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MEMBERSHIP

ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP

Any person, age 18 or older, able to document his/her lineal descent from one or more of the following Mayflower passengers is eligible to apply for membership in the NC Society of Mayflower Descendants.  These passengers are signers of the Mayflower Compact with proven descendants.

  • John Alden         

  • Isaac Allerton

  • John Billington

  • William Bradford

  • William Brewster

  • Peter Brown

  • James Chilto

  • Francis Cooke

  • Edward Doty

  • Francis Eaton

  • Moses Fletcher

  • Edward Fuller

  • Samuel Fuller

  • Stephen Hopkins

  • John Howland

  • Richard More

  • William Mullins

  • Degory Priest

  • Thomas Rogers

  • Henry Samson

  • George Soule

  • Myles Standish

  • John Tilley

  • Richard Warren

  • William White

  • Edward Winslow

Until September 2005 you could only join the Mayflower Society by proving descent from one of the 26 men who were Mayflower passengers.  Now the rules have changed and you can prove descent from the three women who came on the ship as wives and whose maiden names are known.

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  • Joan Hurst, wife of John Tilley

  • Mary Norris, wife of Isaac Allerton

  • Elizabeth Fisher, wife of Stephen Hopkins

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Eligible applicants of either sex may join the North Carolina Society without restriction as to residence.

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The Dual Member needs to be in good standing and current with dues in their home state society. The Dual Member will pay the year dues of $30 and a copy of the Dual Member's approved application is ordered from Plymouth. The Dual Member will be assigned a NC State Membership number which is registered with the General Society.

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DUAL MEMBERSHIP
LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP

   Age                                 Life Dues  
0 – 4 Jr Life                           $800    
5 – 9 Jr Life                           $800    
10 – 14 Jr Life                       $800    
15 – 17 Jr Life                       $800    
18 – 19                                  $750    
20 – 24                                  $750    
25 – 29                                  $700    
30 – 34                                  $700    
35 – 39                                  $650    
40 – 44                                  $650    
45 – 49                                  $600    
50 – 54                                  $600    
55 – 59                                  $500    
60 – 64                                  $450    
65 – 69                                  $400    
70 – 74                                  $350    
75 – 79                                  $300    
80 – 84                                  $250    
85 – 89                                  $200    
90 – 94                                  $150    
95 – 99                                  $100    
100+                                      $0    

BECOME A PART OF OUR SOCIETY

PROCESS​

 

Our application process is completed in two-steps.  First, submit a Preliminary Application with very little basic lineage information, along with the application fee.  Next, prepare and submit the detailed lineage information on the Application Worksheet (there is no additional fee for processing this). Once the Application Worksheet has been approved by the State Historian, it is sent to Plymouth, MA for approval by the Historian General of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants.  After all approvals have been made, the State Historian assigns a State Number and prepares a certificate of membership.  After the payment of the first year's dues, the certificate is presented at the next Annual Meeting.

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APPLICATION FEES

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The fee for filing a Preliminary Application is $110.00.  This application fee applies to ALL applications.  The fee is payable with your Preliminary Application and is not refundable, even if the line is rejected or the application forfeited.  Applicants have three years from the time of approval of their Preliminary Application to send in their Application Worksheet and required documentation.  After the expiration of the three-year period, anyone desiring to become a member must submit a new Preliminary Application along with another application fee in the amount applicable at that time.  Make checks payable to “NC Mayflower Society”.

 

MEMBERSHIP DUES

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Annual dues are $30 per year.  The first year’s dues are to be paid along with the Application Fee.

DUES AND FEES MAY BE CHANGED BY THE SOCIETY AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE.

 

HOW DO I APPLY?

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If you wish to submit a Preliminary Application, please click here for printable form. Complete the form and return it, along with a check for $140.00 made payable to “NC Mayflower Society”, to the Membership Chairperson.

Ray M. Maxson, PE
2506 Robin Hill Drive
Charlotte, NC  28210-7259
RayMaxson1@cs.com

 

You may also request a blank form from this address.

HINT:   Make copies to use as first drafts and for applications for Supplemental Lines.

 

APPLICATION WORKSHEET

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After your Preliminary Application and fee have been received and approved by the Membership Chairperson, a copy of the Application Worksheet, together with detailed instructions for its, completion, will be forwarded to you.  When you have completed the Application Worksheet please forward it, with two copies of all documentation, to the NC Mayflower Society Historian.

 

Franklin N. Horton
3812 Ithaca Place
Fayetteville, NC  28311

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If you have any further questions, or problems with your Application Worksheet, please contact our State Historian for suggestions or assistance.

 

Franklin N. Horton

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Good luck with your application!

 

Join your Mayflower cousins today and experience the world of your history.

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PROOF OF LINEAGE

The applicant should start with his/her parents and the grandparents on the line which descends from the Pilgrim ancestor.  By setting up  a lineage worksheet, and documenting each statement of birth, marriage, and death as one goes along, the applicant is likely to find it all working out like a picture puzzle with a few missing pieces at first.  Meticulous documentation is the key to success in proving a lineage.  Family genealogies, town or county histories, are secondary source material, and are acceptable only when there are references to primary sources cited, or they are used only as back-up to primary sources.

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Primary Sources consist of:

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  • Vital Records of Birth, Marriage and Death

  • Bible and Church Records

  • Marriage Bonds or Licenses

  • Cemetery Records and Mortality Schedules (with some Federal Census Records)

  • Probate Records

  • Land Records:  Deeds or Property Distributions

  • Guardianship & Orphans Records

  • Contemporary Family Letters, Diaries, Doctors' Day Books

  • Tax Lists

  • Pension and Military Records

  • Federal and State Census Records (1850 and after)

  • Gravestones and Mortician Records

BECOME A PART OF OUR SOCIETY

Q:  My grandmother joined the Mayflower Society in 1950.  Can I just reference her linage paper and then complete the remainder of the application?

A:  You must complete the entire form and supply documentation to support all entries.  Requirements before 1983 were very weak and were strengthened in 1983.

 

Q:  Can I use the LDS Ancestor File and IGI files to support entries?

A:  No, they are unacceptable as proof.  They may be used to assist you in  finding supporting material.

 

Q:  Can I use my DAR lineage paper to support entries?

A:  No.  They are unacceptable as proof.

 

Q:  My complete Mayflower line was available on the internet.  Can I use that as proof?

A:  No.  It will serve only as a guide as to where you may locate the proof you require.

 

Q:  My grandfather was not a Mayflower descendant but did marry my grandmother, who was a Mayflower descendant.  Am I required to prove who his parents were?

A:  No.  You need only to provide two copies of his birth certificate.

 

Q:  I am a current member of the North Carolina Mayflower Society and live in another state.  How do I transfer my membership to that state society?

A:  Contact our state society historian and he will assist you with the process.

 

Q:  Can I have a professional genealogist prepare my application for membership?

A:  Yes, as long as the entries are supported with two copies of documentation and you sign the application worksheet.

 

Q:  Is a copy of the application that my brother submitted acceptable as proof?

A:  No.  Only copies of the lineage papers that were approved by Plymouth are acceptable.

 

Q:  I know the date and place that my great-grandmother died, but can not locate a reference.  Can I just put in the date and place and leave the reference blank?

A:  No all entries must be supported with proof.

 

Q:  Is it really necessary to follow the worksheet instruction exactly?

A:  Yes.   Failure to do so will only cause your application to be delayed.

 

Q:  How long do I have to complete my application from the time my Preliminary Application was approved?

A:  You have three years.  If not competed than you must pay an additional application fee.  It is advisable to complete your research before applying for a preliminary application.

 

Q:  Can the State Mayflower Historian look up proof for me?

A:  No.  The State Historian will only check records and files that he has readily available in our rather small reference library.  He will advise you where you may locate the necessary material.

 

Q:  How long does it take from when I submit an Application Worksheet until my application is approved?

A:  If your application has been well researched and properly documented it should take about 8-10 weeks.  If you have not completely gathered your supporting material in advance and did not complete the worksheet according to the instructions provided it can take from one to two years or longer.

 

If you have any further questions or problems with your worksheet, please contact our State Historian for suggestions or assistance. 

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Franklin N. Horton

NC Mayflower Society Historian

3812 Ithaca Place

Fayetteville, NC 28311

 

Franklin N. Horton, Historian

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