urn:taro:utsa.00098 A Guide to the Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Texas Records, 1931-2003 August 14, 2006Encoded in XMetal 2 by Mathew C. Martin according to instructions in TARO 2 EAD 2002 Editing Instructions. April 4, 2008 Revised in XMetal Author by Angela McClendon to standardize format, standardize subject headings, and fix coding errors. April 17, 2009 Revised in XMetal Author by Tatina Wulzer to encode additions and update information. Descriptive Summary Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Texas Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Texas Records 1931-2003 Materials are in English. MS 62 9.6 linear feet (33 Boxes) University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections The Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Texas, a state chapter of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, was founded in San Antonio, Texas on December 24, 1931. The goals of the Society are to join together people who share a common ancestry and to educate the public about the role of the Pilgrims and the Mayflower Compact in the early history and development of the United States. The Texas chapter began when fourteen members convened the first meeting in San Antonio in December 1931. In addition to holding meetings and events and producing publications for members, the Mayflower Descendants have found ways to reach out to the community at large, notably through a Scholarship Fund for high school seniors graduating in Texas. The collection spans the years 1931 through 2003 and documents the activities of the state chapter and the duties performed by the Society's officers. Records include correspondence, legal documents, articles of incorporation, constitution and bylaws, membership ledgers and index cards, photographs, newsletters published by the Connecticut Society and some material connected with the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. There is also a wooden chest used by the Texas Society to display its charter, the names of the charter members and other historical items. Historical Note

The Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Texas, a state chapter of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, was founded in San Antonio, Texas on December 24, 1931. Membership in the Society is open to any individual who can document his or her descent from one of the twenty-nine passengers on the Mayflower who are known to have produced heirs. The goals of the Society are to join together people who share a common ancestry and to educate the public about the role of the Pilgrims and the Mayflower Compact in the early history and development of the United States.

The Texas chapter began when fourteen members convened the first meeting in San Antonio in December 1931. In 1945-1946 the first Colonies, or local chapters of the state organization, were formed in Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Abilene and San Antonio. As the population of Texas has continued to grow over the intervening decades, so has the number of Colonies; in 2006, new Colonies were founded in Central Texas and Tyler. The Colonies and the state Society have governing bodies of officers who perform specific duties within the organization, such as the Governor, Treasurer, Historian and Recording and Corresponding Secretaries. In addition to holding meetings and events and producing publications for members, the Mayflower Descendants have found ways to reach out to the community at large, notably through a Scholarship Fund for high school seniors graduating in Texas.

 Scope and Content Note

The collection spans the years 1931 through 2003 and documents the activities of the state chapter and the duties performed by the Society's officers. Records from several of the Colonies are also present in the collection, with a particularly large number of items pertaining to the Houston and San Antonio Colonies. Specific officers of the state Society, such as the Governor, Historian, Newsletter Editor, Corresponding and Recording Secretaries and Treasurer, are represented in the collection through correspondence and other documents pertaining to their duties. Minutes, programs and reports from the statewide meetings convened annually by the Governor are filed with that office's papers. The Governor's files also include news clippings about the Texas Society and programs from memorial services and other events. The Historian's records encompass scrapbooks, yearbooks, monthly reports, a genealogical index, a pamphlet, History of the Society of Mayflower Descendants (1981) and Vol. II of the book Mayflower Descendants in the State of Texas (1971). Newsletters from the 1960s, the 1980s and the years 1993-2000 inclusive can be found among the Newsletter Editor's files.

The collection also includes the Texas Society's Corresponding Secretary's membership activity reports and the Recording Secretary's meeting minutes. The Treasurer's files include several ledger books from the 1980s and 1990s in addition to actual and projected budget reports, balance sheets from the Society's investment accounts, expense reports from other officers and tax preparation records. An investment survey prepared by then-state Treasurer Bart Henson and distributed to all of the state Societies in 1996 is also among the Treasurer's papers.

In addition to records generated by the state Society's officers, the collection contains legal documents, including articles of incorporation, constitution and bylaws, and membership ledgers and index cards. A small collection of photographs includes portraits of Society officers. The Amarillo, Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio Colonies have contributed correspondence, meeting minutes and scrapbooks. Correspondence regarding the Scholarship programs in Houston and San Antonio can be found in the collection, along with some of the winning essays from years past.

The collection also contains two newsletters published by the Connecticut Society and some material connected with the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. Correspondence from the General Society, minutes from its Board of Assistants meeting in 1987 and other documents produced by the national organization are filed together. There are also fifty-six issues of the General Society's journal, Mayflower Quarterly, dating from the years 1968-1990. A selection of articles, poems, prayers, songs and even comic strips relating to the Pilgrims and the Mayflower completes the collection, contributing some historical background and a touch of whimsy.

The collection also includes a wooden chest used by the Texas Society to display its charter, the names of the charter members and other historical items.

The additions contain much of the same material as the other series.

 Organization of Collection

Series 1. Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Texas

Series 2. Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Connecticut

Series 3. General Society of Mayflower Descendants

Series 4. Addition of February 2009 (Accession 2009-012)

Series 5. Addition of April 2009 (Accession 2009-027)

 Access Restrictions

This collection is housed at UTSA's Main Campus and must be accessed via the John Peace Library Special Collections reading room. To request access, please use the Collections Request Form.

 Usage Restrictions

Permission to publish material from the Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Texas Records must be obtained from University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections or the appropriate holder of copyright.

 Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Texas Records, 1931-2003, MS 62, University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.

 Acquisition Information

Materials in the Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Texas Records, 1931-2003 were donated by Mary Eck in July 1997, April 1998, September 1999, May 2006, February 2007, and August 2007 (Acc. 1997-018, 1998-011, 1999-029, 2006-021, 2007-020, 2007-105).

 Processing Information

Processed by Ancelyn Krivak, Archives Intern, August 2006.

Additions encoded by Tatina Wulzer, Collections Assistant, April 2009.

 Index Terms Organizations Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Texas. General Society of Mayflower Descendants. Subjects Genealogy--Texas. Genealogy--Indexes. Genealogy--Societies, etc. Locations Texas--Genealogy--Societies, etc.--Directories. Genres/Formats Correspondence. Legal documents. Photographs.Scrapbooks.Newsletters. Local Subjects Clubs and Organizations Texas History Detailed Description of the Collection Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Texas Texas State SocietyGovernor Annual Meetings 111933-1974 121975-1980 131981-1989 141990-1992 151992-1997 211998-2001 Annual Reports 221935-1955 231956-1961 241962-1966 251967-1971 261972-1977 311978-1982 321983-1997 33Correspondence and News Clippings, 1952-200034Display Chest, 1977 35Invitations and Programs, 1987-1988 and undatedHistorian36Correspondence, 1977, 1991-1999, and undated37-8Genealogical Index of Names and Vital Statistics, undated39History of the Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Texas, 1981 and undated310Inventory of Transfer of Historian Property, 1983311Invoices and Order Forms, 1992-2001 and undated312Lineage Book, 2001 and undated41Mayflower Descendants in the State of Texas, Vol. II, 197142Mayflower Descendants in the State of Texas, Vol. II, 197143Monthly Reports, 1989-1999Scrapbooks51931-195961959-1981441954-198071961-1994Yearbooks451938, 1958-1970811971-1978821979-1987831989-1991841993-1995852001-2003Legal Documents91Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws and Constitution, 1971, 1977-1979, and undated92NGO/ Tax-Exempt Correspondence and Forms, 1977-1998Membership10Active Members (Index Cards), undated11Deceased/Dropped Members (Index Cards), undated93Expired Junior Memberships A-M, 1967-199394Expired Junior Memberships Mc-Z, 1967-199312Inactive Junior Members (Index Cards), undated13Junior Members (Index Cards), undated14Membership Books (Binders) (oversize)14Deaths, undated15Drops, Resignations and Transfers Out A-L, undated16Drops, Resignations and Transfers Out M-Z, undated17First and Second Page Records, undated18Junior Members, undated19Members A-L inclusive, undated20Members M-Z inclusive, undated21Preliminary Applications, undatedNewsletter Editor95Newsletters and Correspondence, 1966-1969, 1987-2000, and undatedPhotographs96Portraits, 1977 and undated97Unidentified, undatedScholarship Chairman98Correspondence, 1957, 1983, 1992-2001SecretaryCorresponding Secretary99Correspondence, 1994-1998221Membership Activity Reports, 1994-2001Recording Secretary222Minutes, 1932-1950Treasurer223Audit Reports, 1987-1998224Balance Sheets and Budget Tables, 1978-2001Correspondence225Donations, 1996-1998226Exxon Grant, 1999227Internal, 1993-2001228Membership and Dues, 1995-1997231Membership and Dues, 1997-2001232Dues Lists and Postcard Mock-Up, 1993-2001 and undated233Duties- Manuals and Flow Chart, 1988 and undated234Expense Reports, 1991-2001 and undated235General Society Statement of Charges, 1989-2001Investments236Fidelity Investments, 1997-2002237Guaranty Bank, 2001 and undated238Nationsbanc Capital Markets Inc., 1995239Nations Bank/Bank of America, 1995-20012310Vanguard Group, 1997-20012311Investment Surveys, 1996-199924Ledgers241Ledgers, 1983-1986242Ledgers, 1988-199025Ledgers, 1990-1992 26Ledgers (2 Vols.), 1992-2000 27Ledger, Membership Dues (oversize), 2000-2001 243Ledgers and Journal Reports, 1995-2001244Notes, 1993-2001 and undated245Reports and Proposals, 1993-2001246Tax Preparation Records and Correspondence, 1995-2001Amarillo Colony281Correspondence, 1997-2000282Yearbooks, 1993-1995Austin Colony283Correspondence, 1999-2000Corpus Christi Colony284Certificates, News Clippings and Notes, 1970-1973, 1990, 1996, and undated285Correspondence, 1996-2001 and undated286Programs and Yearbooks, 1962, 1977-1979, 1987-1991, 1998-2001287Scholarship Correspondence, Essays and News Clippings, 1987-2001Dallas/Fort Worth Colony288Correspondence, Member Lists and Programs, 1994-2001Houston Colony289Annual Reports and Member/Officers Lists, 1949-19972810Colony History, PR Kit and Project Plan, 1994, 1996, 19982811Correspondence, 1953-20012812Flyers, Invitations and Programs, 1951-19552813Guest Books, 1971-19902814Minutes, 1951-1955291News Clippings, Newsletter Entries and Press Releases, 1954-1966292Notes, undated293Photographs, 1996294Scholarship Essays, 1991-1992295Treasurer's Reports, 1953-1955296Yearbooks, 1991-2001San Antonio Colony297Annual Reports, Member Lists and Standing Rules, 1966-1987 and undated298Correspondence and News Clippings, 1962-2001 and undated299History of San Antonio Colony and Yearbooks, 1946, 1980, 1995-2001, and undated2910Minutes, 1953-19872911Minutes, 1991-19932912Scholarship Correspondence, Essays, Forms and Notes, 1992-2001 and undated2913Treasurer's Reports, 1959-1978Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Connecticut2914Newsletters, 1996, 1998General Society of Mayflower Descendants2915Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws and Constitutions (examples) with Related Correspondence, 19772916Board of Assistants Meeting Minutes, 19872917Correspondence, 1977, 1994-2001Mayflower Quarterly3011968-19733021974-19763031977-19793041980-19823111983-19863121987-19883131988-1990314Pilgrim History, Humor, Postcards, Prayers and Songs, 1952-1996 and undated315Programs, 1972, 1984Addition of February 2007 (Accession 2007-020) 1 1 50th Anniversary meeting at Menger hotel and catered dinner at Alamo Hall, 1981 1 2 Certificate of Incorporation, May 15, 1978 1 3 By-laws and standing rules, 1979 1 4 San Antonio colony minutes, 1969-1977 1 5 Society of Mayflower Descendants in the state of Texas minutes, 1932-1949 1 6 Annual reports, 1935-1943 1 7 Will and correspondence on Alice Lathrop fund, 1957 OM1 Mayflower wood carving, undated Addition of August 2007 (Accession 2007-105) 1 8 Society of Mayflower Descendants In Texas newsletter, undated OM1 Scrapbook, 2001-2003