The Society of Mayflower Descendants

More than a century ago, a group of descendants of the Pilgrims who sailed on the Mayflower saw the need for a national society to honor their Mayflower ancestors. Hence, in 1897 the General Society of Mayflower Descendants was formed to pay tribute to the 102 brave souls who, for the sake of religious freedom, crossed treacherous seas to found a colony in the New World. Half died during the first winter. Only 26 have descendants.

The Oregon Society of Mayflower Descendants was chartered by the General Society in 1928 to remember the Mayflower ancestors of residents of Oregon and other states. The Society is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) corporation organized for the charitable purposes of education and preservation of the history of the Mayflower Pilgrims who settled Plimoth Colony in 1620.

SOCIETY OBJECTIVES:

• To perpetuate to a remote posterity the memory of our Pilgrim ancestors. To maintain and defend the principle of civil and religious liberty as set forth in the Mayflower Compact, “…Having undertaken for the glory of God, and the advancement of the Christian faith and honor of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony…”  
• To cherish and maintain the ideals and institutions of American freedom and to oppose any theories or actions that threaten their continuity. To transmit the spirit, the purity of purpose and steadfastness of will of the Pilgrims to those who shall come after us, an undiminished heritage of liberty and law.
• To cooperate with the General Society of Mayflower Descendants in securing united effort to discover and publish original matter and materials in regard to the Pilgrims, together with existing data known only to antiquarians and to authenticate, preserve and mark historical spots made memorable by Pilgrim association.

Click the link below to read the full Mayflower Compact from the GSMD website.