The Jamestowne Society has, for decades, used its resources and those of its members for educational, historical and genealogical endeavors rooted in the lives of, and descent from, Virginia’s first colonists. It was founded in 1936 and now has more than 5,000 members.
Jamestowne Society Structure
The Jamestowne Society is organized by member companies covering geographical regions. One of the most recent is the Florida Gulf Coast Company. Some are state or regional companies. For example, there is an Alabama Company, a Kentucky Company and a Michigan Company, as well as a Chesapeake Bay Company, a Shenandoah Valley Company and a New England Company. Each has its own Governor.
The national organization has a Governor and other officers, is based in Richmond, Virginia, and is managed by an executive director.
Jamestowne Society Historical Resources
The Jamestowne Society and its members have had a longstanding interest in preserving historical information, historical records and other resources relating to the early colonists. It currently is funding restoration of old court records.
Its mission statement calls for promoting “the restoration of historical records, documents, objects and edifices which are of lasting cultural value to the people of Virginia and of the Nation.
The Society also maintains an online list of reading resources for colonial era places and people, including some titles whose full text is made available online. New titles are added on a regular basis
Jamestowne Society Genealogical Resources
The Society’s mission statement includes such ambitious goals as trying “to discover and record the names of all living descendants of those early settlers who made the great sacrifice to establish our English-speaking nation and to unite these descendants to honor the memory of our settler ancestors and to record their deeds and to do homage to the birthplace of Virginia and the Nation."
The Society actively maintains and adds to a list of Virginia colonists whose descendants qualify for membership in the Jamestowne Society.
Membership Application Process
Membership in the Jamestowne Society is by invitation. Applicants should begin the process by contacting a member from their area. Prospective members must demonstrate descent from a qualifying Jamestowne ancestor to the satisfaction of the Society genealogist.
A preliminary application also serves as an order form for the Society’s application software. All applicants must use this software. If a candidate is approved, the software is sent to the applicant and the completed application goes to Faye Chewning Weems, executive director, at the Society headquarters in Richmond, Virginia.
The process is described in more detail on the Society’s website, as are the activities, meetings and programs of the Society. The headquarters address is POB 6845, Richmond, VA 23230.
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