ANNOUNCEMENT: The 2024 Florida Mayflower Scholarship form is available! Follow this link for more information.
Greetings from the Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Florida. We have recently revised and updated our website to better inform you about the Florida Society, and what is happening at our active state organization and 17 colonies throughout the state. We welcome new and transferring members to our organization. The Florida Society is one of the largest state organizations of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. Membership information is included at this website. Please feel free to contact one of our state or colony officers for additional information.
HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA SOCIETY OF MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS
The Florida Society, the 28th state to organize, was chartered 31 July 1937 with 24 charter members. The organizational meeting was held 07 Aug 1937, at “Perrydell” in Rio Vista, overlooking the Halifax River, north of Daytona Beach. The first annual meeting was held in Jacksonville in the home of the Secretary. Dinner was $1.00 per plate. Initiation fee $5.00; annual dues $3.00; and Life Membership $50.00.
The Florida Society’s Charter was presented by Governor General Burnham Standish Colburn. GG Colburn (NC #1 & first NC Mayflower State Governor) was the Governor General of the General Society for six years, from 1933 to 1939.
By 1958 six colonies had been chartered and many followed. We now have 17 colonies throughout the state:
Colony | Location | Chartered | |
1. | William Brewster Colony | Miami | 22 Nov 1942 |
2. | John Alden Colony | Fort Lauderdale | 1949 |
Dr. Samuel Fuller Colony | Tampa | 1 Apr 1950 (disbanded) | |
3. | William Bradford Colony | St. Petersburg | 1951 |
4. | Francis Cooke Colony | Daytona Beach | 10 Nov 1954 |
5. | Richard Warren Colony | Ponte Vedra Beach | 15 Nov 1957 |
6. | John Howland Colony | Winter Park | 1962 |
7. | Edward Fuller Colony | Polk County | 1968 |
8. | Isaac Allerton Colony | West Palm Beach | 1970 |
9. | Myles Standish Colony | Naples | 1975 |
10. | Edward Winslow Colony | Tallahassee | 1977 |
11. | Elizabeth Tilley Colony | Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte Counties | 1982 |
12. | Edward Doty Colony | Pensacola | 1989 |
13. | William Mullins Colony | Ocala | 27 Mar 1999 |
14. | Stephen Hopkins Colony | Vero Beach | 13 Nov 2001 |
15. | James Chilton Colony | The Villages | 10 Jan 2004 |
16. | Henry Samson Colony | Fort Myers | 26 Oct 2011 |
17. | Samuel Fuller Colony | Palm Beach | 13 May 2016 |
The organization is involved in school programs, talking about our ancestors’ lives and history and what it means for our country today. The state organization sponsors an annual scholarship program for High School seniors. A working Board of Assistants makes it all happen and great fellowship makes our organization so meaningful. If you are interested in learning more about the state society and the individual colonies please contact us.