Vol 65, Spring 2019 Mayflower Lynes Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Delaware mayflowerde.org David Bradford Governor To meet this English-speaking stranger following the dark days of winter and death must have overwhelmed each colony survivor with excitement and anticipation of renewed hope and prospects for a prosperous future. Fast forward 398 years and we find ourselves facing a spring with similar excitement and anticipation of plans to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower voyage in 2020. As I think about upcoming plans to celebrate in Delaware, it occurred to me that next year, while we are commemorating the anniversary of the Pilgrim s journey, landing and signing of the Mayflower Compact in 2020, many other significant firsts in pilgrim history occurred in 1621 and beyond. This means several significant 400th anniversary events will arrive in 2021 not just in 2020, including the first Thanksgiving. So, next year s events are just the first of many 400th anniversary celebrations in the next few years! With so many opportunities to impart the Pilgrim story on the horizon, now is the perfect time for all Mayflower descendants to prepare to share our unique Pilgrim history and legacy. Spring 2019 Governor s Greetings I bring you springtime greetings at the exact time of year ( about the 16th of March ) when Samoset made his bold entry into the infant pilgrim colony on Cape Cod in 1621. Perhaps our official SMDD motto for 2019 should be just that Prepare to Share in 2019. Like so many important events in life such as a wedding, holiday celebration, or special vacation, the anticipation and preparation often end up more enchanting and ultimately gratifying than the event itself - which often seems a blur and over before we know it. But anticipation makes for deep and lasting impressions. I want to encourage you over the next 12 months to resolve to learn more of your Mayflower descendant s unique history. Then distill your family history, and Pilgrim story, into a simple narrative you can share easily with others as opportunities arise. I can assure you, opportunities to personally engage family, friends and neighbors with the truth and significance of the Pilgrim legacy will abound and perhaps never be greater than over the next several years. Beginning in April, a subcommittee of your board of assistants will begin mapping out a master blueprint of 2020-21 events and commemorations which we will announce at our spring reception on Sunday, May 19th at the Friends Meeting House in downtown Wilmington. We are trusting that many of our members and junior members will find an event or project of interest that they will be excited to help develop and make happen in 2020-21. Speaking of our spring reception, I am thrilled to announce that Mr. John Sweeney, former News Journal editor, John Dickinson scholar, and editor of the book, Delaware s John Dickinson; The Constant Watchman of Liberty, will be our honored guest speaker on May 19th. Also, Friends Meeting House volunteer Mrs. Mary Starkweather-White will be our host for the afternoon and will guide us through the history of the house and grounds. I look forward to joining you on the 19th for this inspiring historical presentation and tour. May excitement and preparation be the watchwords that capture the spirit of all our SMDD activities over the next 12 months. y
UPCOMING MEMBER EVENT Spring Reception at Quaker Meeting House... Sunday, May 19 at 3 p.m. 4th and West Street, Wilmington, DE Our 2019 Spring Reception will be held on Sunday, May 19 at 3 p.m. at the Quaker Friends Meeting House located at 4th and West Street, Wilmington, DE. The location and building enjoy a rich history in the development of the future city of Wilmington and the Quaker legacy in Delaware. From the Wilmington Monthly Meeting of Friends website, Anne P. Blake writes that By 1735 Willingtown consisted of 15 or 20 houses clustered near the Christina River. In May of that year William and Elizabeth Shipley, Quakers from Ridley Township in Pennsylvania, came to Willingtown and built a one-story brick house near Fourth and Shipley Streets. The first Friends meeting for worship in Wilmington was held in the house. In 1738 on land given by William Shipley, the first Meeting house was built on Quaker Hill at the corner of High Street (now Fourth) and Sassafras (now West). This small building was soon out-grown and a second place of worship was erected in 1748 on the west corner of the two streets, large enough for a congregation of 500 persons. As the number of Friends grew a still larger Meeting house became necessary and on September 25, 1817, the present building was opened for worship and the earlier one razed. Many prominent Delawareans are buried in the Quaker Meeting House cemetery including John Dickinson, the famous penman of the Revolution and Thomas Garrett, Delaware s greatest stationmaster on the Underground Railroad. Thomas Garrett, working closely with Harriet Tubman, was reported to have helped 2,700 slaves reach freedom through the Underground Railroad in DE and PA. From the same website mentioned above, Ellen Peterson writes, In January 1871, an estimated 1,500 people overflowed the Wilmington Meeting House at Fourth and West Streets awaiting the arrival of several young black men. These men carried Garrett s last remains on their shoulders, up the steep hill from his house on Shipley Street. The inspiring voice of abolitionist Lucretia Mott, another well-known Quaker, rang out over the wooden benches of the Meeting House in praise of the man they all came to know as unrelenting in his willingness to help the runaway slave. Those who heard her wept. It was called the most moving funeral in the history of Wilmington. On May 19th come and learn more of this poignant Quaker history and tour the meeting house which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Mrs. Mary Starkweather-White will be our host for the afternoon and will guide us through the history of the house and grounds. Home-made desserts and light refreshments will be prepared for your enjoyment. y Before your visit To enhance your visit and learn more fascinating history of the Friends Meeting House, visit the following link: www.wilmingtondefriendsmeeting.org/history.htm 2
... and Meet John Sweeney, a John Dickinson Scholar MAYFLOWER REPLICA Former News Journal editor, John Dickinson scholar and Delaware author Mr. John Sweeney will appear at the Quaker Meeting House on Sunday, May 19th to share insights of John Dickinson s remarkable life and contributions to the cause of liberty in Delaware and America. You will hear fascinating details from the life and times of Delaware s most influential founding father mined from a collection of talks by various Dickinson scholars over the past 60 years and contained in John s 2018 book, Delaware s John Dickinson; The Constant Watchman of Liberty. Books will be available for purchase. You won t want to miss this special opportunity to learn and gain a deeper appreciation for arguably Delaware s most important founding father. y Long-time member and current Elder of the Delaware Society, Geoff Gamble, has created a remarkable commemoration for the 400th Anniversary. In the picture, Geoff is holding his replica of the Mayflower made from items found around his house, cellar, and yard. He started with a rough maple log from a tree in his meadow that had fallen. It is about 2.5 feet long. With a chain saw, he sawed it into a rough shape of the ship and then he fine-tuned it using wood chisels and sandpaper. The riggings, hatch covers, and the like were made with bits and pieces found around his house and cellar. Geoff then boiled rags in tea to make them look old and used them for the sails. The rigging threads came from his wife s sewing supplies. The hull inside is hollow allowing for the cannon ports to open. Inside is a small yellow LED light to light up the windows in the captain s cabin at night. Geoff s amazing replica will be on display during Compact Day. y 3
400 TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION At a special Sunday service this past December ownership of the First Parish Church in Town Square at the base of Burial Hill was transferred to the General Society of Mayflower Descendants making it The National Pilgrim Memorial Meetinghouse. The saving of this historic building was possible through many donations plus a generous grant from the City of Plymouth to obtain the necessary $3 million for outside restoration. To become the envisioned Education Center, another $8 million is needed for interior modifications and permanent endowment. The Delaware Society has pledged that our society and its members would donate at least $5,000 over a three year period and we are on track for the year 2018. We ask our members to continue making a contribution using the form below. Our desire to have the U.S. Mint issue a series of commemorative coins recognizing the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower voyage continues to be a challenge. We do not yet have coin bill numbers for you to request our 116th Congress members to co-sponsor, but we are very optimistic there will be a coin series. You will be informed as soon as it is resolved. The 42nd General Congress will occur September 12 to 19, 2020. Events include: A reenactment of the signing of the Mayflower Compact aboard the Mayflower II in Provincetown Harbor; A memorial service and wreath laying in the harbor followed by a luncheon and program at the base of the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum; Pilgrim Progress parade to the Boston State House during the Massachusetts Governor s Salute to the 400th Anniversary; and Fort Church service at Plimouth Plantation followed by a Pilgrim Progress parade from the Mayflower House to the Sarcophagus on Coles Hill to the National Pilgrim Memorial Meetinghouse for Opening Ceremonies and a welcome reception in the garden of the Mayflower House. Here there will be a dedication of the new 2020 life size bronze statue of William Bradford. Two days of Congress meetings and numerous tours bring these celebrations to a close. Every Mayflower member is welcome to attend. Since there will be so many visitors, you need to make lodging arrangements NOW and sign up for tours as soon as registration opens. See page 8 of the 2019 Spring Mayflower Quarterly. If you wish to be a voting delegate contact Governor David Bradford. Information updates can be found on the GSMD web site www. themayflowersociety.org as they become available. Check back often. y NATIONAL PILGRIM MEMORIAL MEETINGHOUSE DONATION FORM To make a donation to the National Pilgrim Meetinghouse, please complete this form and mail it along with a check to the address shown below. Checks should be made payable to GSMD. Don t forget to designate if you wish your donation to go to the Restoration of the Meetinghouse or the Preservation (maintenance and operation) fund of the Meetinghouse. Member name Restoration Fund Preservation Fund Address City State ZIP Donation $ Send to: Charles F. Streitwieser 870 Marlborough Spring Rd. Kennett Sq., PA 19348-1312 4
MAYFLOWER II, DID YOU KNOW? Reprinted with permission by the author, Ann Ferguson, Alabama Society Assistant General Mayflower II was a gift to all Americans from the British people in commemoration of the historic ties and war-time cooperation between England and America during WWII. She was built from reconstructed blueprints of a 17th Century ship and is considered a generic fullscale replica since there are no surviving images or blueprints of the original Mayflower. She was financed by donations from the English people and was constructed in the town of Brixham, in Devon, England at the Upham Shipyard. Construction began July 27 1955 and on April 20, 1957 she left England with a crew of 33 men to cross the Atlantic under her own sail. The route was similar to that of the original ship s voyage of 1620 and arrived in Plymouth, MA, June 13, 1957 to a crowd of 25,000 spectators. A ticker-tape parade was held in New York City on July 2, 1957 in honor of Mayflower II s Captain Alan J. Villiers and her crew. Plimoth Plantation, the educational replica of Plimoth Colony in Plymouth, MA, agreed to maintain and exhibit Mayflower II once she reached the U.S. and she continues under the care of Plimoth Plantation s Maritime Preservation staff. She is normally berthed at State Pier on the Plymouth waterfront and is open to the public for a fee as a floating classroom essential to Plimoth Plantation s educational mission. Since Mayflower II s arrival in 1957, an estimated 25 million people have come aboard her. Mayflower II is also considered a historic ship in her own right. The Massachusetts Historic Commission has determined that Mayflower II is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places and Landmarks. Mayflower II really can sail. Since 2000 she has sailed to Providence, RI; Boston, MA and Provincetown, MA. She sailed the Cape Cod Bay in 2007 for her 50th anniversary. Since arrivng here in 1957 she has sailed to several other ports on the East coast. The goal is for her to sail again in 2020. In 2014 a total marine survey was completed on the 60 year old ship, which documented the work which must be done to restore her to her role as a safe seafaring symbol of the Pilgrim story, an emblem of Anglo-American friendship, a floating educational classroom, tourist attraction and cornerstone of the commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower voyage. The iconic symbol of our Pilgrim ancestors harrowing 1620 voyage to the New World, Mayflower II, is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation in preparation for the 2020 commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims voyage. Mayflower II was towed on November 1, 2016 from Plymouth to the Henry B. DuPont Preservation Shipyard at Mystic Seaport in Mystic, CT, for a 30-month complete renovation. She is scheduled to return to Plymouth in 2019 in time for the 400th anniversary. The plan is to replace rotted timbers, planking, structural frames, knees and beams; 60-70% of the oak planking under the water line will be replaced. Much of the wood that is being used to restore the ship was obtained from fallen oak trees from Hurricane Katrna. The wood, mostly old growth live oak, is carefully stacked in the shipyard and spray-painted with an M and an F on each piece. The Mayflower II Restoration Project requires $12 million which includes a dedicated reserve fund for future maintenance. Over half of tlus amount has already been raised from a combination of private donors, corporate sponsors, and government agencies. y 5
Pilgrim Biographies This is the 5th in a series of 6 to acquaint the reader with some knowledge of each of the signers of the Mayflower Compact. 6 WILLIAM BREWSTER William Brewster was born in England abut 1567, probably in Nottinghamshire of Yorkshire. His father, also named William, became bailiff of Scrooby Manor in 1575, and in 1588 was made postmaster. The younger William attended Cambridge University from 1580 83 but did not stay to graduate. He married about 1589. His wife s name is Mary. In 1590 William Brewster assumed the responsibilities formerly carried by his father, but in the following years became involved with leadership of the Separatist movement and ultimately was instrumental in the migration of the Scrooby group to Holland. There he became the ruling Elder of their new church, a teacher of English, and a publisher of religious books. With others, William Brewster helped organize the emigration of the Separatists (Pilgrims) from Holland to America in 1620. Brewster joined the group on the Mayflower at Southampton. His wife and two of their children (Love and Wrestling) were on the Speedwell from Holland to England. A son, Jonathan, came to America on the Fortune in 1621, and daughters Patience and Fear came on the Anne in 1623. Descent from William Brewster has been proven through all of the above named children except Wrestling. William Brewster was one of the 41 signers of the Mayflower Compact. Although not a minister in the Pilgrim sense, William Brewster became the true leader of the church at Plymouth and was greatly respected for his wisdom and fairness judgment. He died 10 April 1644. Inventory of his estate is on record at Plymouth. He did not leave a will. His wife Mary died in 1627. EDWARD FULLER Edward Fuller was born in England at Redenhall Parish, County Norfolk, and baptized on 4 September 1575. There is no reliable information regarding the name of his wife. It is now believed that Edward and family were part of the Separatist group who resided in Leyden, Holland. If this is the case, then Edward, wife, and son Samuel would have traveled on the Speedwell from Leyden to Southampton where they would have boarded the Mayflower. Son Matthew remained behind not coming to Plymouth until about 1640. Edward was one of the 41 signers of the Mayflower Compact. Both Edward and his wife succumbed to the general illness which struck the Pilgrims during their first winter in Plymouth. Their son Samuel was then taken in by his uncle, the senior Samuel Fuller, also a Mayflower passenger. Descent from Edward Fuller has been proven through sons Samuel and Matthew. DEGORY PRIEST Degory Priest was born in England about 1579, but nothing has been conclusively established concerning his ancestry or exact location of birth. He joined with the Separatist group that migrated from England to Holland, where he married widow Sarah (Allerton) Vincent, sister of Issac Allerton, on 4 November 1611. In Leyden, Holland the records listed him as a hatter of London. Degory Priest was one of the group that embarked from Holland on the Speedwell and transferred to the Mayflower at Southampton. He left his wife and two children behind. He was one of the 41 signers of the Mayflower Compact, however, he died at Plymouth on 11 January 1621 during the general illness that befell the Pilgrims during that first winter. His wife remarried at Leyden and came to Plymouth on the Anne in 1623 with her two children and second husband. Descent from Degory Priest has been proven through these two children, Mary and Sarah. His wife died at Plymouth before November 1633.
WILLIAM WHITE William White was one of the 41 signers of the Mayflower Compact. Susanna, his wife, and their son, Resolved, were on the Mayflower. A second son, Peregrine, was born on board the Mayflower while it was at anchor in December 1620. The family brought a cradle along with them. It is now on display at Pilgrim Hall in Plymouth, Massachusetts. William White died in February 1621 during the general sickness of the first winter in Plymouth. In May of that year, Susanna married Edward Winslow, a Mayflower passenger who had lost his wife a few weeks before. Descent from William White has been proven through sons Resolved and Peregrine. y COLONIAL DAMES OF AMERICA INVITE WOMEN FROM THE MAYFLOWER SOCIETY For their annual Spring Tea and Meeting The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Delaware invited members of the Mayflower Society to join them. Tina Lassen, Barbara Welch, and Barbara Wright attended and heard a delightful presentation by storyteller Marie Gormley-Tarleton depicting the life of Victorine du Pont, the eldest daughter of Eléutheré Irénée du Pont. As you see in the picture, there were four Dames who are also members of the Mayflower Society: Louise Roselle, Susan Rickards, Judy Herdeg, and Anne Wattman. Colonial Dames is a national women s genealogical and historical organization dedicated to honoring the colonial history of the United States and preservation of its historic sites, buildings, gardens, art, and artifacts. This Spring Tea was also a fundraiser for Sulgrave Manor, the ancestral home of George Washington, located in Sulgrave, near Banbury, England. Membership is determined by having an ancestor that was a person of importance during the colonial period and before the American Revolution e.g. a military officer, land owner, minister, governor. Mayflower descendants often use their Mayflower ancestry as the link to eligibility for the Colonial Dames. The Dames of Delaware meets once a month from September through May. y Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Delaware 2019 Board of Assistants Committee Chairs Governor Deputy Governor Secretary Assistant Secretary Treasurer Historian Elder Captain Surgeon Counsellor Assistant - Lynes Editor Assistant - Social Media Assistant - Education Past Governor David M. Bradford TBD Lois B. Schlegel Barbara Wideman Charles Streitwieser Penny E. Perry D. Geoffrey Gamble John L. Crossan Dorothy B. Wiker Gregory J. Weinig Barbara G. Welch Aaron Bradford Barbara Wright Barbara G. Welch Finance James Blakeslee Library TBD Membership Kai Lassen General Society Deputy Governor General Noel H. Kuhrt, Jr. Assistant General Robert J. Hanson, Jr. 7
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Virginia Gleeson My name is Virginia Gleeson and I am a 12th generation descendant of John Alden. I joined the Delaware Society in 2018 after my brother discovered our lineage while researching our genealogy. We grew up in New Jersey, but our father (Willard Bartlett Jr.) was born in New Hampshire. James Reed Campbell Jr. James Reed Campbell Jr. is a 12thgeneration descendant of Stephen Hopkins. He recently moved to Wilmington after living in northern New Jersey for the past 25 years. Campbell served for 10 years in marketing for the American Society of Mechanical Sandra M. Harvey (nee Kelley) General #94436 DE #471 I am descended from Edward Fuller through his son Matthew. I was born and raised in Vermont. I received a BA and MA from the University of Chicago and spent my career in Information Science, working for the State of Vermont I moved to Delaware to attend the University of Delaware where I graduated with both a BS and MS in Early Childhood Education. I met my husband there and we settled on a small family farm in Kent County, Delaware. We raised 4 children here while also pursuing our careers in education. Now retired, we are still enjoying the healthy food we continue to raise and share with our children and grandchildren. Engineers, following similar roles for a series of manufacturers. He also wrote and published an 850- page guide to music festivals. Campbell belongs to numerous genealogically-oriented organizations. Yet he also enjoys church activities, cultural events, motorcycling, and genealogically-motivated travel with his beloved wife, Ulana. and the State of Delaware. I started investigating my family genealogy after retirement and found my ancestors were quite firmly rooted in New England, all the way back to the Mayflower. I enjoyed the process of following my family tree and continue to discover new facts about my ancestry. I also enjoy traveling, gardening, square dancing and reading. Benjamin Bradford Benjamin Bradford is a 14th generation descendant of William Bradford and the youngest of four sons of current SMDD Governor David Bradford and his wife Kathy. He works as a Senior Account Executive for Cogency Global assisting both law firms Nathan Bradford Nathan Bradford is a 14th generation descendant of William Bradford. He is the twin brother of Andrew Bradford whose new member profile appeared in the Fall, 2018 issue of the Lynes. Nathan has worked in the culinary arts in New Castle County as a chef, caterer, Joan Ellen Bartelt I first learned of my Mayflower connection from my paternal grandmother, who was a member of the Society in Chicago in the mid-20th century. I was born and lived in Michigan, and later Ohio, then studied chemistry at Ohio State University and Indiana University, where I earned my Ph.D. in 1990. For more and corporations with new Entity Formations, Registered Agent, Independent Director and UCC services. His wife Leslie Manning Bradford is a professional photographer specializing in weddings, corporate events and family pictures. They live in Newark Delaware with their Great Dane, Piper. Together they enjoy traveling, weight lifting, recreational sports and target shooting. executive chef and creator of custom wedding cakes. He recently married Kelley Simmons Bradford and together they share their love of food and cooking on-line at chefsavvy.com. He and Kelley enjoy outdoor sports, biking and boating. Nathan also enjoys playing guitar, mandolin and singing with his church worship team and at area open mic nights. than 20 years I worked for the DuPont company in several locations, including North Carolina and Texas, until retiring in Delaware in 2013. I live with my husband and 15-yo son in North Wilmington, and enjoy gardening, nature walks and travel. My Mayflower ancestors include Myles Standish, John Alden and the Mullins. I look forward to making new acquaintances in the Delaware chapter of the Mayflower Society. 8
WHAT IS A MAYFLOWER? The Mayflower, for which the ship of the Pilgrims is named, is Epigaea repens. It is better known as Trailing Arbutus. It is a trailing evergreen belonging to the Heath Family with a white flower with a pink center. Although it is said to be one of the choicest wild flowers of the Eastern United States, it is not a common plant in cultivation despite the many attempts to establish it in gardens. It requires an acid, peaty soil in a shady place, and seems to like association with Hemlock. It is said that the dried leaves are slightly astringent and are used as a tonic and diuretic in much the same way as Uva ursi and Chimaphila are used. An infusion of the herb was used for treating diarrhea in children by the Cherokee according to an article posted on the Internet by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (which neither recommends nor condones such use without consulting a physician). It is also the tribal flower of the Ottawa Indians. The ship Speedwell was also named for a flower, a Figwort also known as Veronica Officinalis. y PATRIOTS TO PASSENGERS by Bob Hanson The General Society of Mayflower Descendants has posted on its website a database containing the names of many Revolutionary War patriots who are also descendants of the Mayflower passengers. This is not a new database but is updated periodically so if you don t find a Patriot during your first visit, you may want to try again later. This database can be accessed directly from the Society Home page by clicking on Our Society, Partnerships and scrolling down to Patriots to Passengers. It can also be accessed if you are logged on to the web site, but it is nice that it is also available to the general public. Why is this database important? It fills a gap many people struggle with in tracing their lineage. The Society s Silver Books only cover the first five generations, or in some cases the sixth. The database can supply the missing sixth, seventh and even eighth generations. These can be some of the hardest to establish. For individuals who belong to the DAR or SAR but have not establish their lineage back to the Pilgrims, it may supply the missing links. Non member will also find it useful in establishing their lineage. Please share this valuable site with others. y COMPLETED VOYAGES Once more we stand upon the shore of the sea and bid farewell to a ship that loses itself over the rim of the world. O God, give fair voyaging and safe harbor! And as we stand upon this hither shore and bid farewell, grant us faith to hear the voices which on yonder shore cry, Welcome and All Hail. Amen Marshall Earle Baker Died January 21, 2019 Gen #71326 DE# 362 Descended 10th from John Alden Robert John Hanson Died February 11, 2019 Gen #53148 DE#234 Descended 11th from William Bradford 9
SMDD AND BFCN COMMEMORATE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY The Society of Mayflower Descendants in Delaware (SMDD) sponsored its first ever community outreach program to remember and pay tribute to the history and our nation s Thanksgiving holiday. The program was held at the Bible Fellowship Church of Newark (BFCN) on Friday, November 16th and was attended by families and guests of all ages from across Delaware and the neighboring states of PA, MD and NJ. Titled, Thanksgiving Remembered, the program presented the history of our national holiday and how the Pilgrims came to symbolize the core American values of faith, family and freedom. BFCN Pastor Bill Schlonecker hosted and narrated the historical presentation which incorporated inspirational hymns and patriotic songs along with selected recitations by David and Aaron Bradford (13th and 14th generation direct descendents Social Media by Aaron Bradford, Social Media Chair The SMDD Facebook Page, from September 3, 2018 through April 1, 2019, reached 5,164 with 27 posts. Highlights include a video from the General Board of Assistance Meeting in St. Charles, IL, an article by SMDD Governor David Bradford regarding the controversial drowning of Dorothy Bradford, images of our Thanksgiving Remembered event of Plimoth Gov. William Bradford) pulled from Gov. Bradford s journal Of Plimoth Plantation, to show the unique way in which the Pilgrims epitomized our nation s foundations of freedom, faith, family and community. Following the presentation, kids and adults retreated to the Frisbie Fellowship Center where they enjoyed fried cinamon apples and cider. Children had a great time playing period games, practicing pike and sword drills, making a variety of crafts to take home and watching a matchlock musket firing demonstration held outside the Frisbie Center. We trust this program will become an important Thanksgiving tradition for an increasing number of families in our community each year. held at Bible Fellowship Church of Newark, Governor General Garmany s visit to the SMDD 60th Compact Day Luncheon, an exquisite cake depiction of the Mayflower by Nathan Bradford, and a masterpiece of a wooden model of the Mayflower by Geoffrey Gamble! Goals for Social Media initiatives include expanding our reach to Instagram, celebrating known days of birth or death of Mayflower passengers, sharing posts of interest, and presenting words of the Pilgrims in video form. Please feel welcome to contact Aaron Bradford at Bradford1620@gmail.com with possible ideas or content. y 10
SMDD Celebrate 60th Anniversary at Compact Day by Lois Schlegel The 60th Annual Meeting and Compact Day Luncheon of the SMDD opened with a bang as Aaron Bradford, in full Pilgrim attire, fired his matchlock musket outside the meeting room doors at the Vicmead Hunt Club in Greenville Delaware. Fifty-one members, spouses and guests welcomed Governor General George P. Garmany, Jr. to the state of Delaware and our 2018 Compact Day celebration and our 60th anniversary as a society. GG Garmany brought with him for our use during the meeting a celebratory gavel which was donated by former Delaware and GG Robert Davis. The gavel was made from wood from the Mayflower II. Gov. Bradford presented the newly written Delaware Society Mission Statement for adoption into the society s Handbook that was approved by unanimous vote of members. To preserve and share Pilgrim history in a way that: Supports democratic principles of civil and religious liberty Provides an historically accurate account and understanding of the Pilgrims, their relationship with the Wampanoag people and contributions to the world Provides transgenerational social and educational opportunities to appreciate the Pilgrim legacy Helps people connect to our nation s Pilgrim heritage and their possible Mayflower lineage So that Pilgrim values of faith, freedom, family and community remain honored and experienced by all generations. In honor of the Delaware Society s 60th anniversary, Gov. Bradford provided members with a special gift; a book Proclaim Liberty... a Broken Bell Rings Freedom to the World written by Dr. Peter A. Lillback, compliments of the Providence Forum. A special presentation by GG Garmany and Gov. Bradford was made to former Delaware Society Governor Barbara Welch who received the General Society Silver Recognition Award for service to the Delaware Society. After a wonderful lunch, members were treated to a special dessert of cake created by new member Nathan Bradford that was made likeness of the Mayflower at sea. After the blessing and lunch, Gov. Bradford introduced key note speaker GG Garmany who presented a slide show highlighting the General Society s plans for celebrating the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower crossing in 2020. Conversation at tables were lively and all cousins enjoyed a wonderful meal. It was a fitting start to the Thanksgiving season and an acknowledgement of our appreciation for our Pilgrim heritage. y 11
You re Invited! Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Delaware Spring Reception Quaker Meeting House 401 North West Street Wilmington, Delaware 19801 Sunday, May 19, 2019 3 5 p.m. Traveling Directions : The Friends Meeting House is located at 401 North West Street (at the corner of 4th and West Streets), Wilmington, Delaware. (302) 652-4491 Speaker : John Sweeney Please respond to by Saturday, May 11, 2019 Lois B. Schlegel 114 Horseshoe Road, Newark, DE 19711-2413 (302) 239-4125 lbspsu62@yahoo.com (*Note first alpha is lower case L ) I (we) will attend the Mayflower Spring Reception on May19, 2019 Member Spouse (Trailing Arbutus, first name) Other Guest(s) Junior Member(s) 12