Mayflower Society facts for kids
Mayflower House Museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts
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| Formation | 1897 |
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| Headquarters | Plymouth, Massachusetts |
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Membership
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Over 31,000 |
The Mayflower Society is a special group for people who can prove they are related to one of the 102 passengers who sailed on the famous ship Mayflower. These brave travelers arrived in 1620 at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts. The Society was started in Plymouth in 1897. It helps educate everyone about the important role the Pilgrims played in early American history.
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What is the Mayflower Society?
A main goal of the Mayflower Society is to teach people about the Pilgrims. These early settlers helped shape the beginning of what became the United States of America. There are Mayflower societies in all 50 United States, plus the District of Columbia, Canada, Australia, and Europe.
Today, many millions of Americans are thought to have an ancestor from the Mayflower voyage. If you can show that one of your ancestors was a Mayflower Pilgrim, you might be able to join the Mayflower Society. It is a recognized group among other historical societies in the United States.
Who Were the Mayflower Pilgrims?
The Mayflower Pilgrims were a group of English people who sailed to North America in 1620. They were looking for religious freedom and a new life. They landed in what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts, and established Plymouth Colony.
Famous Pilgrims with Descendants
Many of the original Mayflower passengers have descendants living today. Here is a list of some of the Pilgrims known to have living family members:
- John Alden
- Priscilla (Mullins) Alden
- Bartholomew Allerton
- Isaac Allerton
- Mary (Norris) Allerton
- Mary (Allerton) Cushman
- Remember (Allerton) Maverick
- Elinor Billington
- Francis Billington
- John Billington
- William Bradford
- Love Brewster
- Mary Brewster
- William Brewster
- Peter Browne
- James Chilton
- Mrs. Chilton (wife of James)
- Mary (Chilton) Winslow
- Francis Cooke
- John Cooke
- Edward Doty
- Francis Eaton
- Samuel Eaton
- Sarah Eaton
- Moses Fletcher
- Edward Fuller
- Mrs. Fuller (wife of Edward)
- Samuel Fuller (son of Edward)
- Samuel Fuller (brother of Edward)
- Constance (Hopkins) Snow
- Giles Hopkins
- Stephen Hopkins
- Elizabeth (Fisher) Hopkins
- John Howland
- Richard More
- William Mullins
- Degory Priest
- Joseph Rogers
- Thomas Rogers
- Henry Samson
- George Soule
- Myles Standish
- Elizabeth (Tilley) Howland
- John Tilley
- Joan (Hurst) Tilley
- Richard Warren
- Peregrine White
- Resolved White
- Susanna (Jackson) White Winslow
- William White
- Edward Winslow
Famous People in the Society
Many interesting people have been members of the Mayflower Society. They come from different backgrounds and have achieved great things. Some notable members include:
- Sarah Gertrude Banks, an American doctor and activist.
- Ada Brown, an American judge.
- Anna Matilda Larrabee, an American social leader.
- Harriet Wright O'Leary (1916–1999), the first woman elected to the Choctaw National Council. She also led the Oklahoma Mayflower Society chapter for a time.
- Edith Scott Magna, an American community leader.
- Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., a famous American thinker and historian.
The Mayflower House Museum
In 1941, the Mayflower Society bought the Edward Winslow House in Plymouth, Massachusetts. This large home was built in 1754. It was built by the great-grandson of Edward Winslow, who was the third Governor of Plymouth Colony.
The Society now runs this house as the Mayflower House Museum. It is a historic house museum that shows what an 18th-century home looked like. It has old decorations and furniture from that time period. The main offices and library for the General Society of Mayflower Descendants are located right behind the museum building.
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