Many of us get into genealogy because we are intrigued by a story or stories that are told about our ancestors. In my case, it was tales of Kittie Gallagher, the intrepid 13-year-old who traveled to America alone to escape the Irish Potato Famine. As it turns out, Kittie was born in Connecticut 15 years after the famine, but her true story is infinitely more interesting to me than the family legend.
In a recent survey by the New England Historic Genealogical Society, 7 percent of respondents had an ancestor hanged in the Salem Witch Trials. One of those was Margaret Scott who was hanged 350 years ago September 22nd. This places my husband Fred, her eighth great grandson, in that 7 percent. (Although we did not learn of her until two years ago, on September 22nd!) Neither had we heard of the Revolutionary War service of several of our ancestors. It is hard to say just what makes for an enduring legend. It is however, safe to say, that our families are not unique. It is estimated that half of Americans (about 70 million people) believe they are descended from Mayflower families. It is further estimated that there are probably about 35 million descendants worldwide. The Mayflower Society has about 25,000 members who have been able to prove they are descendants!
Sometimes there is no story, as with our Revolutionary War ancestors; and sometimes there are family legends based on facts which can be authenticated. Good documentation can make it possible to join exclusive societies dedicated to descendants of an unbelievable number of organizations. I had no idea there were so many! There are organizations for descendants of every American war, ethnic origins, Mayflower and other ships’ descendants, as well as for people whose family were colonists before 1700 no matter on which ship they arrived!
I was already aware of the DAR and the SAR (Daughters and Sons of the American Revolution.) I just learned there is also a CAR; the National Society for Children of the American Revolution, for descendants 21 or younger) these societies can be located at www.DAR.org or SAR or NSCAR.
The Civil War equivalents are the DUV or SUV Daughters (or) Sons of the Union Veterans, at: www.SUVCW.org or DUVCW.
If you are interested in Mayflower membership you should know that the Society recognizes descendants from only 29 males of the 102 passengers; and now of three females only: Mary (Norris) Allerton, Elizabeth (Fisher) Hopkins, and Joan (Hurst) (Rogers) Tilley. I would suggest reading Alicia Crane Williams’ articles “Researching Your Mayflower Ancestors.” This four-part series of articles is available for free on http://www.americanancestors.org/articles/.
If you are hoping there is an organization for someone from whom you descend, a simple Google search on almost any subject, with the added words “descendants’ organization” will get you started for any of the thousands of organizations. There are so many, that there is a good chance there is one that’s right for you. I think you will be amazed at what’s out there, have fun looking!
Editor’s note: Columnist Nina Brawn of Dover-Foxcroft, who has been doing genealogy for over 30 years, is a freelance genealogy researcher, speaker and teacher. Reader e-mails are welcome at ninabrawn@gmail.com. The Aroostook County Genealogical Society meets the fourth Monday of the month except in July and December at the Cary Medical Center’s Chan Education Center, 163 Van Buren Road, Caribou, at 6:30 p.m. Guests and prospective members are always welcome. FMI contact Edwin “J” Bullard at 492-5501.
