A Brief History of the Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of New Hampshire

By Dean Dexter

The Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of New Hampshire began when 38 New Hampshire residents, all members of other state societies, but mainly the Massachusetts Society (founded in 1896), gathered at the home of Mrs. Elizabeth Folsom on August 15, 1930 in historic Exeter, the state's Revolutionary era capital and one of New Hampshire's first settlements. The General Society of Mayflower Descendants, based in Plymouth, Massachusetts, had granted a charter to the organization just days earlier, on August 5th.

Mrs. Folsom became the Society’s first governor and had the honor of being issued New Hampshire Member Number One. She served six years as governor and later as deputy governor. Notice of her passing is recorded in the 1953-1954 Directory as occurring on September 10, 1955. The last N.H. Charter Member, Mrs. Elizabeth Folsom Smith (State No. 30), passed away in 1982.

Today the New Hampshire Society numbers nearly 500 members, many of whom reside out of state, including such unlikely places as Colorado, Texas, Arizona, Hollywood, California — even Tokyo, Japan! Imagine Squanto or Myles Standish or William Bradford looking down the ages to see the diversity of their progeny? Indeed, the New Hampshire Society hosted Deerfoot (Paul Weeden) a direct descendant of the great Chief Massasoit and a member of the Pokanoket tribe, at its Spring 2003 meeting in Concord, only to learn that Deerfoot, himself is also a descendant of William White, a Mayflower passenger, and a member of the Massachusetts society! How curious and interesting are the twists and turns the blood-lines of our ancestors take as they flow down through the centuries.

The New Hampshire Society is small compared to other states, but at the time of its founding, it was identified as the largest society to organize to that time, according to the General Society office. With just 38 members, that was perhaps still a commentary on how difficult it was in those days to prove one’s ancestry going back some 300-plus years. Only libraries in the larger cities had the resources to accommodate a search for one’s ancestors, often necessitating difficult travel for research. Who but the wealthy had the time for such a luxury? Life in New Hampshire until the 1950s was primarily an agricultural, blue collar society. A majority of people either earned their living by farming or, if they lived in a town or city, through merchandizing or manufacturing in a mill at humble wages. There were no fax machines, no internet, no books like “Genealogy for Dummies” available for average people to “prove” a relationship to a second cousin residing two towns over, let alone someone who landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620.

Yet, the N.H. Society grew steadily with excellent, careful leadership. General Conrad E. Snow, the second governor (1936-1938 – State No. 52), was a prominent attorney who distinguished himself during and after World War II in many roles, including service in the office of High Commissioner for Germany in 1950, and chairman of Clemency and Parole Board for Japanese War Criminals, 1952-56. General Snow served as an officer in the N.H. Society for 44 years until his death in 1975. Foster Stearns (1938-1940 – State No. 80) of Hancock was elected to the U.S. Congress during his term at the society’s helm and remained an active member until his death in 1956.

Among the general membership have been such distinguished New Hampshire names as the U.N. diplomat and Judge William W. Treat of Stratham (Stephen Hopkins – State No. 635), the U.S. Ambassador to Spain, Mexico and Argentina, and Assistant Secretary of State and Defense Robert C. Hill of Littleton (Isaac Allerton – State No. 276), and the late Astronaut, Admiral Alan B. Shepherd, Jr. of East Derry (Richard Warren – State No. 273), the first American to fly in Space and a Moon explorer for the Apollo 14 mission.

There have been military officers, clergymen, teachers, business and professional people, homemakers, medical doctors, store clerks and laborers – any walk of life one can think of – who have served in leadership or simply enjoyed the fellowship of membership in the Society. These were, and are, people dedicated to keeping alive the memory of the sacrifices Mayflower passengers suffered in such a difficult and primitive land, after a harrowing voyage across the sea. The principles of freedom, religious liberty, and the inalienable worth of the individual (to say nothing of an appreciation for high adventure) to which these “Saints and Strangers” gave their lives, are at the foundation of the New Hampshire society.

At the November 1931 meeting, the tradition of the Roll Call of Ancestors began where the names of Mayflower passengers are read and those in attendance stand. It recent years, Warrens have narrowly beat out the Bradfords and a good natured rivalry is alive among the two clans. Also, the Society’s die cut (logo) was ordered, a facsimile of which is in use, appearing on the cover of this publication and other materials.

Harvard Historian Samuel Eliot Morison

In 1932 the Society voted to commission a bronze plaque commemorating the Mayflower to be placed in the State House. On November 21, 1936 N.H. Governor Styles Bridges permitted society use of the Executive Chambers at the State House for the Fall Meeting, at which time the plaque was presented by Foster Stearns. The tablet can be seen on the first floor back wall hallway, past the Hall of Flags. Celebrated Harvard historian Samuel Eliot Morison spoke, and children dressed in Colonial costumes were present during the ceremonies. In 1970, the society voted to rededicate the State House plaque.

The tablet reads in part:

“Thus out of small beginnings greater things have been produced by His hand that made all things of nothing and gave being to all things that are, and as one small candle may light a thousand so the light here kindled had shone unto many, yes in some sort to the whole nation.” – From the writing of Gov. Bradford.

Plaque Honoring the Mayflower voyage, NH State House, first floor back hallway

The following decades saw twice a year luncheon meetings held at various fine restaurants, hotels and country clubs throughout the state. Society activities were mostly given to historical programs, providing Pilgrim oriented and other patriotic materials to schools, and making donations for the preservation of various state and national historical documents and resources, including monies to support the Winslow House, headquarters of the General Society at Plymouth, Massachusetts.

In 1954 the records show a “…Miss Marion Carter offered her twenty-one room home in Lebanon, N.H. as a gift to the Mayflower Society in the State of New Hampshire or a combination of historical societies.” All that is noted following the aforementioned sentence is this terse statement: “Offer was declined.”

Society Governor, the Reverend Franklin Thompson and his Board of Assistants, likely saw nothing but trouble ahead with such a “gift” as by 1955 the Society reported a mere “$167.15 on hand and $299.77 savings.” Not much to support and maintain this kind of real estate. However, the records make no further mention of the proposal.

In 1976, under the administration of Governor Walworth Johnson, a former N.H. state senator and Dover mayor, the Society’s newsletter The Shallop was born and is published twice a year, and mailed to members around the world. The first editor was Frederick W. Cole of New London. Later editors included John Fipphen, who computerized the newsletter’s production, Ed Holden who introduced graphics, and Joanne Tuxbury who added digital photography and modernized the type-design. Holden and Tuxbury are also ex-governors.

In 1984, long-time member Ethyl Mae Kennard Gerrish of Dover (Edward Doty – State No. 380) bequeathed a generous sum from her estate to the Society, whereupon the officers established a Memorial Scholarship fund for undergraduate and graduate students. Although adding to the bequest has been uneven, Governor Carlton Bradford (2002-2005) made it a priority of his administration to invigorate both fundraising and promoting the scholarship to members and non-members. The result has been most successful. A plaque listing $1000 donors is now displayed at Society meetings and all donors are listed in The Shallop.

Since its founding, the New Hampshire organization has maintained close ties with its national counterpart, known as the General Society. Two New Hampshire past governors, Ed Holden and Shirley Thivierge, have served as Membership Chairmen for the General Society.

Today the New Hampshire Society is wired for the digital age. In addition to The Shallop, the Society’s webpage, http://nhmayflower.org, is a popular resource for internet users interested in learning about the Society’s programs, history and qualifications for membership. After Board of Assistance member Ralph Thivierge helped introduce the membership to the value of internet communication, the Society’s website was completely redesigned, upgraded and re-launched in 2005 through the generous efforts of John Forest, Jr., a Mayflower Society supporter and husband of member Julie Johnson Forest.

As the New Hampshire Society held its 75th Birthday celebration in Concord on November 5, 2005, feasting on a traditional Thanksgiving meal, the members looked forward to the challenges of the next 75 years and beyond. The world has changed much since the 1930s when it was in the throes of a Great Depression and the N.H. Society sought to help preserve historical documents and other artifacts at a time when such expenditures were luxuries many libraries and historical associations could not afford.

Today the challenge is to communicate and keep alive the kind of human values and a vision beyond comfort, indulgence and self that caused a small band of men, women and children to go out into the fearsome unknown to seek a New World, a better life. It's what everybody still wants in some way or another, despite the relative prosperity and distractions that surround our modern lives.

As members of a lineage society, we have had nothing to do with choosing such wonderful and interesting ancestors. They are perhaps more alive to us, than to some, because of the sense of closeness we have developed by hearing and thinking about them as family, distant as they are. What we do with that, how we embrace their example and present it for future generation to consider worthy, is our duty, and is the great challenge before us. – November, 2005, updated February, 2010.

Dean Dexter has been a life member of the N.H. Society since 1964. He is currently serving as Society Governor. This article is reprinted from the Society's 2002-2005, 75th Anniversary Directory.

N.H. Mayflower Society Governor Walworth Johnson, Jr. (left) and Deputy Governor Dean Dexter review the organization's history at the 75th Anniversary dinner on November 5, 2005 at the Cat n' Fiddle Restaurant, Concord, New Hampshire. Photo by former Governor Joanne Tuxbury.

Former New Hampshire Mayflower Society governors Walworth Johnson, Jr., left, and Carlton Bradford with incoming Governor Dean Dexter, November 8, 2008 annual meeting, Concord, N.H.

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Originally Posted, November 27, 2005

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