Frequently Asked Questions about the Jamestowne Society Application Process
What is the Jamestowne Society application process?
Membership in the Jamestowne Society is by invitation. To begin the application process, please contact a member of the Jamestowne Society whom you know, or the Jamestowne Society Company most convenient to you, and express your interest in becoming a member. If you do not know a member of the Society, you may contact Bonnie Hofmeyer, Executive Director, by email at [email protected], including a brief autobiography. Please include the name of your qualifying ancestor, mailing address, and telephone number.
The Jamestowne Society sends by email the invitation software. To apply for membership, please return, by mail, your completed application and proof documents. All applications must be completed using the Society’s software.
Are there guidelines for preparing the application?
Yes, the application includes instructions and guidelines.
Are birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates required?
It is required, but in some cases, these records may not exist, so the Jamestowne Society will accept other forms of proof, such as death certificates, census records, newspaper obituaries, announcements, and Bible records if they are contemporary with the event. There must be documentation connecting each and every generation.
Does the Jamestowne Society accept all information in the Mayflower Silver Books and Adventurers of Purse & Person 4th Edition?
No, if either source says probably or maybe, then the Jamestowne Genealogist recommends trying another line. However, those two sources are generally considered to be pretty reliable.
Does Jamestowne Society accept printed genealogies as proof?
Printed genealogies are only accepted if they contain thorough documentation. Most do not meet this standard. John "Fred" Dorman’s Epes Family and Clairborne Family books are acceptable.
Will the Jamestowne Society accept proving back to a common ancestor on an already accepted application?
Yes, approved lineage papers are found on the website. If using a paper not found on the website (usually paper # 4400 or lower) the applicant should ask the Jamestowne Society Executive Director first about the specific application that will be used. Send the membership number or name of the member whose application paper will be used. The Executive Director will check it and respond whether that existing application paper is acceptable or whether complete documentation must be provided. Send emails to [email protected]
Does the Jamestowne Society require that the applicant supplies a copy of the original document or will it accept a published abstract, for example for a will?
Published abstracts that are complete are okay, but they must document the connection.
Does the Jamestowne Society assist with research?
No, the Society does not assist applicants with research for their application.
Is there anything else people should know in preparing an application for the Jamestowne Society?
The applicant should carefully read and follow the instructions. We have simplified them and tried to make them as succinct as possible. Refer to the Application Tips Aid that is provided with your invitation for additional information.
The Jamestowne Society sends by email the invitation software once your sponsor has requested it for the applicant. To apply for membership, please return, by mail, your completed application and proof documents. All applications must be completed using the Society’s software.
Membership in the Jamestowne Society is by invitation. To begin the application process, please contact a member of the Jamestowne Society whom you know, or the Jamestowne Society Company most convenient to you, and express your interest in becoming a member. If you do not know a member of the Society, you may contact Bonnie Hofmeyer, Executive Director, by email at [email protected], including a brief autobiography. Please include the name of your qualifying ancestor, mailing address, and telephone number.
The Jamestowne Society sends by email the invitation software. To apply for membership, please return, by mail, your completed application and proof documents. All applications must be completed using the Society’s software.
Are there guidelines for preparing the application?
Yes, the application includes instructions and guidelines.
Are birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates required?
It is required, but in some cases, these records may not exist, so the Jamestowne Society will accept other forms of proof, such as death certificates, census records, newspaper obituaries, announcements, and Bible records if they are contemporary with the event. There must be documentation connecting each and every generation.
Does the Jamestowne Society accept all information in the Mayflower Silver Books and Adventurers of Purse & Person 4th Edition?
No, if either source says probably or maybe, then the Jamestowne Genealogist recommends trying another line. However, those two sources are generally considered to be pretty reliable.
Does Jamestowne Society accept printed genealogies as proof?
Printed genealogies are only accepted if they contain thorough documentation. Most do not meet this standard. John "Fred" Dorman’s Epes Family and Clairborne Family books are acceptable.
Will the Jamestowne Society accept proving back to a common ancestor on an already accepted application?
Yes, approved lineage papers are found on the website. If using a paper not found on the website (usually paper # 4400 or lower) the applicant should ask the Jamestowne Society Executive Director first about the specific application that will be used. Send the membership number or name of the member whose application paper will be used. The Executive Director will check it and respond whether that existing application paper is acceptable or whether complete documentation must be provided. Send emails to [email protected]
Does the Jamestowne Society require that the applicant supplies a copy of the original document or will it accept a published abstract, for example for a will?
Published abstracts that are complete are okay, but they must document the connection.
Does the Jamestowne Society assist with research?
No, the Society does not assist applicants with research for their application.
Is there anything else people should know in preparing an application for the Jamestowne Society?
The applicant should carefully read and follow the instructions. We have simplified them and tried to make them as succinct as possible. Refer to the Application Tips Aid that is provided with your invitation for additional information.
- Avoid relying on the internet as proofs. Instead, use the internet for hints about finding the primary sources needed for documentation. Ancestry, Family Search, Wikitree, and Find A Grave are not accepted sources, unless using a primary source document found there.
- Virkus’ Compendium of American Genealogy, Wulfeck’s Virginia Marriages, & Boddie’s various compilations are not primary sources. These books should be used as possibilities that must be documented further by the applicant.
- Genealogical lineages found on Ancestry.com are good tools and hints for research, but are not acceptable as a primary source. The original records found on Ancestry.com (wills, censuses, and other vital records) are acceptable items of proof. Privately compiled lineages are NOT documentation.
The Jamestowne Society sends by email the invitation software once your sponsor has requested it for the applicant. To apply for membership, please return, by mail, your completed application and proof documents. All applications must be completed using the Society’s software.
Last Update: 18 MAR 2026
