Many are under the impression that to become a member of the Jamestowne Society, one must have an ancestor who was a first settler of the Jamestowne colony. Although that is one route to join, the Jamestowne Society provides six pathways to membership! Learn more about them.The Jamestowne Society, founded in 1936 and incorporated in 1958, is a lineage society based in Richmond, Virginia with the mission to discover and record the names of early Virginia settlers and their descendants. They … [Read more...]
“Does My Family Have a Coat of Arms?” Eight Tips for Your Heraldic Research
"Does my family have a coat of arms?" We share eight tips for heraldic research to help you find out!Coats of arms and other heraldic devices are beautiful and filled with symbolism: blue signifying truth and loyalty, lions indicating bravery, and the phoenix symbolizing resurrection. They conjure up images of knights jousting and rooms filled with nobleman and ladies and suggest a possible relationship to a famous king or queen. Unfortunately, many people misunderstand heraldry and … [Read more...]
“Am I Related to Royalty?” Researching Gateway Ancestors in Your Family History
Do you descend from royalty? Determining if your pedigree contains a gateway ancestor will help prove or disprove a royal connection!Many Americans of colonial descent believe they are connected to royal or noble European lineages. While in many cases those lineages are accurate, most often they are not. Separating the fact from fiction of royal and noble pedigrees can ensure your genealogy is accurate and well sourced.Gateway Ancestors of Royal and Noble DescentA gateway ancestor is a … [Read more...]
How to Connect with Your Pilgrim Ancestors and Join the Mayflower Society
Would you like to join the Mayflower Society? We walk you through the steps of proving your Pilgrim ancestry!If you know or suspect that you are descended from one of the original Pilgrims who arrived in Massachusetts on 9 November 1620 there is still time to join the General Society of Mayflower Descendants (more commonly known as the Mayflower Society) before the November 2020 celebration of the 400th anniversary of the landing of the Mayflower.Proving your connection to a Mayflower … [Read more...]
5 Reasons to Hire a Professional Genealogist When Submitting a Lineage Society Application
Do you have an ancestor that lived in Colonial America when the Revolutionary War was fought, or perhaps earlier in Jamestown, Virginia? Does your ancestry extend back to New England when the Mayflower arrived? If so, you may have heard that there are various lineage societies you could consider joining. The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), The National Society of the Children of the American … [Read more...]
Hereditary Societies and You
“My great-grandfather fought in the Civil War.”“I’ve always heard we were related to George Washington.”“We’re supposed to be descended from the Pilgrims who came on the Mayflower.”Family history and lineage societies aren’t just for the elite. There are literally hundreds of organizations offering membership to those who can trace their ancestors to a specific individual or event. From early settlers to presidential relatives, these groups span events covering the length of American … [Read more...]
Using Local Libraries and Historical Societies for Genealogy Research
One of our genealogists shares examples of how local libraries and historical societies can be a great asset for genealogy research. The Hoyt Public Library in Saginaw, MichiganIn family history research, when it is discovered that a family lived in a particular town for an extensive length of time, contacting the local library and historical society can be a great investment of a genealogist's time and potentially yield great dividends. For instance, when we found … [Read more...]
Sons & Daughters of the American Revolution
Having the honor of joining the Sons and Daughters of The American Revolution is no simple task. Here is what you need to know before you apply to this historical lineage society. We've been in business since 2004, and in that time, Legacy Tree has had countless numbers of people contact us about joining various lineage societies, with the most popular choice being the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution (SAR/DAR).While the documentation requirements for these societies … [Read more...]
Genealogical Societies – An Under-utilized Resource
Genealogy societies are a great resource for family historians whether you are a beginner or advanced. Genealogical societies are formed for a variety of reasons. They can be created around a common lineage (Mayflower Society), surname (Descendants of John Simmons), ethnicity (American Historical Society of Germans from Russia), geographical research locality (Adams County Genealogical Society), or current place of residence (Utah Genealogical Association). Why should I consider joining a … [Read more...]
Does Our Family Have a Coat of Arms?
Are you curious if your family has a coat of arms that you may be entitled to use?A coat of arms can be a neat thing to display on a wall or at a family reunion, and many people wonder if their family has one. Although selling coats of arms by surname has become a popular business, coats of arms in most countries were originally granted to individuals and were not inherited exactly as they were granted. They could be transmitted from father to son (and also to wives and daughters in some … [Read more...]
