Welcome to the Oregon Mayflower Society Application Process

We often hear that as many as 30 million people living today are descended from passengers who sailed in 1620 on the Mayflower. Do you believe you are one of them? Perhaps for years your family has held a tradition that you are descended from a Pilgrim, or perhaps recently you have discovered information online that suggests you are. You have decided that now is the time to confirm and preserve that proud heritage for future generations. And, with the 400th Anniversary of the Mayflower voyage coming up in 2020, there couldn’t be a better time than now to begin!

Who is Eligible for Membership in the General Society Mayflower Descendants (GSMD)

All persons who are direct descendants from a below listed passenger are eligible for membership.

You must be age 18 or over to become a full member of GSMD. Parents or grandparents opt for Junior Membership for those under the age of 18 which costs less. (See Junior Membership on this website for more details).

Proving Your Descent from a Pilgrim

Each Pilgrim has been researched by professional genealogists and the findings published in a series of books titled the Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, commonly known as the ‘Silver Books.’ That means we will not need to prove the first four or five generations connecting you to your Pilgrim ancestor.

Option #2: If you are a family historian or genealogist, have done the research, and are fairly confident your findings are accurate, your first step is to contact the Oregon Society of Mayflower Descendants Historian Russell Francis through the form here.

The Historian will ask you for a brief list of your lineage, names only, from the Pilgrim to you, line carrier named first, then the spouse.

For example:

Henry Samson
Elizabeth Samson married Robert Sprout
James Sprout married Elizabeth Southworth
Nathaniel Sprout married Esther Thrasher
and so on, generation by generation to you.

Regardless of which option you select, the state historian will send you a worksheet and instructions on how to prepare your Mayflower application (also available below):