerable time, even with the use of modern technology, but don’t get discouraged. Your research may also be aided by information held by living relatives and others who have already researched your family lines.

Your task is to connect each generation in your lineage, parent to child from your pilgrim ancestor to yourself. Each link needs to be supported with documentation that clearly shows that parent to child relationship. All birth, marriage and death events that you record need to be supported with appropriate documentation.

Documentation is generally divided into two classes, primary and secondary

• Primary documentation is usually created at the time the event occurred. Primary documentation should be used whenever it is available. Examples of primary documentation include:

  Secondary documentation may be used only after all efforts to find primary documentation have failed. Secondary documentation includes:

  ·         Vital records of birth, marriage and death ·         Church records and Bible records ·         Marriage bonds and licenses ·         Cemetery records ·         Probate records ·         Military or pension records ·         Deeds and wills ·         Mortician’s records ·         Contemporary family letters and diaries ·         Tax lists ·         Divorce records ·         Social security records ·         Published books and genealogies using                  the above as sources

  County and town histories ·        Published family genealogies ·        Federal and state census records ·        Newspaper obituaries ·        Newspaper marriage accounts ·        Photos of gravestone inscriptions       Affidavits

Some documents are not considered acceptable proof of your lineage, but looking at them may give you clues to acceptable documentation. Examples include:

·         Mayflower Index numbers

·         Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Patriot Indexes

·         Indexes to any other lineage papers

·         International Genealogical Index (IGI)

·         Lineage papers that have been submitted to any other hereditary society

·         Genealogical compendiums such as Virkus

·         Family group sheets, ancestral files and pedigree charts

·         Family web pages and other internet family trees

·         Who’s Who

·         Social registers

·         Social Security Death Index (SSDI)

·         Unpublished handwritten or computer-generated genealogical compilations

Researching these records for the purpose of joining the Mayflower Society is your responsibility. As you conduct research, remember that you are looking for original records, which constitute the proof of your Mayflower line. While they may be interesting and worth keeping, old family stories handed down through the generations, and faded notes jotted down by your relatives are not considered original records.

The General Society of Mayflower Descendants does not accept LDS family group sheets, ancestral files, or other computer-generated documents.

When you are ready to begin your Mayflower research, please submit a Preliminary Application (below)and Proposed Lineage Review Form (below). Our assistant historian will then prepare a worksheet for you with the first 5 generations documented for you from the Mayflower “Silver Books,” also known as the 5 Generations Project. We may also be able to find approved applications on file that match your family and will save you duplicating work that has already been done. You will receive further instructions with your worksheet. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader 8 or 9 or Foxit Reader to view these files. Both are free to read pdf files. Foxit has a five cow rating from Tucows.

            Download Adobe Reader 9             or            Download Foxit Reader

Mayflower Ancestor List.word doc

Lineage Review Form.pdf

Preliminary Application.pdf

Where do I go to find documentation for my application ?

You don’t have to be a genealogist to find the documentation you need for your application for     membership in the Mayflower Society. There are lots of resources that are readily available to any of us. If you are able to get to the places your ancestors lived, you may be able to find lots of records in the local courthouse. What you will find will vary greatly by locality, but they are always worth investigating.

 Vital records

The Historian General wants to see the last three generations of any application documented with birth, marriage and death certificates if at all possible. Certificates are often available for many other generations in your line and you should try to get them for anyone you can. For most states, any event that occurred after 1900-1910 should have certificates available. One of the best sources for finding out where to go to obtain vital records is a website www.vitalrec.com Select the state for which you want information and the site will tell you when certificates became required and will give you instructions on how to make your requests. Many states and local jurisdictions will let you request certificates through on-line ordering.

Now, obtaining all the vital records you need will cost you some money. Some jurisdictions have multi-tiered pricing depending on if you need a certified copy or not. You can often get a “genealogy” copy for less, but your wait for the documents may be longer.  

Some public libraries may have copies of vital records in their collections. It is always worth asking!

Libraries

Your local library may have quite a bit of genealogy information available for you, either in hard copy or through access to on-line resources. There are a number of libraries around Ohio that have extensive genealogy collections. Among them are the following links:

  Ohio Genealogical Society Library        

   Western Reserve Historical Society Library

   Columbus Public Library

There are many more – check in your area and the larger towns/cities near you to see what is available for you. If you are up for a road trip, the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, IN has the second largest genealogy collection in the country. The only one larger is the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

Many libraries also offer access to on-line databases. For example, many libraries have subscriptions to HeritageQuest or the library edition of Ancestry.com. Some libraries also offer access to some of those databases from your home. Check with your local library to see what is available. The Columbus Public Library will let any Ohio resident become a member, and makes a large collection of on-line resources available to its members.

Family History Centers

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints maintains Family History Centers in many places around the world. Check on their website, www.familysearch.org for the closest one to you. They have some resources on site, but they can order records on microfilm for you from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City so you don’t have to travel far to take advantage of their enormous resources.

Genealogical Resources on the Web

There is a huge amount of genealogical information available no the Internet. As mentioned above, there are many Internet documents that are not acceptable documentation, but there is also lots of good information. There are many sites that let you view and print original documents including vital records and published histories. If you have any question about what is allowable, please contact the historian.

Here are some websites that you may find useful:

If you have questions, please contact the Ohio Historian.

We hope that the information presented here will help you with your research. Happy hunting!

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