Jamestowne Society
HISTORY
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The History of the Jamestown Society 

IntroductionFrom its 1936 founding, the Jamestowne Society has been dedicated to accentuating the human element of the history of the first permanent English settlement in the New World. According to its original Articles of Incorporation in 1958, the Society’s objectives included the following:
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; to record their deeds, and to do homage to the birthplace of Virginia and the Nation.
The Society’s current Bylaws retain this statement and expand upon it, including “to associate their descendants as members of the Society” and “to bring the members into closer association through activities revolving around matters of common historical and genealogical interest.” The Bylaws specify that the purposes of the Society are “educational, historical, patriotic and charitable.” In sum, its overarching objective remains the uniting of the descendants of Jamestown ancestors and the educating and advocating of Jamestown’s legacies of self- governance, private property and its cultural heritage.
Its thirty-fifth Governor, W. Harrison Schroeder, observed that the Society’s raison d’être is to associate with extraordinary people that share our historic values, perspective, and patriotism. He thus reflected on the largest event in its history – the 2007 commemoration of the 400th anniversary of Jamestown’s 1607 founding – that the gathering demonstrated the Society’s commitment to its mission and vision.
In July 2019, the Society celebrated the 400th anniversary of the first elected, representative assembly held in the New World, which remains extant as today’s Virginia General Assembly. The Society’s forty-second governor, Thomas Bouldin Leitch, observed, for the 400th anniversary of the genesis of our form of self-governance, that the goal of the Society is to provide long-term support for the narrative of our nation’s origins and defining characteristics of the American experience, of which every American should be aware. His observation expresses the meaning of patriotism.
Those goals, values and perspectives, and expressions of patriotism are shared among the Society’s members at its semiannual meetings and events at or near Jamestown and Richmond, as well as in gatherings of its nationwide network of chapters, called Companies (which are reminiscent of the Virginia Company of London, whose investors financed the Jamestown settlement.)
The Society relies upon the philanthropy of its members to advance its mission and purposes, including supporting archaeological projects at Historic Jamestown, providing educational programming and publications, and promoting the significance of Jamestown to our nation’s origins. It has provided major support for the preservation and restoration of historical records, documents, objects, and edifices, all of which are of lasting cultural value to the people of Virginia and of the nation.
This History is in two parts: the first was published in 2007, which chronicled the Society from its 1936 founding through 2006, and the second, which does so from 2007 through 2023.
Part 1 was originally published in book form as the History of the Jamestowne Society and appeared as Section 1 of the May 2007 Roster of Members. It described the Society’s first
seventy years of achievements and the perseverance, volunteered services and dedication of its early leaders and members. It also related how they engendered its recognition as a reference source for historical and genealogical research. It concluded with a summary of the planning for the Society’s 2007 celebration of 400th anniversary of the Colony’s founding.
This Part 2 recounts the Society’s history since 2006, beginning with the transformative and largest event in the Society’s history: the 2007 commemoration of the quatercentenary of the founding of Jamestown. It continues by chronicling the Society’s actions, events, and achievements over the following decade and a half, through 2023.
It relates how the Society has recognized Jamestown’s significant historical events and anniversaries, and how it has improved and enhanced members’ abilities to share their values, love of history, perspectives and patriotism. That sharing includes a philanthropic program that is supporting, for example, Jamestown Rediscovery’s archeological work, the scholarly work of graduate students, the restoration of Virginia historic records, and educating members and the public. The Society also semiannually publishes its informative Jamestowne Society Magazine.
To join the Society, a person must prove via acceptable documentation that he or she is directly descended from a qualifying ancestor, a 17th century person who was domiciled on Jamestown island or had certain other relationships with the colony. Genealogical research methods have become easier to employ and access to needed records has improved in recent years; both of which have eased the path to membership for many. Improved technology has significantly helped to increase the Society’s rolls to over 11,000 from its half-dozen founders back in 1936. The evolution of the practice of genealogy during the Society’s existence is discussed in Appendix A.
The Society’s leaders serve strictly as volunteers. The Officers and Directors (called “Councilors”) and the various committees are supported by a small administrative staff at its Williamsburg, Virginia headquarters. The Society’s governance is discussed in more detail in Appendix B.
The Society has engendered widespread participation and loyalty on the part of its members, in large part through its nationwide network of Companies (the Society’s term for chapters.) The Companies are grouped into regions across the United States. The Companies are discussed in Appendix C.
The Society’s website, www.jamestowne.org, is its principal communication channel with members. It contains a wealth of information that is infinitely useful to members. It lists all known qualifying ancestors and the Society’s current leadership, as well as providing information about the application process. The website also contains information and guidance for those interested in making financial contributions.
It also offers access to current and back issues of the Magazine and which, together with the Annual Giving campaign’s letters and brochures, offer up-to-date news of the Society’s accomplishments and ongoing projects. Social media, in the form of the Society’s Facebook page (with over 700 members) is increasingly aiding communications among members, Companies, and the Society.


The History of the Jamestowne Society Part 1: Its First Seven Decades: 1936 to 2006
(Part 1 of the History was published in the 2007 Roster of Members.
PLEASE NOTE: Some information may appear to be incorrect or obsolete or refer to expected future events.)
By Mrs. Franceine Rees (2004) and Mrs. Margie Tucker Stewart (2007)
 
The formal organization of the Jamestowne Society, at Jamestown Island on 14 May 1936, was the result of a vision by George Craghead Gregory, its founder and guiding spirit.
Mr. Gregory is known to have discussed the idea of such an organization with individuals who shared his interest. There were several informal meetings at Mr. Gregory’s office in Richmond, of a limited number of persons, most of whom were residents of Richmond and its vicinity. In March 1936 Mr. Gregory wrote letters to several gentlemen, whom he knew to be eligible for membership in the proposed society, asking those addressed to become Foundation Members. A printed invitation form was also in use at about the same time.
The constitution adopted at the organizational meeting provided that: “All descendants of those who owned land or had domiciles in James Towne or on James Towne Island prior to 1700 shall be eligible for membership.”
The objects of the Society were: “To discover and record the names of all living descendants of those early settlers who made great sacrifices to establish our English-speaking nation; and to unite these descendants to honor the memory of their settler ancestors, to record their deeds, and to do homage to the birthplace of Virginia and the Nation.”
The organizational meeting was attended by the Honorable Westmoreland Davis, former Governor of Virginia; Dr. William H. Parker; and Messrs. George C. Gregory, Richard Cunningham Wight, Charles S. Marshall, and William MacFarlane Jones. They elected Mr. Gregory Governor. After the adjournment of the meeting, members inspected the interesting work of excavation on Jamestown Island which was being done by the United States government.
The organization and early history of the Jamestowne Society are so closely connected with the life of Mr. George Craighead Gregory that it is fitting to include biographical information about the Founder. Therefore, the memorial to Mr. Gregory written by Mr. Jere M. H. Willis, unanimously approved at the 14 November 1956 meeting of the Society in Richmond, is quoted in part, as follows:
The Jamestowne Society has suffered an irreparable loss in the death of its founder and first Governor, George Craighead Gregory, who died on August 25, 1956. Mr. Gregory was born at Oak Grove in Granville County, North Carolina, on July 17, 1878, the son of Captain Archibald Hatchett Gregory, C.S.A., planter, and Lucy Jane Brodie Gregory. He received his education at Henderson Academy and at the University of Virginia, from which last institution he was graduated in 1902 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. For twelve years he was engaged in the active practice of law in the City of Richmond, Virginia, being for the last six years of said period the senior partner of the law firm of Gregory and Boulware.
In 1914 Mr. Gregory gave up the practice of law and devoted his exclusive time to the field of banking in which he had been for some time interested. He served as Trust Officer of the American National Bank, First Vice President of American Trust, and later founded the Guaranty Trust Company of which he was President. He was chosen to represent the City of Richmond in its bid for the location of the regional Federal Reserve Bank, which is now an outstanding asset to the city, because of his foresight and efforts.
Mr. Gregory had a broad interest in public affairs. His talents and services were freely given in civic enterprises and in the development of the religious life of his community. Amidst all his business activities and civic and public services Mr. Gregory found time to cultivate his special interest, which was research in early American history, especially centering his efforts on Jamestown, the first English settlement. He dug studiously into records and early maps, and himself went upon the ground and directed the excavations and explorations which established the true site of the colony and the location of many buildings long destroyed but of great historic interest. He also pursued his hobbies of animal husbandry, farming, genealogy, and painting.
His interest in Jamestown led to the formation of the Jamestowne Society in 1936, and his devotion to this organization never waned. He was not only the founder, but throughout his active life was the leading spirit of the Society. Mr. Gregory was survived by his wife, Mrs. Constance Adela Heath Gregory and by seven children. All too little interest is shown today in the accomplishments of our hardy forebears who entered a savage wilderness and laid the foundations for our present civilization. In the ease and comfort of modern living we slip almost unconsciously into lassitude and forgetfulness of these folk of an earlier day and fail in our duty to keep their lives and courage and achievements before the eyes of American youth. In a busy and varied and fruitful career Mr. Gregory found time and energy to unearth these things of the past and to form a Society which he hoped would carry on the work he has so devotedly started. As we memorialize our founder and first Governor with affectionate remembrance and with admiration and esteem may we at the same time dedicate ourselves to carrying on with vigor and effectiveness the Society which he founded I believe this would be, in his opinion, the most fitting memorial of his life and the greatest tribute we could pay him.
Following its organization in 1936, the Society continued to meet on Jamestown Island on May 14 in the years 1937 through 1941. The number in attendance was usually about a dozen, or fewer, including guests. There were no significant developments during this time. The minutes reflect little more than the customary business sessions, including the election of officers. Mr. Gregory had long been absorbed in establishing the location of the original settlement and had done considerable exploration on his own initiative, and at his expense, prior to the time of active interest by the National Park Service. He made substantial contributions to the knowledge of the settlement. The minutes refer to Governor Gregory’s formally addressing the Society only in 1940, when he spoke on the growth and development of the Island from 1607 to 1624. The minutes of the Council for 1939 state that Mr. Gregory used a number of maps and charts, pertaining to the early settlement at James Town Island, in making an interesting and informative talk.
The Society’s activities were substantially curtailed during the World War II years 1942 through 1945. The reduced activities resulted from travel difficulties and the great urgency of other matters. The annual meetings were suspended during those years; however, they resumed at Jamestown Island in 1946. At the meeting in that year Mr. Gregory offered an expression of sentiment which met with unanimous approval, to wit: “I never visit this place except with awe and reverence, with humility and thankfulness, with thoughts of what our ancestors suffered from hunger, plague, and death; yes, from the pangs of nation birth, that future generations might live and prosper. May we meet in that spirit and in meditation.”
The Founder served the Society as Governor for the years 1936 to 1947, except for two terms. Mr. Charles McIntosh Tunstall of Norfolk served in that capacity in 1938-1939; Mr. George P. Coleman of Williamsburg served for the 1940-1941 term. At the annual meeting in 1947 Mr. Gregory, at his request, was not nominated for Governor and Mr. J. Ambler Johnston was elected to fill the office. Mr. Gregory was thanked for his long and useful services and the members insisted on his election to the Council.
Two proposed amendments to the constitution were considered at the 1947 meeting. The propositions concerned Article III, which provided that “No persons shall be eligible for office in the Society, or as members of the Council, except male descendants of Jamestown ancestors who occupied similar positions.” The propositions were that ladies might hold office and all members be eligible to hold office regardless of whether their ancestors held similar office or offices. This was the first mention in the minutes of such proposed changes in the Constitution. Both propositions were defeated; however, sentiment favored these changes-and they were subsequently adopted.
In the years 1949 and 1950 there were no annual meetings because Mr. Gregory was ill, and others were reluctant to act in the absence of his direction.
The Society held its 1951 annual meeting on Jamestown Island on May 14, and the minutes record only eight persons in attendance. Governor J. Ambler Johnston presided. The 1951 meeting was the second most notable one, being surpassed in importance only by the one at which the Society was organized. The membership present approved of a special meeting to consider significant changes in the constitution. Governor Johnston addressed the meeting, and the substance of his remarks is recorded in the minutes. He very ably presented the case for amendment of the constitution. He pointed out that a limited number of members were eligible to hold office or be members of the Council. At that time only four family names on the roster were shown by their applications for membership to have descended from a Governor of the Virginia colony; members of just five families were eligible to serve the Society as Treasurer, and only two, as Auditor General. Further, Mr. Johnston said, “...history does not belong to males alone.”
A special meeting of the Society was held on 14 August 1951 at the Virginia House, Windsor Farms, Richmond. A notice of the meeting, in the form of a letter, was sent to all members over the signature of Mr. Edward Meeks Gregory, Governor, in which reference was made to the regular meeting at Jamestown 14 May 1951. The letter stated that the purpose of the special meeting was to consider and vote on proposed constitutional amendments. The constitution as amended at that special meeting did not include any restrictions on eligibility to office, but rather provided that “Any member over twenty-one years of age shall be eligible for any office in the Society and shall be eligible for membership on the Council.”
Mr. Edward Meeks Gregory, son of the Founder, was elected Governor. A few months after his election, he learned that he would be absent from Virginia for an extended period attending the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In order that the affairs of the Society might have prompt attention, Mr. Gregory appointed two Deputy Governors, Messrs.
Charles Spencer Marshall, and John H. Guy. The available records indicate that Mr. Marshall performed most of the duties of the Governor during the years 1951-1955.
On 15 May 1955, the Society held its annual meeting on Jamestown Island, at which time plans were set in motion for participation in the 1957 Jamestown Celebration of the 350th anniversary of the colony’s foundation. Mrs. Catesby Willis Stewart of Fredericksburg was elected Governor. Her father, Benjamin Powell Willis, had served the Society as Secretary of State from 1937 until his death in 1946. Mrs. Stewart attended many of the early meetings of the Society with her father and was especially well qualified to become its leader by reason of her knowledge of the Society’s history and her vision of how it could become a more meaningful organization. Mrs. Stewart immediately began a program to increase membership through encouragement of relatives of those who previously had affiliated. The growth of the Society from approximately two hundred in 1955 to over eighteen hundred in 1970 is evidence of the success of her efforts. She was responsible for initiating semiannual luncheon meetings with interesting speakers and encouraged a schedule of addresses on the Colonial Governors of Virginia.
It is now customary for general luncheon meetings to be held each second Saturday in May in Williamsburg and each second Saturday in November in Richmond. Scheduled in conjunction with the spring meeting have been several special tours, outdoor gatherings, and receptions. The semiannual meetings feature notable speakers, among them Jamestowne Rediscovery Project director Dr. William Kelso; Conley Lee Edwards, III and Robert Young Clay of the Library of Virginia; British author Jocellyn R. Wingfield; William P. Miles, chief of the Pamunkey Indians; and historians from Kent State University, the University of Houston, Mary Washington College, and Old Dominion University. Also addressing Society meetings have been the Honorable George F. Allen, former Virginia Governor, and Virginia Attorney General Mark Earley.
Performers from Richmond and Williamsburg have presented programs on early music and dance.
An important development during the Stewart administration was the employment of Mrs. W. Herbert Knowles as Registrar-Genealogist and Mrs. James R. Lindsay, who became Executive Secretary in 1959. These ladies proved to be especially valuable in their respective positions, and through their enterprise they vary materially assisted in making the Society one of increasing significance.
The Society was incorporated under the laws of Virginia on 22 April 1958. The initial steps to achieve this were taken during Mrs. Stewart’s term as Governor. The work connected with the incorporation was done by Mr. Jere M. H. Willis of Fredericksburg, brother of Mrs. Stewart. Mr. Willis was Treasurer of the Society at the time and later became Lieutenant Governor and Governor.
Governors of the Society are privileged to wear the official medallion of that office. This medallion was ordered and executed during Mrs. Stewart’s term, and she was the first Society Governor to wear it. The high esteem in which the Society is held is due largely to the untiring efforts of Mrs. Stewart to make it more meaningful to those who share interest in the Jamestown Colony, its settlers, and their descendants.
Mr. Richard Blackburn Tucker was elected Governor at the meeting in Richmond on 16 November 1957. Ill health prevented him from completing his term of office, from which he resigned in February 1959. Mr. Jere M. H. Willis was elected on 16 May 1959 to fill the unexpired term. Mr. Tucker died 26 November 1959, and the Society adopted a resolution in tribute to its former Governor at its meeting on 14 May 1960. On 14 November 1959 Mr. Willis was elected Governor and continued in office until November 1961. During his term of office there was considerable interest shown in the organization of Companies composed of members of the Society in contiguous areas.
The Society celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary on 13 May 1961 with activities at Jamestown Island and Williamsburg. The Old Jamestown Church was the site of the first meeting, at which the Service of Morning Prayer was conducted by the Reverend Cotesworth Pinckney Lewis, Rector of Bruton Parish, Williamsburg, and the Reverend Edward Meeks Gregory, son of the Founder, who was then Curate of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Richmond. At this service the newly acquired flags of the Society were dedicated: the United States flag, the Commonwealth of Virginia flag, and the Society flag, which had only a short time before been designed and executed. The flags have been displayed since that time at the regular meetings.
The Society has continued to attract the attention of an increasing number of people, and as a result, its membership has grown. The semiannual luncheon meetings, in Williamsburg in May and in Richmond in November, are regularly attended by more than two hundred and twenty-five members and guests, many of whom come from distant points.
In 1973, the Society’s membership totaled less than 2,000 members including four Companies, but the Society was on the verge of dramatic growth. Two significant factors contributed to this change. The first was gaining tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service, and the second was the addition of members of the Council of State and of the House of Burgesses to the list of qualifying ancestors.
Up to this time, the purposes of the Society focused on the identification of the leaders of early Virginia and their descendants and the celebration of their contributions to the growth and vitality of the Colony. These purposes were not enough to satisfy the Government that the Society warranted tax exempt status. From 1973 to 1983, the Society struggled to redefine its purposes and amend its Articles of Incorporation. By membership vote in 1982 the Articles were amended. The Society’s October 1983 Newsletter reported: After hoping for many years, the recognition of the Jamestowne Society as a tax-exempt organization has now come to pass. This was done through the wonderful work of past Governor Ambrose R. Woodroof. Thanks, and congratulations to “Woody” for hours of research and successful completion of this project. The Newsletter continued, “Please be assured that any gifts bequests, etc., you may make to the Jamestowne Society will be handled in accordance with the above ruling and Section B of the Society’s Articles of Incorporation...organized for educational, historical and patriotic purposes................ ”
The successful amendment was based in large measure on two ideas, a permanent scholarship, and the restoration of records. The former was put forward in the spring 1977 Executive meeting by Governor Aubrey (“Bunky”) Bowles. The latter program was begun in 1979 with the authorization of an initial appropriation of $1,000 by the Council at its May 1979 meeting.
Meanwhile, the Society participated in the 1976 Bicentennial, supported the commemorative voyage of the Godspeed from England to America, placed a memorial bench on APVA property at Jamestowne in memory of the founder, and in 1986, celebrated its 50th anniversary. In 1974, on the motion of Colonel (later Governor) Carroll Wright, a letter in the form of a resolution was written, expressing the Society’s opposition to a proposed bridge across the James to replace the ferry. This resolution was prepared by Past Governor Charles S. Marshall and signed by Governor Alice Whitley Jones.
Dr. Edward Alvey revitalized the Society’s Newsletter in 1977 with the printing of an enlarged sheet with photographs taken at previous meetings and details of activities. He continued overseeing the Newsletter until April 1981, when it was placed in the capable hands of Past Governor Jones. In April 1991, Miss Barbara Benedict graciously agreed to edit the Newsletter. We are indebted to the First Texas Company and Past National Governor Mrs. DeEtte DuPree Nesbitt along with Mrs. Judy Barnett who presented leather bound copies of our newsletters dating from 1979 to the Society.
The second significant factor contributing to the Society’s growth was apparent in Governor Netick’s message of April 1986: In the past year many new members have been added to the Society’s roster, and interest in the formation of new companies has been expressed in North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, and New York. A change in the Society’s Charter which increases the number of acceptable progenitors (to include members and officers of the House of Burgesses prior to 1700) was approved overwhelmingly, at the last General Meeting in November 1985. The change will have the effect of increasing our membership even more. The Jamestowne Society became a truly national organization.
In 2000, during the administration of Governor DeEtte DuPree Nesbitt, Society membership eligibility was further extended to include lineal descendants of Anglican ministers serving in Virginia parishes before 1699, thus creating additional opportunities for membership growth. The rationale for this change was that since the Anglican Church was a state church, its clergy could be considered comparable to councilors and burgesses-agents of the colonial government, empowered by authorities in Great Britain-as opposed to such local officials as county sheriffs and county court clerks.
The growth in new companies (after the first four: Tennessee, Louisiana, Washington and Northern Virginia, and California) began again in 1980 with the Kentucky Company and increased to eight by 1983 with the addition of First Texas, Georgia No. 1, and San Antonio. Governor Brydon stated in April 1985, “The New Companies Committee Chairman Herschel Helm is very active in assisting new companies in getting organized.” In 1988, Governor Malcolm H. Squires noted, “We shall miss the scholarly work of Herschel Hancock Helm who was so influential in helping new companies organize.”
This work has continued under the leadership of subsequent Companies Committee Chairmen John Randolph Marshall, DeEtte Nesbitt, and Carolyn Kendrick Farmer. There were 25 active Companies as of fall 2003, with several others pending. Annual Company Governors’ Roundtable meetings, scheduled to coincide with the May general meeting, have proven to be a valuable means for interaction and exchange of ideas among the various Companies. Insignia pins for Company Governors, past and present, were approved in 2003 during the administration of Governor James J. Owen.
Starting in 1973, the Society began printing the periodic Roster of Members. This was followed by Rosters in 1983, 1990, 1995, 2000, and 2003. In 1994, Messrs. John R. Marshall and Lyndon
H. Hart, III prepared and printed a Register of Qualifying Ancestors as an important aid to gaining new members and recognition of those who founded the Virginia Colony. A revised ancestor list was compiled and issued in 2003.
The development of long-range goals had begun by a committee under Messrs. David King Woodroof (Chairman), Aubrey Bowles, and Joseph F. Inman in 1978. They developed four major goals:
promote a favorable Society status with the IRS, recognize and promote local companies of the Society, develop geographical membership address files,
and record and publish Society programs.
In November 1983, Dr. Edward Alvey, Jr., as Chairman of another long-range planning committee, recommended that the Society:
recognize that it has become a national organization, consider publication of speaker addresses, if feasible, obtain mailing privileges as a non-profit organization, continue restoration of historical documents,
enlist aid of companies in restoration work,
set up a scholarship with annual funding for graduate study in early Virginia history, preserve records of the Society,
computerize rolls of Society,
prepare certificates of recognition for contributions to the Society, and continue to publish the Newsletter.
Microfilming of lineage papers had been undertaken before 1973, when the first 1,999 papers were filmed. Governor James Morris Bagby played a significant role in the acquisition of computer equipment and enabling the development of computerized rolls and other records of the Society. This continued with the formation of a genealogical data base, an effort led by Dr. Walter Raleigh Beam, Jr. in 2001–2004. The computerized financial records developed during Governor Wellford S. Goode’s term of office and continued subsequently supports a budget analysis system to enable the Council and the Budget Committee to plan and to function in a responsive and efficient manner.
The Executive Secretaries of the organization have performed a most valued function and deserve much credit for the Society’s success. Mrs. James R. Lindsay (Joicey) was the first paid Executive Secretary and Registrar beginning in 1973. In 1976, Governor Bowles expressed deep appreciation for her work. She retired and was replaced by Mrs. Charles A. Ramstetter (Emily) who served until 1983, when she was recognized in the Newsletter for a job well done. Mrs.
Dorothea Harding Locklear succeeded Mrs. Ramstetter and served for ten years with dedication until 1992, when she was succeeded by Executive Secretary Mrs. Lyndon H. Hart, III (Judy). The title of this position was changed to Executive Director during her term of service. Mrs.
Kelly Carson Johnson became Executive Director in the fall of 2002.
With the growth in membership and new Companies, the Jamestowne Society became a national organization capable of expanding its programs in new directions. This expansion required the development of a larger capital fund to provide the resources needed to sustain these goals.
Governor Malcom Hart Squires in April 1989 led the way when he noted that, as a proven, mature organization, the Society should secure its future with a capital funds solicitation. It was recognized that increasing net resources to the half-million-dollar level would provide the Society with adequate income for the foreseeable future and increase funding power for the awarding of scholarships and support of additional work in the restoration of early Virginia records.
In 1999, during the term of Governor DeEtte DuPree Nesbitt, the first extended weekend of activities was established to coincide with the Jamestowne Society May Meeting. This extended weekend included a guided tour of Jamestown Island for members and guests and the first sponsored Jamestowne Society evening event held at the home of Gaynelle and William Richardson in Williamsburg, Virginia.
On May 13, 2000, during Governor Nesbitt’s term, the first Governors Roundtable was held with 11 out of 23 Companies represented, and following the Governors Roundtable, Anne and Joe Netick hosted the second sponsored Jamestowne Society evening dinner. It was held at their plantation ‘Woodbourne’.
These projects summarize the most significant activities undertaken by the Jamestowne Society, aside from its social functions.
First, it has accumulated a significant genealogical data base that fulfills in part the original purposes of the Society, that is, to discover and record the names of all living descendants of those early settlers ... and ... to honor the memory of our settler-ancestors; to record their deeds, and to do homage to the birthplace of Virginia and the Nation. We owe a debt to our dedicated Registrar-Genealogists as follows: Mrs. James R. Lindsay, Mrs. W. Herbert Knowles, Mrs.
Harry B. Humphrey, Jr., and Mr. Lyndon H. Hart, III. The Society can expand this effort by increasing membership, especially by identifying new lines and publishing this data so that more persons living today can appreciate the significance of what our settler ancestors did. At the end of 2003, a total of nearly six thousand persons had joined the Society since its original founding.
Secondly, the Society continues to support an annual academic fellowship initially awarded in the amount of $1,000, now consisting of $2,000 awards. This project was proposed in 1977 and first implemented at the Fiftieth Anniversary meeting in 1986 with presentation of a fellowship award to John H. Sprinkle, Jr., an archeology intern at the College of William and Mary, whose topic was “A Study of the Men Who Participated in Bacon’s Rebellion, 1660-1676.” Since then, fellowships have been awarded to master’s degree and doctoral students in various disciplines working on aspects of the history and culture of pre-1700 Virginia. Fellowship Chairmen have included Drs. Edward Alvey, Jr., James J. Owen, and Dr. Anne Tyler Netick. Among institutions represented have been the University of Virginia, Vanderbilt University, the University of Texas- El Paso, Washington University, St. Louis University, the University of Iowa, and the College of William and Mary. A few fellowship recipients have reported on their research at Society meetings.
Thirdly, the Society’s greatest project in financial terms is the restoration of early Virginia records. This effort was begun under the direction of Dr. Alvey in May 1979 and continued under the direction of Restoration of Records Chairmen Mrs. William B. Wingo and Mrs. Walter
W. Brewster. Some of the fragile early Virginia county records for which the Society has commissioned restoration and conservation have been a portion of the Charles City County Deed Book covering the years 1692-1694 ($60.40); Henrico County Records, 1677-1692, Parts I & II
($586.20); Surry County Deed Book I, 1652-1672 ($771); Rappahannock County Deeds, etc., 1677–1687 ($1,004); Princess Anne County Deed Book 1, 1691–1708 ($898); Middlesex County Order Book, 1680–1694 ($921.80); Middlesex County Deeds, etc. 2, 1679–1694 ($ 1,217); and Middlesex County Order Book, 1673 –1680 ($1,135). The Society has also funded several thousands of dollars’ worth of restoration of other seventeenth-century deed, estate, and court records for Northampton, York, Norfolk, and Surry Counties and eighteenth-century records for Surry, Norfolk, Brunswick, Prince Anne, Goochland, and King George Counties. Several Commonwealth and county officials have expressed gratitude to the Jamestowne Society for its continuing support for the preservation of early paper records. In addition to records restoration, Mrs. Wingo planned to provide emergency help to any Virginia county storing early records; experts will be dispatched to respond to damage by destructive forces with freeze-drying and other salvage processes.
Fourthly, the Society has contributed to and will continue to contribute to the archeological excavation work by the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (APVA) on Jamestown Island. Recent findings are encouraging that this effort may yield a greater understanding of the original fortifications and inhabitants.
Fifthly, the Society has voted to establish a project to inventory exhaustively Virginia’s seventeenth-century records, determining physical status, nature of record, and whether it has been abstracted and/or indexed. This inventory is needed to establish the identity of the complete set of records available to researchers and to enable the estimation of the type and level of effort needed to protect Virginia’s valuable historical resources for future generations.
One of the Society’s most significant accomplishments has been the creation, development, and maintenance of a splendid website (www.jamestowne.org), which took place during Governor Henry Clinton Mackall's administration. Principal leaders in this endeavor have been Fields Marshall, son of former Lieutenant Governor John Randolph Marshall, who designed the original multi-page website, and Governor Emeritus and Mrs. Robert N. Hendry who have served jointly as website managers since 1997. The site has up-to-date lists of qualifying ancestors, historical articles, illustrations, bibliographies of Jamestowne-related publications for adults and children, and links to the online Jamestowne Society Companies. An average of 6,000 computer users visits the site each year, some addressing inquiries about the Jamestowne colony and the Society. The Jamestowne Society website is one of the most comprehensive Internet resources offered by the various hereditary societies. Among its special features is that applicants with Windows software can download the electronic membership application form, which is also available from headquarters on a floppy disk.
In May 2003, the Society witnessed the designation of a massive tulip poplar standing near the first fort of the 1607 landing as a Millennium Landmark Tree. The tree marking was done by the president of the America the Beautiful Fund. Efforts to include the Jamestowne poplar in the Millennium Tree program were begun during the administration of Governor Charles McGuire, and the actual marking occurred during the administration of Governor James J. Owen.
Another recent accomplishment was the establishment of the Jamestowne Society Commemorative Committee to celebrate the 400th Anniversary of the 1607 landing. This committee was organized during the term of Governor DeEtte Nesbitt with Dr. James J. Owen as its first chairman. Among projects which the Committee discussed initiating, co-sponsoring, or participating in were the launch of a new Godspeed vessel, unveiling of a “First Freedoms” monument, reissue of a commemorative pewter ornament first used for the 1907 tercentennial, a visit by a member of the Royal Family, a major publication, commissioning and premiere of a major musical work, and a Jamestowne Heritage Week on the Island. Plans for the quadricentennial celebration were shared at the November 2002 meeting by Louis Markwith, director of development for the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, and Suzanne Owen Flippo (Governor James J. Owen’s niece), a Foundation trustee and a member of its 2007 Steering Committee. During Governor Anne Tyler Netick’s second administration 2004-2006, the Society admitted 559 new members bringing the total number of documented members to 6,562 with an increase of over 9%. The Society also granted charters to four new companies (Chesapeake Bay, Roanoke-New River Valley, First Ohio, and Shenandoah) and in 2005 purchased a new headquarters building in Richmond. In addition to all her normal duties as Governor, Dr. Netick also skillfully shepherded the Society in its plans for 2007 with Past Governor Brigadier General Charles Danny McGuire (USAR, retired) as the Chairman of the 2007 Commemoration Committee.
W. Harrison Schroeder, Esq., was elected Governor of the Jamestowne Society at the November 4, 2006, meeting at the Commonwealth Club in Richmond. Mr. Schroeder is the 35th Governor of the Jamestowne Society. His grandfather, the late Emory L. Carlton, Esq., of Tappahannock, Virginia, also served as Governor of the Society from 1971-1973. The Society is fortunate to have Governor Schroeder as its leader in this the 400th Anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, Virginia - the Birthplace of America.


 
The History of the Jamestowne Society Part 2: 2007 to 2022
​By James H. McCall and Donald W. Moore
 
Jamestown’s significance among our nation’s origins captured international attention in the spring of 2007 with the commemoration of the 400th anniversary of its founding. On a bright, sunny Saturday, May 12, about 1,000 Society members and guests enjoyed a celebration that had been well planned by past Governors Anne Tyler Netick and Brig. Gen. (ret.) Charles “Dan” McGuire and the 2007 Commemoration Committee. Their plans were implemented by the Society’s Executive Director, Kelly Carson Johnson. The commemoration was both transformative and symbolic for the Society, signifying its transition from a hereditary group to the heritage organization that it had become.
The largest gathering in the Society’s history attracted members from all over the country, with all 26 companies represented. They attended a special morning event arranged exclusively for them on Jamestown Island, where Governor W. Harrison Schroeder led a moving tribute that featured the presentation of wreaths honoring the memory of our ancestors and commemorating their deeds, courage, and perseverance. He also remarked that the ceremony celebrated their legacy, which includes the principles of representative government, private ownership of land and civilian control of the military, and that Jamestown is where free enterprise began to flourish, making it the land of boundless opportunity.
Committee Chairman McGuire reported that the highlights of the celebration of the 400th anniversary were the three replica ships passing by the Society’s ceremonies, the color guard, and the Society’s black-tie dinner. He emphasized the success of the celebration and said that “It was a weekend with many events under a very tight time schedule, yet all went off like clockwork. It was a weekend that … we will all look back upon with fond memories. The heart and soul of our weekend was our visit to Jamestown Island; however, it is important to note that it was not just a visit, it was a sacred pilgrimage to a tiny island upon which our ancestors set foot four hundred years ago … and laid the foundation upon which this great nation was built.”
Among the commemoration’s other events, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s walkabout on the Island brought her to Governor Schroeder and Lieutenant Governor Carter Branham Snow Furr. She acknowledged the Lieutenant Governor’s lineage from his Jamestown ancestors, which symbolizes the historical links that the Society seeks to preserve.
Another event featured John Rolfe re-enactor Richard. A. Cheatham, in full 17th century costume, mounted the outdoor stage as part of the Society’s ceremonies. He told the audience about his harrowing experiences sailing for the New World, arriving at Jamestown, and beginning a new life. As member Don Moore recollected, “I thought about the pivotal part he played in the colony’s history. The first settlers tried to develop a trade economy that would profit the Virginia Company and themselves. It was not until John Rolfe successfully grew tobacco as an export cash crop that the colony’s continued existence was assured. The first settlers endured tension and conflict with the Powhatan confederacy from the very beginning. John Rolfe’s providential marriage to Pocahontas secured a period of peace in which the colony could consolidate its foothold in the New World.”
Members also looked on as a crew of re-enactors launched a shallop from the shore of Jamestown Island to commemorate Capt. John Smith’s exploration of the Chesapeake Bay. His two years’ journey provided much needed information for the colony. He identified food sources, located other Indian tribes, and mapped the shoreline of the bay and its tributaries— invaluable information for subsequent centuries’ navigators and settlers.
Following the island program, Jamestowne Society members and guests returned to Williamsburg for their luncheon meeting. Governor Schroeder presented a silver bowl to the Michigan Company for having contributed the most to the 2007 Commemoration Fund, which remains at the Society’s headquarters. After lunch, Dr. James Horn (later to become President and Chief Officer of the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation) spoke to the assembled members and guests about Jamestown and issued a charge to the Society to promote it as the First Permanent English Settlement in America. He was roundly applauded when he referred to the “Plymouth mythology.”
The day’s events culminated in a formal dinner banquet at the Williamsburg Marriott. The keynote speaker was the former Secretary of the Army, Jack Marsh, whose patriotic address also included a challenge for the Society to undertake the cause to restore the Chesapeake Bay to the condition it was in when our ancestors first sailed upon it.
The quadricentennial celebration served as a springboard for members to augment the Society’s educational, historical and philanthropic purposes. They have increasingly identified and mutually shared their interests and values and generously donated to further the fruitful pursuit of the Society’s visions. Its publications, programs, activities and educational programs have amply demonstrated the results of their support ever since.
Governor Schroeder also used the occasion as the opportunity to present the Society’s donation of $26,000 to the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities’ archeological projects at Historic Jamestown. (APVA would later become Preservation Virginia.) This enkindled the close and lasting institutional relationship that the Society has enjoyed with Preservation Virginia’s Jamestown Rediscovery Project.
The day’s historic events also prompted the admission of a record number of 391 new members in 2007, brought the year-end total membership to over 6,900 and generated their unprecedented commitment and participation.
During his 2006-2008 terms, Governor Schroeder also initiated a campaign to reduce the mortgage on the headquarters in Richmond, with donations to be matched by Council Member Michael Frost, Ph.D.
The Society’s Momentum ContinuesDr. Douglas W. Owsley, Head of the Division of Physical Anthropology of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, was the Annual Meeting’s speaker when Carter B. S. Furr, Esq., was elected as the Society’s Governor on November 8, 2008, in Richmond. Governor Furr brought a wealth of experience from serving several other lineage and heritage organizations as well as from his many efforts on behalf of the Society, which he has continued to provide in subsequent decades. Among his legacies was his focus on the remarkable discovery of Chief Powhatan’s principal village Werowocomoco on the York River, which had been lost for almost 400 years. It is of major historical import as it was the key point of contact and reciprocal channel of understanding between the earliest Jamestown settlers and the indigenous peoples.
Governor Furr also ably represented the Society at numerous events of other organizations with similar purposes and visited several companies, including First Nevada-Arizona Company, Kentucky Company, Alabama Company, Virginia Piedmont Company and First California Company (the only Governor to have visited a West Coast company.) He diligently attended almost all subsequent Council, Executive Committee, Spring and Annual Meetings and frequently lent his wise counsel on many important issues, until his death on October 6, 2023.
Faye Chewning Weems succeeded Kelly Carson Johnson as the Society’s Executive Director in 2008.
Archeologists Thane Harpole and David Brown spoke at the November 7, 2009, Annual Meeting in Richmond on their discoveries at Werowocomoco. Governor Furr also appointed Secretary of State Dr. Michael D. Frost to chair a Development Committee to raise funds for the Society, reestablishing a function first undertaken in 1996. Dr. Walter R. Beam, Jr. and Jerry Zillion agreed to serve as committee members. The committee’s initial efforts resulted in Society members and companies donating $13,000 for the restoration of the 17th century church tower in support of the Jamestown Rediscovery Project. The efforts’ results exemplified the benefits of the Society’s philanthropic initiatives and revenue streams from its membership and have served as a channel for members’ association, interest and participation. In April 2010, Governor Furr announced that matching funds of up to $30,000 were available, if members contributed a like amount, to completely retire the mortgage on the Richmond headquarters.
The May 2010 Spring Meeting speaker was Alain Outlaw, Principal Archaeologist with Archaeological & Cultural Solutions, Inc. of Williamsburg, whose addressed the “Argall Town” period as well as possibly earlier historic finds in the vicinity. By October 2010, 37 companies had been chartered.
Governor Joseph Hollerman Barlow was elected at the November 6, 2010 Annual Meeting, when the speaker was Bill Young of Talks and Totems, Inc., who re-enacted Captain Gabriel Archer. The Society’s new flag was distributed to the companies. The Society took significant steps during Governor Barlow’s 2010-2012 terms to bolster its investment and philanthropic strategies.
His first term opened with the retirement of the mortgage on the Society’s headquarters that resulted from newly elected Lieutenant Governor Frost’s Mortgage Reduction Fund Matching Challenge, which generated almost $30,000 in donations from members and companies that he then matched. This enabled the national office to free more than $755 a month for operating expenses and eliminated an annual expense of over $9,000 from the Society’s operating budget. This again demonstrated the benefits of members’ increased participation and philanthropy.
Investment Committee chair Jerry Zillion was instrumental in growing the Society’s assets. The Society made an annual $1,000 donation to Preservation Virginia in February 2011.
The Society commemorated its seventy-fifth anniversary at its Spring Meeting in Williamsburg on May 14, 2011, and had 36 active companies. Dr. William M. Kelso, Jamestowne Rediscovery’s Director of Archeology, was the luncheon speaker and described his experiences and discoveries, entitled James Fort – Lost and Found. In lieu of his honorarium, a
$1,000 donation was made to Jamestown Rediscovery.
As an economy measure, the Fall 2011 issue of the Newsletter was reduced to 8 pages of black and white text, and other needed information was posted on the website. The Society approved
186 new applications and 20 supplementals in 2011. Development Committee Chair Frost reported that $2,935 had been received in response to the new donation cards mailed with the Newsletter. The Committee investigated ways the Society might further aid Jamestown Rediscovery. Auditor General Dr. Beam noted that the Society “has become a far more substantial organization in the recent past than in earlier years.” He stressed the importance of encouraging more “member-volunteers” to work “in key skill areas for some of its necessary services.” The office of Registrar/Genealogist was split into two positions, the latter of which remained filled by Lyndon Hobbs Hart III.
Three new companies were chartered at the May 12, 2012, Council Meeting, including the Golden State Company, Santa Barbara, California, First Indiana Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, and Central Missouri Company, Columbia, Missouri. This brought the number of extant companies to 42.
The guest speaker for the 2012 membership meeting in Williamsburg was novelist Connie LaPallo, author of Dark Enough to See Stars in the Jamestown Sky. Governor Barlow appointed a Personnel Committee to review staff job descriptions, duties, performance, future needs, etc. Serving with Governor Barlow were Lieutenant Governor Michael Frost, Secretary of State David Woodroof, and Secretary of the Treasury Harrison Tyler.
Faye Weems resigned as Executive Director in mid-May 2012 and on May 14, Bonnie Gayle Hofmeyer was named interim Executive Director by Governor Barlow. She was assisted in her indoctrination by Governor Barlow and Attorney General Susan G. Rager and her husband, Don.
The Society investment accounts were reported at $997,094 at the Executive Committee meeting on June 29, 2012, and total assets were $1,228,983. Ms. Hofmeyer was confirmed as Executive Director and brought with her needed non-profit organizational and management experience. Her five predecessors had performed invaluable services during the Society’s decades of maturation and initial growth. She has subsequently built on their performances to have become a mainstay of stability and provides its institutional memory.
A new and streamlined admission process was established for applicants having a relative who was admitted to the Society after 1995, which would apply only to legacies. The candidate must still substantiate all generations with the list of proofs but will have to provide documentation only for generations to the point where he or she connects to the relative’s application.
Governor Dr. Michael Frost was elected on November 3, 2012, at the Annual Meeting in Richmond that featured as guest speaker, John Edwards, president of the Historical St. Luke’s Church Foundation. His topic was St. Luke’s 1632 Church at Smithfield.
Governor Frost presided over the May 11, 2013, Spring meeting in Williamsburg, when member William (Bill) P. Carrell II spoke on The British Empire and the Genesis of the United States.
Dr. Frost added a Heritage tour in May 2013 that took Company Governors and officers to Jamestown Island and Bacon’s Castle, where they had a box lunch. They then traveled by motorcoach and had dinner at Smithfield Station. The success of these two new events grew into the annual Spring and Fall tours and Governor’s Dinner. These became popular new events at the two membership meetings and induced increased attendance by members.
Governor Frost resigned later in June and Lieutenant Governor David Woodroof stepped in to preside over subsequent meetings as interim Governor. He was elected Governor at the Annual Meeting in Richmond on November 2, 2013. The speaker was Andrew Zellers-Frederick,
Director of the Historic Jamestowne Fund of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. His topic was Saved from the Brink: The Preservation of the Iconic Jamestown Church Tower. The Fall 2013 tour included a visit to Henricus and lunch at Indian Fields Tavern. Harrison Ruffin Tyler gave a tour of his grandfather’s home Sherwood Forest. The tour group then traveled to the Hancock-Wirt-Caskie House, a federal style Richmond mansion owned by past Governor “Bunky” and Jane Bowles, for a wine and cheese reception.
The Society Expands Its MissionDuring Governor Woodroof’s terms from 2013 to 2015, Society members contributed about
$23,500 of the $200,000 that was estimated to complete Phases I and II of the Jamestowne Church Restoration Tower project, and about $12,000 in anticipation of Phase III, which called for an internal roof structure of industrial glass in the top of the tower. Active membership passed 4,700 and the Society became international with members now living outside of the US. The investment portfolio was then valued at almost $1,500,000.
The continuing growth of and need for better communication with the companies also led to the establishment of nine Regional Company Directors and a Chair (and Coordinator) of the Regional Directors, which replaced the Companies Committee and its Chair. This new structure facilitated communication and cooperation with and among the Society and local companies and provides a means of coordination. The first Regional Coordinator was Anne Stokes Moore, who was appointed in 2013. She was succeeded by Jane Congdon in 2016 and Pamela Henry Pate in 2019. Companies also were encouraged to engage their members’ interest by sponsoring presentations on historical topics by local college and university faculty, Jamestown Rediscovery and Jamestowne Society staffs; scheduling meetings at historical sites; engaging in joint meetings with other lineage groups with like interests; inviting reenactors to portray historical persons; and maintaining frequent communication through e-mail, websites, digital blogs and newsletters, and the Society’s Facebook page.
In 2014, the Society established the Alice Massey-Nesbitt Fellowship Fund with a $50,000 donation by Past Governor DeEtte DuPree Nesbitt in memory of her daughter. Its initial grant was a research Fellowship awarded to David Givens, senior staff archeologist with the Jamestown Rediscovery project. The Fellowship, awarded annually to outstanding young scholars researching early Virginia history, is a face of the Society that undoubtedly enhances knowledge of the past. Givens is a fine example of the quality of the Society’s many Fellows. He used his research grant to determine if artifacts of tobacco pipes found at James Fort were produced in England, by colonists, or by natives. The origins and use of tobacco pipes confirmed the extent of the role of tobacco as the economic foundation of the colony. Members who have also contributed to this fund have appreciated that it has added many new faces to the list of Fellowship recipients and research into facets of early Virginia life.
The Newsletter was reformatted with its Spring 2014 issue and began to resemble what later became the Magazine. On April 4, 2014, several Society members participated in celebrating the 400th wedding anniversary of Pocahontas and John Rolfe with the reenactment of their nuptials at the site of the 1608 church on Jamestown Island. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and Preservation Virginia organized the event in collaboration with the Pamunkey Indian Museum and Cultural Center and the Patawomeck Heritage Foundation. Member Scarlett Gathings Shepherd descends from the couple, and recounted this about the ceremony:
“The weather was perfect for an outdoor spring wedding, about 65 degrees and sunny. Ropes were used to outline the dimensions of the original 1608 church, where special guests including direct descendants were allowed to sit on the benches representing the original pews and a crowd was gathered around the reenactment. The ceremony began with musicians playing on historical instruments. After an introductory narrative, the reenactors began their procession through the audience along a center aisle between the rows of benches. They progressed to a stage where the altar would have been. The actors were drawn from Colonial Williamsburg’s Division of Historic Research and Interpretation as well as several guest performers from the Pamunkey Indian Tribe including the actor who portrayed Pocahontas.”
Executive Director Hofmeyer also attended, as well as members of several companies, including First California, James Citty, First South Carolina, and First Georgia. Related events were also held by several companies and in England.
At the Membership Meeting in Williamsburg on May 17, 2014, Carolyn Kendrick Farmer received special recognition by Governor David Woodroof. He presented her with a plaque for her contributions to the Society by helping to expand the number of companies from 22 to 41 and greatly increasing the membership. He also presented a plaque to William “Bud” M. Walker, Jr. for creating and maintaining the Jamestowne Society Facebook page. The Spring 2014 tour included the Jamestown Rediscovery Vault and Voorhees Museum. The Governor’s Dinner was held at the Boathouse at Sunday Park.
Five new companies were chartered: Cape Canaveral Florida (Cocoa), Central North Carolina (Charlotte), Florida Panhandle (Pensacola), Lake Erie (Vermillion), and First Arizona (Phoenix/Tucson).
Harrison Ruffin Tyler retired from the Council and was recognized as Treasurer Emeritus after having served as the Society’s Secretary of the Treasury for many years. He also served in several other capacities during his eight-plus decades as a Society member. As a grandson of President John Tyler, he joined as member number 81 on June 5, 1937, at eight years old, using Edward Travis who was a landowner at Jamestown Island and a Burgess from James City County. Harrison has numerous other ancestors including Pocahontas, Robert “King Carter”, Benjamin Harrison, Nicholas Martiau, George Reade, William Cary, and Nicholas Meriwether. Besides descending from a U. S. President, Queen Elizabeth II was a cousin. He also took an interest in the Richmond office and would send his contractor over to fix plumbing problems and minor repairs, never to give a bill. In 2013 he generously paid for the renovation of the kitchen while Lt. Gov. Woodroof was acting Governor. In November 2013 he graciously welcomed members to Sherwood Forrest, the home of President John Tyler, for the fall tour.
Historian John V. Quarstein spoke at the November 8, 2014, Annual Meeting in Richmond on Protecting Jamestowne Colony and the Story of Fort Algernon.
Executive Director Bonnie Hofmeyer updated and expanded the Register of Qualified Ancestors. The booklet had listed ancestors who were removed but no other information was provided on them. She researched each name and noted why they were removed. Problem lines
for qualified ancestors were added. Information on the guilds who were investors was researched and added to the register.
In April 2015, the Society first participated in the Heritage Week activities organized by the Hereditary Society Community of the United States of America. It was instigated by
Governor Woodroof (with the help of member Lynne Schulman) to foster relationships with the scores of other lineage and hereditary organizations within that community. The Washington and Northern Virginia Company and the Society cosponsored a dinner held at the Cosmos Club in the District of Columbia. Carter L. Hudgins, Director, Clemson/College of Charleston Graduate Program in Historic Preservation spoke on “Pirates and Privateers, the Dutch and Their Impact on Jamestowne. The success of that event spurred Governor Woodroof and Lieutenant Governor Jerry Zillion to continue our participation in subsequent HSC Heritage Weeks, which have become an annual Society event.
The 2015 Spring Meeting was held in Williamsburg on May 16, when Kareen Wood, an enrolled member of the Monacan Indian Nation and former Chair of the Virginia Council of Indians spoke about The Native American Context for Pocahontas. The Society had $1,770,000 in total assets. Companies Chair Anne Stokes Moore also reported the total number of companies at 51.
Governor Jerry William Zillion was elected at the Annual Meeting in Richmond on November 7, 2015, when David Givens spoke at the Annual Meeting on Archeological Findings at James Fort. Governor Zillion served until November 2017. His terms were marked by several important initiatives, including reorganizing the companies into regions and the Veteran Recognition program, with the issuance of pins to all Society members who had registered as military veterans. The Society’s total assets were $1,480,000.
Governor Zillion asked Executive Director Bonnie Hofmeyer to redesign the insignia worn by the Society’s Governor. She worked with City Pride. Ltd., a hereditary society insignia manufacturer and seller, to create an insignia which is worn by the Governor on a burgundy neck ribbon. The Society insignia hangs below a gold crown. He also asked her to travel to First Mississippi Company to present a program about projects funded by the Society. Other companies began requesting her visit and she began traveling to them. She brought a program and met with members and prospective applicants for membership. She has been thus able to reach out to many members who had never been to a national meeting. By the end of 2022 she had visited twenty-four companies, with trips in place to visit five companies in 2023.
By 2016, the number of applicants’ requests for sponsors had increased to overwhelm Membership Co-Chairs Dessa Jane Burrell and Mrs. Farmer. To help manage the demand, the Executive Director began forwarding sponsor requests to company Governors in the states and locales where the applicants lived. The company Governor or membership chair would then contact the prospective applicant to answer questions, provide help, and establish a relationship that could lead to company membership once the applicant was approved.
In April 2016, the Society participated again in the Heritage Week activities, sponsoring a dinner at the Cosmos Club where Dr. Douglas Owsley of the Smithsonian lectured on the exhumation and examination of the 4 graves in the chancel of the 1608 Jamestown Church
Governor Zillion met during the May 2016 Membership Events with Dr. William “Bill” Kelso, Directory of Archaeology, with Jamestown Rediscovery. Jane Congdon, Chair of Regional Company Coordinators facilitated this meeting with Executive Director Hofmeyer to further the institutional relationship with Jamestown Rediscovery and identify and fund different specific projects. The meeting reached an agreement to begin funding with a $50,000 donation with Council approval, which was approved at its May 14, 2016 meeting.
The 2016 Spring membership meeting was held in Williamsburg on May 21. Mark Summers, Jamestowne Rediscovery Manager of Public Relations and Educational Programs, spoke on Religion and Politics at Jamestown. He discussed how new discoveries had raised questions about previously held beliefs a propos those of the colonists and how religion affected governance during the James Fort period and its relevance 400 years later.
With its Fall 2016 issue, the Jamestowne Society Magazine replaced the Newsletter as the primary form of communication from the Society to its members and Susan McCrobie became its Editor. Published in the spring and fall, it keeps members informed on a wide range of topics, which include features and articles by Society staff and members, Jamestowne Rediscovery experts and eminent historians and authors of historical and genealogical books. Society officers and staff contribute personal columns addressed directly to members. The Magazine also announces Society events, news of company activities, opportunities for charitable giving (with the results) and congratulates and welcomes the Society’s newest members.
The Fall 2016 Annual Meeting was held in Richmond on November 5, when member William P. Carrell II spoke on Virginia’s Colonial Plantations. He discussed the history, builders and ancestral owners of significant plantations and the interrelationships that made up Virginia’s cohesive oligarchy. Past Governor DeEtte DuPree Nesbitt was honored as Governor Emerita for her many services to the Society. Over more than 30 years, Mrs. Nesbitt served two highly successful terms as Governor and privately travelled thousands of miles and spent countless overnights in support of Society activities. Her record donation endowed the Society's graduate fellowship program.
The Society also then took an important step, suggested by member Jane “Xan” Alexander, to aid membership research with its Lineage Paper Project. It provides online lists of lineages from Revolutionary War era individuals to help applicants track back to their Jamestowne Society Qualifying Ancestors. This assistance was designed to help facilitate an applicant’s efforts and has created a steady resource stream for the Society.
In 2016, past Fellowship recipient Dave Givens was a contributing author of Holy Ground: Archaeology, Religion, and the First Founders of Jamestown, summarizing archaeological investigations of Jamestown’s 1907 Memorial Church and its historic seventeenth-century tower.
During the April 2017 Heritage Week, the Society hosted two guest speakers at a dinner at the Army and Navy Club, Mr. William Gates, Curator and Captain of the Maryland Dove, and Mr. Joe Greeley, Site Supervisor of the Maryland Dove.
Linda Whitlow Knight, Esq., was appointed Chair of the Society’s Bylaws Committee in late 2017 by Governor Jerry Zillion, which initially included past Governor and past Attorney General W. Harrison Schroeder, Katherine Woodhouse, and Jane Alexander. Later, Ms.
Woodhouse and Ms. Alexander resigned, leaving past Governor Schroeder and the Rev. Dr. Roy Abbot Martin, Jr. to serve on the Committee. By early 2018, the Committee had begun drafting a new and comprehensive set of Bylaws, a Policies and Procedures Manual, and, later, amendments to the Society’s Articles of Incorporation. Among the important factors calling for the revision and expansion of the original governing documents were the increased emphasis on best business practices in the business world, including nonprofit organizations, the importance of transparency, and the current complex legal environment, including the federal Sarbanes- Oxley Act.
The 2017 Spring Membership Meeting was held on May 20 in Williamsburg, when Dr. Kelso discussed his forthcoming book, The Truth Revealed. Both he and Dr. Horn were awarded honorary life memberships in the Society for their “dedicated service towards rediscovering and preserving James Fort, honoring the memory of our settler ancestors and furthering our understanding of the historical significance of Jamestown.”
Governor Zillion and Lieutenant Governor the Rev. Dr. Roy Abbot Martin, Jr. inaugurated an Annual Giving campaign in 2017 to encourage members to increase their participation in the investment in our shared historic values, perspective and patriotism.
Governor Zillion also suggested cooperating with Jamestown Rediscovery to plan the commemoration of the 400th Anniversary of the first meeting of the General Assembly that convened in July 1619, another major event that would bring members across the country into closer association. Executive Director Hofmeyer quickly undertook the planning. At the Governor’s recommendation, a $50,000 donation was made to Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation to support its archeological efforts. The Society also underwrote the costs of the casting of a replica church tower bell, which used shards of one recovered by the archeological dig to reproduce the original’s physical properties and sound.
Executive Director Hofmeyer then began meeting with Jamestown Rediscovery staff, including Dr. Horn, Denise Kellogg, and Willie Balderson, to plan the 2019 commemoration and explore how the organizations could cooperate for and coordinate their programs and events. It was decided to split the costs of erecting an air-conditioned tent with tables and chairs for 350 people. It was also decided that they could share the costs of a videographer (to record all the events) and professional interpreters who would perform a reenactment of the First General Assembly. Dr.
Horn asked Executive Director Hofmeyer to serve on the American Evolution 2019 Committee and they attended a few meetings at the Jamestown Settlement. It was later determined that Historic Jamestowne and the Society would plan their own events and celebrations.
Restoration of records has been an ongoing and important Society function. Initially, suggestions were often for individual volume restoration. Later, with the highly capable guidance of Dr. Gary Williams, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Sussex County, larger projects of records restoration were completed for sources valuable to researchers, regardless of the date range of the materials.
Governor the Rev. Dr. Roy Abbot Martin, Jr. was elected at the Fall 2017 Annual Meeting on November 4 in Richmond that featured as speaker First Mississippi Company Governor Dr. Shirley Godsey. She discussed The Thirteen Lives of Captain John Smith, which dealt comprehensively with Smith's life before he traveled to Virginia in 1607, his life in the colony, and his life and voyages after he returned to England. Smith came close to death many times in Europe and Asia, making him just the kind of seasoned warrior and leader the Virginia colony needed to survive.
In 2017, the Annual Giving campaign yielded over $107,500 in donations, of which $92,328 was spent on fellowships, restoration of records and similar projects.
The Society Continues to GrowGovernor Martin served from 2017 to 2019. As a descendent of English settlers and the last chief of the Patawomeck Tribe, he gave special attention to the Virginia Indians as well as the settlers. Executive Director Hofmeyer was assisted by Robin Ellis in the planning of the Society’s second major historical event commemoration: the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the convening of the first elected representative legislative body in the New World (the still-extant Virginia General Assembly.) It was decided to move the May 2019 meeting to a July date to better coincide with the anniversary date of the meeting of the First General Assembly.
Governor Martin noted that the Society’s companies were playing a larger role in the Society’s affairs, and that additional bylaws would be needed to consider their larger role. He asked Linda Knight and the Bylaws Committee to address this issue. Lt. Gov. Thomas Bouldin Leitch reported that the Society had donated about $140,000 to Jamestowne Rediscovery during the past two years, which included two six-passenger golf carts and the replica bell, a down payment on replicating a second bell, and grants. The golf carts greatly eased and facilitated the transport of staff and visitors with special needs throughout Historic Jamestowne.
In April 2018, the Society welcomed Connie Lapallo, author of The Sun is but a Morning Star, as its guest speaker at its Heritage Week dinner at the Army and Navy Club in Washington, DC.
The Society hired Robin Ellis as part-time Administrative Assistant in 2018 to continue to help plan the 2019 Anniversary Events and she has since remained in her position with the Society.
At the Spring 2018 Membership Meeting on May 12 in Williamsburg, Merry Outlaw, a long- time member and Jamestowne Rediscovery’s Curator of Collections, discussed The Material World of Our Jamestown Ancestors. This is a recurring theme of Mrs. Outlaw’s regular feature, Secrets From The Vault, in the Society’s magazine. Immediate Past Governor Zillion, a member of the Finance Committee, reported that the Society’s investment account balance was
$2,260,000 and that it reflected a blend of high-grade securities.
After fifteen months’ diligent efforts by Secretary of State Richard H. Knight, Jr., the United States Patent and Trademark Office approved the Society’s application for registration of its service mark and authorized the use of the ® symbol next to our emblem. That symbol means that it is “proprietary” and cannot be used by anyone else. The Society must place it on anything that might go into general circulation, e.g., the Magazine and articles of clothing. The government also inspects to confirm the Society’s usage of the protected emblem every seven and nine years.
The 2018 Annual Meeting was held in Richmond on November 3, with Dr. Marcia Zug, Professor of Law of at the University of South Carolina, who discussed her book, Buying A Bride; The Tobacco Brides of 1620.
The Society’s net asset value account at the end of 2018 exceeded $2.5 million, an increase of
$300,000 over the previous year. It had donated about $353,000 to Jamestown Rediscovery, all from donations and operations over the years. The 2018 Annual Giving contributions totaled
$157,343 that included allocations for development of a database with Blackbaud ($4,272,) the Alice Massey-Nesbitt Fellowship ($10,000,) the Wingo Restoration of Records ($7,104,) and the 2019 400th Anniversary Fund ($5,000.) The Society also donated $50,000 to Jamestown Rediscovery to help underwrite the 2019 commemoration events and appropriated $5,000 to fund approximately half of the expense of employing re-enactors to interpret the historical events. $20,000 was also donated to help defray the expense of photographic and printing costs of the publication of publication of Church and State: The Archaeology of the Foundations of Democracy 1619-2019, which recounts the story of Jamestown’s 1617 church and the convening of the first General Assembly, as well as the Memorial Church Archaeology Dig that the Society funded.
At the end of 2018, the Society had 5,846 active (or living) members of a total 9,903 who had been admitted since 1936. The Society anticipated that its total cumulative membership would number 11,000 by 2023. However, fewer than half of the Society’s members belonged to a company and about one-fourth had no contact with the Society other than receipt of the magazine.
The expansive nation-wide growth of the Society led the Council to define and establish geographic areas for companies, within which they could operate exclusively without overlapping each other’s activities. The Society used the city of a company’s charter, precedent, and actual practice as criteria.
Lt. Governor Thomas Leitch was instrumental in guiding the Society in selecting a new database program for membership and donor tracking. The Society purchased the software program Blackbaud and its tracking program eTapestry to help maintain the Society’s records.
Commemorating the Pivotal and Historical Events of 1619The Society rescheduled its 2019 Spring Meeting from May to late July for two extremely significant occasions: the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the first meeting of an elected, representative legislative body in the New World, which is now the extant Virginia General Assembly, and the first recorded landing of enslaved Africans. With the participation of over 500 members, the long weekend was extremely well-attended, with its attendance second only to the 2007 commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the colony’s founding.
The July 28th reenactment of the 1619 convening of the first General Assembly was held in the 1607 Jamestowne Memorial Church, and it and other Society-sponsored events on the island were very successful. 275 members gathered in the church to attend the Order for Morning Prayer, as taken from the 1559 Anglican Book of Common Prayer, led by Society Governor the Rev. Dr. Martin and the Reverend James Wilbur Browder, III. The prayer service and scripture selections were written by Chaplain Browder and Executive Director Hofmeyer. The service ended with the gentle ring of the newly installed replica church bell that was hung in a reconstruction of the belfry that made all feel that their ancestors were there with them. Members were provided tours by the archaeologists of the Archaearium, and fort.
Past New York Company Governor Wilhelmena Rhodes Kelly led participants in remembering the “20. and odd Africans” who were landed at Jamestown in August 1619. Mrs. Kelly led members in a meaningful remembrance where she received a standing ovation. Next, she and her sister Linda Rhodes laid a wreath at the Angela Dig site. This was where the only named African, Angelo, lived and worked in the home of William Pierce (“Angelo” is considered to be a corruption of the spelling of her name.). Wilhelmena Kelly was an African American who descends from Pocahontas and John Rolfe, and, regrettably, passed away in October 2019.
All of the members returned to the tent for box lunches and a special performance of a Laudable Government as a reenactment of the convening of the First General Assembly. Dr. Horn provided the historical context of 1619 General Assembly meeting. The actors’ reenactment took place precisely on the site in the church building where the original burgesses sat for that momentous 1619 meeting.
The Governor’s Dinner was held later that evening for 230 members. Special guests were Dr. Bill Kelso and his wife Ellen. During the dinner, Executive Director Hofmeyer recognized Dr. Bill Kelso for his numerous archaeological contributions at James Fort. She said we are forever
indebted to Bill for his dedication in rediscovering James Fort and teaching us and the world about the early colonists and for telling their story more fully and accurately. Bill Kelso received a rousing standing ovation from the membership. The Society had a special tiered anniversary cake which Bill Kelso cut using a replica Jamestown sword from James Fort.
David Givens, who would replace Bill Kelso as Jamestown Rediscovery’s Director of Archaeology on his retirement at the end of 2019, was the keynote speaker for the ceremony. He shared the archaeological discoveries that were noted in his book Democracy, Diversity, Discovery, 1619-2019. In an interview, Givens reported that three archaeology discoveries on Jamestown Island--Jane during the starving time, the foundation of the 1608 Church, and the chancel burials in the 1608 church—had made the list of the Ten Top Archaeological Finds in the World, as published in Archeology magazine. Dr. Horn was the speaker and lectured on his book, 1619 Jamestown and the Forging of American Democracy.
A luncheon for 400 followed where Governor Martin and Lt. Governor Leitch presented Dr. Horn with a check for $75,000 to pay for the newly reconstructed belfry and to help complete the Memorial Church Archaeology Dig. Governor Martin recognized Executive Director Bonnie Hofmeyer for her planning of the 2019 events over the past two years. He presented her with a gift from the Society in appreciation for her many hours of service.
The Society held wine and cheese reception on Jamestown Island the next evening (enabling many to participate who were unable to attend the other sold-out events). Family ancestor reunions were also held for descendants of George Yeardley, Thomas Graves, John Rolfe, and Samuel Maycocke. Governor Martin and Executive Director Hofmeyer led the members in a dedication service for the replica bell. Jamestown Rediscovery partnered with Hardywood Brewery to create a beer using indigenous persimmons similar to a colonial beverage. The beer was named Bartman Ale and Society members were among the first to sample it.
280 members then enjoyed tours to view the archaeological work that had uncovered the church’s entire foundation and the knight’s restored grave marker under glass in the church floor. They learned about methods used to identify the skeletal remains and toured Jamestowne Rediscovery’s Voorhees Archaearium Museum, which showcases many of the archaeological discoveries from among the over three million early 17th century artifacts that have been recovered. Their tour also included the site of the Pierce home in New Town on Jamestown Island, as mentioned above.
As part of the 2019 commemoration, the Society participated in publishing Jamestowne Rediscovery’s Church and State: The Archaeology of the Foundations of Democracy, which described the excavation of the graves of four prominent men buried in the chancel of the 1608 church and a summary of the excavations in the Memorial Church and Tower. The book was authored by David Givens, Mary Anna Hartley, Dr. Horn, and Michael Lavin. It recounts the three years of archeological work conducted in search of the 1617 Church and the uncovering of several skeletons within the church, including one unknown high-status individual. It provides the reader with an inside perspective on the forensic pursuits of the archaeologist as they apply history, science, and archaeology to interpret and better understand one of our nation’s most poignant locations. Every company was given three copies to donate to local institutions.
The 2019 Annual Giving campaign was directed by Lieutenant Governor Leitch with the participation and outstanding work of Councilor Virginia Moorman Gotlieb and Dr. Shirley Godsey of First Mississippi Company. Their efforts successfully resulted in donations of more than $117,000. The 2020 goal was $120,000 and the Society received over $193,000 overall contributions in both non-restricted and restricted funds. The Society donated $75,000 to Jamestown Rediscovery, with $15,000 for the reconstruction of the belfry, plus $60,000 for furthering archaeological exploration of the Memorial Church floor and chancel area.
Governor Leitch was elected the Annual Meeting in Richmond on November 7, 2019, when Emily Sackett spoke on Women Wanted: Gender, Race, and the Origins of American Plantation Societies, 1607-1720. Ms. Hofmeyer noted that the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the first General Assembly was the largest, most well-attended, meeting in the time she has worked for the Society, and she thanked the Hospitality Committee, Insignia Sales, and Special Events for working “triple duty” to make it a success.
The Society welcomed Mr. Peyton Bobbit Field as its 10,000th member on June 30, 2019. It had admitted an average of over 300 new members each year since 2014; 341 joined in 2019, second only to 2007’s 391 as the year when the most new members were admitted.
2020: The Effect of the PandemicThe COVID 19 pandemic forced cancellation of both 2020 spring and fall membership meetings and the Heritage Meeting in Washington DC. The headquarters office in Richmond had to close and Executive Director Hofmeyer worked from home. Despite this, the Society fully functioned; Governor Leitch and Executive Director Hofmeyer successfully enabled the Council and Executive Committees to meet electronically, permitting their members to conduct business from their remote locations. While Society leaders and members missed the congenial association of personally meeting, the pandemic did not impede the Society’s normal operations.
The Council approved the Society’s Policies and Procedures Manual at its June 6, 2020 virtual meeting, after which it was distributed to the Council and others to whom it is applicable and needed. It supplements and implements the Bylaws, including material and providing detail that is not necessary or appropriate for inclusion in Bylaws. When amendments are needed, they are to be adopted by the Council.
The Society retained Wells Fargo Investment Advisors to assist in managing its investment assets. The number of applications remained steady, although the difficulty and impossibility of performing onsite research and checking original records hampered compilation of applications and the approval procedure.
The Society granted $78,000 to Jamestowne Rediscovery to rebuild the 1607 Barracks structure on Jamestown Island that had deteriorated since its original construction in 2006.
The Society awarded a fellowship to archeologist Bob Chartrand, an M.S. candidate in Anthropology at the William & Mary School of Arts & Sciences, for his use of ground- penetrating radar (GPR) equipment. This geophysical method of analyzing what lies beneath the surface is a key tool for noninvasive site investigations in the field of archaeology and forensics. Bob was also a staff archaeologist at Jamestown Rediscovery.
The Society enhanced its members’ participation and education by hosting several programs by Zoom with up to 100 people in attendance at each one. Jamestown Rediscovery staff helped record the Zoom programs in advance to use at the virtual meetings. The topics included the Barracks Project with Dr. Bill Kelso, a Vault tour with Curator Merry Outlaw, a Blacksmith demonstration with Willie Balderson, the Eastern Expansion Archaeology Dig, the 1622 Indian Uprising, and Maids to Virginia.
To further enhance its communications with members and others, the website was revised and updated. Governor Leitch hired PG Calc to add Planned Giving pages to the website. They also recommended an independent website designer to revise the website and add the ability to accept credit cards for purchases and register for meetings online.
At the end of 2020, the Society had received $193,000 in total contributions in both non- restricted and restricted funds, including $50,000 donated by companies. 421 applications were processes in 2020.
In August 2021, Gov. Leitch oversaw the sale of the Society’s Richmond headquarters that had been acquired in 2005 and observed that past Governors Ann Shelton Tyler Netick and Carter Furr were responsible for its purchase. The Council authorized the identification and purchase of a new facility in Williamsburg. Executive Director Hofmeyer was tasked with working with Coldwell Banker Realty in Williamsburg to find the site of the new headquarters. She toured seven properties and recommended two for the Council’s consideration. The Council unanimously selected one on Midlands Road and the new building was purchased in September 2021. The sale of the Richmond property wholly funded the purchase price and allowed for the costs of the renovation and redecoration of the new one.
The Society pledged to award a $76,000 grant to Jamestowne Rediscovery for explorations of the Eastern expansion of the James Fort and hosted another educational program by Zoom in May when David Givens shared about the project’s discovered artifacts and what insights they provided about the colony’s life.
The Council pledged to grant Jamestown Rediscovery $150,000 over two years (2022 and 2023) to fund the protection and preservation of the Church Tower and fund $52,000 in 2021 to Dr.
Owsley’s essential staff for researching his skeletal biology program and forthcoming book, Life and Death in the Chesapeake, 1607-1800 Bone Biographies of “Becoming American.”
It weas announced at the November 2021 Council meeting that two donors have reached the
$50,000 donor level on the Jamestowne Society Honor Roll. They included First Mississippi Company and an individual member donor, Stan Harrell.
To help further the Society’s mission to encourage and foster association amongst Society members, past Registrar Jane Congdon also reported at the Council meeting that, after years of effort, she and the Executive Director had identified the 1,800 members whose status was unknown, making the membership list more accurate. The last published membership list was in the May 2007 Roster of Members, Quadricentennial Edition, when hundreds were listed as “Status Unknown.” She was able to locate and reach out to many, who for various reasons, had changed their names (e.g., by marriage) or had new addresses. Many were thrilled to have been missed enough to be searched and found. She was also able to delete about 1,800 members from the Society’s records who had died or were unreachable, resulting in a list of 6,499 active members of the Society as of December 6, 2021. Governor Leitch complimented her on her valuable service to the Jamestowne Society, and she thanked all those who helped her. The companies now have the obligation of helping to keep our membership records up to date.
Chaplain Rev. James W. Browder, III memorialized Past Governor Dr. Ann Shelton Tyler Netick, who served as the Society’s Governor in 1985-87 and 2004-06 and had passed away on December 7, 2020. During her latter terms, she oversaw the Society’s acquisition of its first permanent headquarters and the planning of the extraordinarily successful 2007 commemoration
of Jamestown’s founding. She taught Russian literature and language at the College of William and Mary until her retirement in 1992.
Regional Chair Pamela Pate reported that the First Governor’s Tea was well received and planned on having a roundtable next spring at Kingsmill.
Executive Director Hofmeyer noted the death of Membership Co-Chair Dessa Jane Burrell, who with Co-Chair Carolyn Kendrick Farmer has served for many years on the Membership Committee. Miss Burrell was an avid Jamestowne Society member and has donated much time and energy to achieve the success of the Membership Committee. Mrs. Farmer has continued to handle requests from Texas and applicants who could not otherwise find sponsors. She is always helpful and responds quickly.
The Annual Meeting on November 5, 2021 was the Society’s first post-COVID gathering and held at the Commonwealth Club in Richmond. Governor Leitch gave special recognition to Linda Knight, Susan McCrobie, Roger Sizemore and Pamela Pate for their extraordinary work with the Jamestowne Society. Special recognition was given to Lyndon Hart, III, Genealogist, for his dedication and work with the Jamestowne Society for over 30 years.
Richard Holmes Knight, Jr., was elected as the Society’s 43rd Governor. The speaker was Nicholas M. Luccketti, one of the initial Jamestown Rediscovery archeologists and now principal archaeologist and partner in the James River Institute for Archaeology, Inc. His topic was The Lost Colony of Roanoke.
Governor Knight appointed Lieutenant Governor Nancy Redman Hill to succeed him as Chair of the Annual Giving committee. The Bylaws Committee also completed amending the Policy and Procedures Manual, with accompanying forms, to help guide the operations and functions of the Council, staff and companies with more consistency.
At year end 2021, the Society’s Annual Giving campaign had realized over $247,000, its net assets totaled $2,221,000 and it had admitted 338 new members.
In 2022, Governor Knight appointed past Governor Tom Leitch to chair the Buildings and Grounds Committee and complete relocating the Society’s headquarters from Richmond to Williamsburg to facilitate its opening. The new locale is proximate to Historic Jamestown, and enables better coordination and closer involvement with the Jamestown Rediscovery staff and its archeological projects. That proximity also enables more members to visit and access to our staff and the larger facility, which includes a library and conference room for Council and other meetings. It also provides, for the first time, dedicated offices for the Society Genealogist and his important work and the administrative assistant.
The Great Lakes and Great Plains Regions were consolidated into one Region, which resulted in a total of eight Regions.
The Society hired Branson Builders to renovate the new Midlands Road property and temporarily rented the Richmond building from the new owner, pending completing the relocation. The net proceeds of $75,000 from the sale of the Richmond property funded a five- month renovation. Christy Morris, Governor of First Georgia Company helped with the interior design. The roof was replaced, all the old carpet removed, hard wood floors installed on the first floor and luxury vinyl plank was installed upstairs. Wallpaper was removed and the walls and trim were painted. Both bathrooms were remodeled. A non-load-bearing wall was removed on the first floor to create a muti-purpose room for Executive Committee meetings and a library, for which custom-made shelves were built along one wall. The break room had new cabinets and granite top added. The handicapped ramp was rebuilt to meet code. The landscaping had was thourougly overhauled and three trees removed; the trees running along the street were thinned A moving company was hired to move the records and furniture to Williamsburg and the Society moved in on February 7, 2022.
The Society cooperated with Jamestown Rediscovery to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the March 22, 1622 Indian Uprising with the laying of a memorial wreath at the Memorial Church. Executive Director Hofmeyer addressed those present and brought greetings from the Society. They next participated in the luncheon events. The Spring 2022 issue of the Magazine also featured two important articles offering new perspectives on the Uprising and its origins.
The Society resumed convening its Spring meetings in Williamsburg on May 13 and 14, 2022 at the Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg. At the Council meeting, Governor Knight noted that “The work that has been and is being done on Annual Giving is remarkable. Six years ago, we did not have an Annual Giving program. Roy Martin and others decided to institute Annual Giving. We went forward at full speed and received over $240,000.00 last year.”
The May 13 Governor’s Dinner program included a performance of the Jamestowne Rediscovery’s living history program, Maids to Virginia. The speaker at the May 14 membership meeting was Dr. Warren M. Billings, Distinguished Professor of History, Emeritus, University of New Orleans. who discussed Governor Gooch’s Gifts: Legal Publishing in Colonial Virginia and his book, Statute Law in Colonial Virginia. Professor Billings has written extensively on Jamestown.
The Society also recognized and honored Executive Director Hofmeyer with a resolution reciting her ten years of extraordinary service. She has guided prospective applicants, planned and directed the Membership, Council and Executive Committee meetings, sent thorough and timely notices to volunteers; given hands-on support to the website and publication of the Magazine, written many articles for the Magazine, spoken at individual Companies’ events, met with prospective donors, collaborated with the organizations that the Society supports, produced video educational programs for members about the Society’s good works and ably served as ambassador extraordinaire for the Society.
Governor Knight called on Ms. Hofmeyer to introduce two special guests, Anne Abel and her cousin, Susan Cella, who are granddaughters of the Society’s founder, George Craghead Gregory. They were present by special invitation, in conjunction with a ceremony that took place on May 13 at Jamestowne Island. In 1979, a bench and plaque in honor of Mr. Gregory had been dedicated on Jamestown Island, which had deteriorated beyond repair, for which Jamestown Rediscovery donated a replacement.
At its August 2, 2022 meeting, the Executive Committee heard a Jamestown Rediscovery presentation on DNA analysis of early settlers, and considered strategies to enhance and increase donations from members.
The Society admitted Mr. Jared Walton Mapstone as its 11,000th member on August 24, 2022, well in advance of the anticipated date of 2023. The Council also agreed to partner with the Smithsonian Institution to publish Life and Death in the Chesapeake, 1607-1800: Bone Biographies of Becoming American, an important new book recounting Dr. Owsley’s decade of human osteological, forensic, and historical research at Jamestown and St. Mary’s City, Dr. Owsley is the Curator of Biological Anthropology at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
At the Annual Meeting on November 5, Professor Peter Cooper Mancall of the University of Southern California spoke on Virginia 1622-24, The Turning Point in American History. Dr. Mancall is Distinguished Professor, Andrew W. Mellon Professor of the Humanities at USC and founded and directed the USC-Huntington Library’s Early Modern American Studies Institute. The Library is an important research resource for Jamestown scholars and repository of numerous colonial artifacts. Dr. Mancall is currently writing American Origins, which will be volume one of The Oxford History of the United States. He has also given two presentations to the First California Company.
The Council voted fund to participate in the publication of Dr. Owsley’s book and for preservation of records in Brunswick County through scanning and putting them online. The Society admitted 300 new members in 2022 and raised over $270,000 from members in the Annual Giving campaign. At December 31, 2022, the Annual Giving campaigns had cumulatively raised $1,093,276 since their 2017 inception.
On January 14, 2023, the Society completed the funding of its 2020 pledge of $150,000 to support the important Jamestowne Rediscovery project to help assure the protection and preservation of the 17th century church tower, which has been the iconic symbol of the colony through the centuries and was featured in the 2019 ceremonies. This new project had been first envisioned in 2013-15 to install a recessed steel and glass roof in the tower (invisible from the exterior) that would prevent weathering damage from wind, rain, etc.
In April 2023, Bill Barker interpreted Thomas Jefferson for attendees at the Society’s Heritage Week dinner at the Army and Navy Club.
At the May 5, 2023, Membership Meeting at Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Governor Knight called attention to the passing of highly esteemed Past Society Governor Joseph Holleman Barlow, Sr., who died in April 2023.
The Jamestowne Society’s Wingo Restoration of Records Fund contributed significantly to the Library of Virginia’s project of scanning Brunswick County, Virginia Chancery Court records.
The Policies and Procedures Manual had been amended to include the procedure for the formation of new Companies, along with forms for Organizing Companies to submit for the Council’s approval of their Charters; additional provisions regarding Company operations; and a revised form for Company Bylaws. The chartering of the Central Florida Company was unanimously approved. Governor Knight complimented the Company for being the first to follow the new procedure.
The annual Alice Massey-Nesbitt Fellowship was awarded to Taylor Callaway, a doctoral student in anthropology at the College of William and Mary. Ms. Callaway and her husband were in attendance. The topic of her research is Feasts, Tastes, and Famines: Considerations of Native-English Food Politics in Early Colonial Virginia.
The Membership luncheon speaker was Larry E. Tise, Ph.D., who discussed Thomas Harriot’s Magnificent Book. Harriot’s book, A Briefe and True Report on the New Found Land of Virginia, is a report of Sir Walter Raleigh’s explorations of the coast of Carolina in the Sixteenth Century – before the arrival of the Jamestown settlers and the formation of the first permanent English colony. Dr. Tise discovered copies of the book, including copies with hand-colored illustrations, which he inventoried. Dr. Tise earned A.B. and M.Div. degrees from Duke University and a Ph.D. in history from the University of North Carolina. In his varied career, he has been and is a history professor, teaching at prominent universities, and a history executive. He also performs historical research for private clients. The audience very much enjoyed Dr. Tise’s speech.
Past Governor Tom Leitch reported to the Executive Committee on August 4, 2023, that a focus group he had appointed had identified projects that they thought would be most appreciated by the Membership. Based on consensus, the 3 top choices were continued archaeological support for Jamestown Rediscovery, exploring a working relationship with the Omohundro Institute, and conserving and preserving colonial records.
Past Governor Carter S. B. Furr died on October 6, 2023 and Executive Director Hofmeyer attended his funeral on October 18th. His son gave a very personal reflection on his father’s life and talked in length about the Jamestowne Society and his father’s involvement as governor from 2008 to 2010.


Appendix A: Genealogy
Genealogy is at the heart of the Society’s existence and enhances its historical and educational purposes. Genealogical research that leads to membership in the Jamestowne Society shines a personal spotlight on history through time. The documentation of centuries of personal histories, including the travails of the first intrepid settlers to colonize Virginia, verifies their greatest gift: the good fortune to live in the United States today.
The path to association with members begins with genealogical research and preparation of an application for Society membership. The initial step is sponsorship by a member – which may occur through contact at a Society or company meeting.
Once sponsored, an applicant is guided by instructions sent by email as part of the application package. The package includes an application worksheet (MS Word document) and instructions for completing it. The instructions list the application requirements, acceptable and unacceptable documentation (which should be carefully followed), steps to complete the application, information about supplemental applications, and an application checklist. After completion, the application is submitted digitally. One copy of the documentation should be mailed to the office, accompanied by two copies of the application signed by both the applicant and sponsor, as well membership fee. The Society Genealogist then reviews the application to approve or reject it. If additional information is required, the applicant will be contacted by the registrar with detailed comments regarding the problems.
After approval, a new member’s participation in Society and company events and activities will foster their relationship with others. Members can further augment their association by following the Society’s web site, Magazine, and Facebook page. The Society’s publications, educational programs, and annual giving solicitations help identify values with which members may choose to align.
Each Society member has proven direct descent from a Qualifying Ancestor, as that term is defined in the Society’s Bylaws in Article II, Section 2.2.2, through copies of written, original records (primary sources) that document the lineage and link all generations. DNA evidence may be used, but only as collateral or supplementary evidence in cases of recent adoptions. DNA evidence that is contradictory will result in the closing of a line or restricting use to the line that is properly documented.
After being approved, a member may submit supplemental applications showing descent from different Qualifying Ancestors. The application form and approval process are the same, except that a sponsor is not required. The supplemental may refer to relevant generations on the original application, citing the membership number for those generations. The opportunity to submit supplemental applications gives Society members a means of exploring their cultural heritage through multiple lineages and enhances the Society’s mission of collecting historical
knowledge and understanding its context in human terms.
Proving descent requires considerable research using a wide variety of sources recorded over many generations. Over the past four decades, however, computer technologies, the internet, and genealogical software have changed the conduct of research from hours of searching library card catalogs, reading microfilm, studying printed sources, and searching through original records to scrolling through digitally available documents that are literally at the researcher’s fingertips.
The Society provides several resources to aid applicants. The Register of Qualifying Ancestors is periodically updated with newly approved Qualifying Ancestors (also published in the magazine) and members descended from them. The Society recognizes 1,070 Qualifying Ancestors as defined by the Bylaws and are listed alphabetically on the web site. Of those, 533 have provided documented lineages for 6,809 members, and no members have sought to establish lineage from the remaining 437.
The Qualifying Ancestors whose lineages were first documented for membership in 1936 were: John West
Walter Chiles Nicholas Martiau Thomas Swan Nicholas Meriwether John Rolfe Christopher Robinson Miles Cary
William Randolph
Qualifying Ancestors with the most member lineages are: John Woodson: 580
Stephen Hopkins: 546
Thomas Graves: 408 Walter Chiles I: 300 Thomas Jordan: 273
John West: 271 William Farrar I: 225
Robert Beheathland: 207
Thomas Harris: 201
Nicholas Martiau: 190
Richard Pace: 190
New yearly memberships for the period 2000–2023 are shown in the chart below.

Another valuable resource is the Lineage Paper Project, located on the Society’s website. It lists couples, one or both of whom, had Qualifying Ancestors and were adults during the American Revolutionary War period. This information only indicates that the parties were living at the time, not any proof of military or civil service. These resources help prospective applicants find their Society lineage(s), provide a reference for genealogical research, and connect them with others of the same lineage. They enhance members’ opportunities and ability to associate and share their historic values and perspectives.
While the role of the Society Genealogist does not include individual research service, applicants can and should seek help from sponsors or interested genealogists through contact with a local Company’s Genealogist or Membership Chair.
We now can take advantage of the advances and conveniences that technological tools have provided for genealogical research. While nothing can replace the satisfaction of successfully performing research in a musty courthouse vault, technology and improved access to more original record resources have enhanced and simplified the task, helped to achieve satisfaction more quickly and enabled many more Jamestown descendants to realize their goals of membership.


Appendix B: Governance 
 
After being founded in 1936, the Jamestowne Society was formally organized as a Virginia non- stock (nonprofit) corporation on April 22, 1958. It was reorganized as a Virginia membership organization when its Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation were adopted on November 7, 2019 and renamed The Jamestowne Society, Inc.
As provided for in the Bylaws that were adopted on the same date, it is governed by a Council (identical to a board of directors) consisting of the officers and eighteen Councilors (identical to directors,) plus the Society’s living past Governors. The members elect the officers and councilors at the annual November membership meeting; the officers to annual terms and Councilors to staggered three-year terms. Most Governors and other officers have served two such terms.
The Council meets biannually in May and November (in conjunction with membership meetings) and a standing Executive Committee (consisting of all officers, the immediate past governor and three additional councilors appointed by the governor and which can act on behalf of the Council between its meetings) also meets biannually (generally in February and August.) The Council’s other Standing Committees include an Audit Committee, Bylaws Committee, Finance Committee and Investment Committee. The Governor also creates special committees to address the Society’s particular needs, e.g., Annual Giving, Building & Grounds, Bylaws, Communications, History, and Membership.
The Council maintains a Policies and Procedures Manual that is used to guide the Society’s operations and management and prescribes policies and procedures that are necessary for its proper and transparent functions.
The Society received federal tax-exempt status on July 15, 1983, pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. This determination by the Internal Revenue Service recognized the Society as a non-profit organization that exists for educational, historical, patriotic and charitable purposes. Its status enables members and others to make tax-deductible contributions and donations to the Society. These donations have been manifested in the Annual Giving campaigns since 2017, amounting to almost $1,100,000 in support of the Society’s philanthropic endeavors. They have included its academic fellowship, building and grounds, restoration of records, archaeological, publications and unrestricted funds.
The Society’s organizational structure includes a network of “Companies” (similar to “chapters” in other organizations), which are located throughout the United States and chartered by the Council in accordance with the Bylaws. They each serve as a local extension of the Society in a specific locale and afford Society participation for members who are remote from the Virginia sites of its major events and programs.
Each company is organized and functions in accordance with guidelines in the Policy and Procedures Manual. They are each composed of local members who elect their particular officers and manage their own affairs and events. The first companies were chartered by 1973 and their number had increased to 25 by 2003 and to 52 in 2023. They each operate exclusively in a designated geographic region based on where it was organized and the surrounding area. The companies are grouped into eight regions and assisted and facilitated by Regional Directors, all supervised by the Regional Director Coordinator (a member of the Council.)
The roster of the Society’s Governors is as follows:
 
1936-1938
George C. Gregory

1938-1939
Charles McIntosh Tunstall

1939-1940
George C. Gregory

1940-1941
George P. Coleman

1941-1947
George C. Gregory

1947-1951
J. Ambler Johnston

1951-1955
Rev. Edward Meeks Gregory

1955-1957
Catesby Willis Stewart

1957-1959
Richard Blackburn Tucker

1959-1961
Jere M. H. Willis

1961-1962
Alfred W. Garnett

1962-1963
Edwin P. Cox

1963-1965
Parke S. Rouse, Jr.

1965-1967
Dr. John Bell Williams

1967-1969
Joseph F. Inman

1969-1971
Charles S. Marshall

1971-1973
Emory L. Carlton

1973-1975
Alice Whitley Jones

1975-1977
Aubrey R. Bowles III

1977-1979
Dr. Edward Alvey, Jr.

1979-1981
Ambrose Rucker Woodroof

1981-1983
Col. Carroll Wright

1983-1985
Nathaniel Coleman Brydon

1985-1987
Dr. Anne Shelton Tyler Netick

1987-1989
Malcolm Hart Squires

1990-1991
James Morris Bagby

1991-1993
Edward Barron Wright, Jr.

1993-1995
Weliford Garland Good

1995-1997
Henry C. Mackall

1997-1998
Robert Needham Hendry

1998-2000
DeEtte Depree Nesbitt

2000-2002
Brig. Gen Charles D. “Dan” McGuire, USAR (ret.)

2002-2004
Dr. James Jarrett Owen

2004-2006
Dr. Anne Shelton Tyler Netick

2006-2008
William Harrison Schroeder, Esq.

2008-2010
Carter Branham Snow Furr, Esq.

2010-2012
Joseph Holleman Barlow

2012-2013
Dr. Michael Frost

2013-2015
David King Woodroof

2015-2017
Jerry William Zillion

2017-2019
The Rev. Dr. Roy A. Martin, Jr.

2019-2021
Thomas Bouldin Leitch

2021-2023
Richard Holmes Knight, Jr.

2023-2025
Nancy Redman Hill

 

Appendix C:  Companies

​The Society’s life blood is its Companies, where most associations among members begin and are subsequently fostered and strengthened.
Among the purposes of the Society’s mission, as stated in its Bylaws, are “…To assist in the organization of local chapters of the Society, known as Companies, reminiscent of the London and Virginia Companies.” Its organizational structure includes a network of companies located throughout the United States and chartered in accordance with the Bylaws. The active companies are listed on the Society’s website, which lists their current governors and links to individual websites (where they exist.) Many of those who have held Society leadership positions began their service as officers of companies where they developed bonds and skills that have benefitted the national organization.
The companies are organized into eight regions, each of whose purpose is to serve as means to provide assistance to the Companies, and facilitate communications between them and the Society. Each region is overseen by a Regional Coordinator, who collectively comprise a Regional Company Coordinators Committee with a Regional Chair, who is appointed by the Governor.
Society members may also choose to associate with both companies in their local geographic area and others and continue as members by participation in all companies’ events and activities. This local presence encourages socialization and association among Society members who cannot attend the Society’s principal meetings and major events. Company affiliation also enables them to unite with other local members to honor their ancestors and, locally advance the Society’s purposes.
The establishment of the companies of the Jamestowne Society was first mentioned in the minutes of the membership meeting on May 16, 1958. The Chairman of the Membership Committee, Mrs. F. Kirk Perrow, Sr., reported on the efforts to establish Companies in the District of Columbia and in the states of Tennessee and California. The provisions for the organization of state companies were then approved by the membership. The first companies were authorized in 1959 and 1960; their number had increased to 26 by 2006 and 52 in 2023. Each has been chartered to help further the Society’s major educational, historical, patriotic, and charitable purposes.
The expansive nation-wide growth of the companies led the Society in 2013 to delineate and establish geographic areas within which each company could operate exclusively without overlapping on others’ activities. In addition, recognizing that the growth created a need for better communications between the Society and the companies, Governor Zillion appointed nine (now eight) Regional Directors as a committee to assist a new Regional Coordinator, which replaced the Companies Committee and its Chair. The Regional Company Directors serve to enhance communication and cooperation with and among the Society and local companies. The Governor appoints the Regional Coordinator to facilitate these communications.
The Society’s past and present Companies Regional Coordinator (formerly Committee Chair) have included:

1. Hershel Hancock Helm (Companies Committee Chair (date?)
2. John Randolph Marshall (Companies Committee Chair (date?)
3. DeEtte Dupree Nesbitt (Companies Committee Chair (date?)
4. Carolyn Kendrick Farmer (Companies Committee Chair (date?)
5. Anne Stokes Moore (Companies Regional Coordinator Chair, (2013-16)

Jane Cralle Congdon (Companies Regional Coordinator Chair, 2016-19)

1. Pamela Henry Pate (Companies Regional Coordinator Chair, 2019-2023)

The procedures for organizing and chartering new companies are found in the bylaws and Policies and Procedures Manual. New companies can be formed by being proposed by Society members who request to organize in their local area and in coordination with the Regional Area Company Director and the Society’s Executive Director. After the organizers complete and submit all required documents and procedures to the Council, it can approve and present a charter to them. Each company has its own bylaws, officers, meetings, and programs.
Companies engage with the Society through the Regional Directors and at its semi-annual meetings. News and articles about Company activities are published in Jamestowne Society Magazine. Companies also communicate through e-mail, websites, newsletters, and Facebook pages.
Companies engage member interest by sponsoring presentations on historical topics (e.g., relevant to Jamestown) by local college and university staff, Jamestown Rediscovery staff, and Jamestown Society staff; scheduling meetings at and bus tours of historical sites; holding joint meetings with other lineage groups; inviting re-enactors to portray historical persons; and
ensuring frequent communication through e-mail, newsletters, and Facebook pages. Examples of significant company meeting programs have included the following:

1. Executive Director Bonnie Hofmeyer had presented programs to 22 companies by 2023.
2. Dr. James Horn, President of Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation, has discussed his books and the relationship between Historic Jamestown and the Society.
3. Merry Outlaw, Senior Curator of Jamestown Rediscovery, has addressed the discovery and meaning of many Jamestown colonial artifacts.
4. Edward Beardsley, a professor of history at the University of South Carolina, dressed in costume to interpret Benjamin Franklin.
5. Dr. Peter Cooper Mancall of the University of Southern California spoke on various topics at several meetings of First California Company and at the Society’s Annual Meeting on November 5, 2022.
6. Dr. Robert Exidis, a professor of Composition and American Literature at a local community college, who presented “The Berkeley Plantation & Early Virginia Industries,” centered on Virginia's cultivation of tobacco that became popular and in much demand in England and the rest of Europe.
7. Lloyd Dewitt Bockstruck, a nationally recognized genealogist.
8. Colonel Thomas Lygon of Virginia was brought to life by Michael S. Bell, a living historian from Richmond, Virginia.
9. David Givens, Director of Archeology, Jamestown Rediscovery, has presented an overview of current projects at the Jamestown site for both companies and the Society.
10. Meetings held at historic sites such as: Henricus Historical Park in Chesterfield County, Virginia, and “Menoken”, near Warsaw, Virginia, the plantation of Francis Lightfoot Lee, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence.
11. Bus tours to historic sites in Charles City and New Kent County such as Belle Air Plantation House, the only authentic example of a 17th century frame dwelling in Virginia with original framework intact; Foster's Castle, a Tudor-Stuart structure; South Garden Plantation, an 18th century house being renovated while housing an extensive art and antique collection; and St. Peter's Parish Church, the oldest parish church in the Diocese of Virginia.

Companies by Chronological Formation1959–1979
The first company to be chartered was the Washington/Northern Virginia Company. An organizing meeting was held on April 5, 1959, at the home of Mrs. Royce Powell. At the Society’s Annual meeting on November 14, 1959, the Company Governor reported that they were incorporated with a total of 38 members.
Tennessee Company chartered in 1960 in Memphis, Tennessee, with 14 members. They held their organizing-installation meeting on January 19, 1960, at the home of Mrs. Berry Boswell Brook, who served as Organizing Governor.
Louisiana Company was organized under the leadership of Mrs. Sidney T. Frank who served as its organizing and chartering Governor. Mrs. Joseph V. Schlosser served as Governor in 1977-1978. It was re-chartered in November 1996 as the First Louisiana Company, Cyril B. Burck, Jr., Organizing Governor.
Formation of the California Company was the outgrowth of efforts by Colonel Benjamin Casey Allin, III who died a few days prior to its initial meeting in 1960. Mrs. Albert Clarence Ellis presided at the first meeting and was elected Governor. By 1981, the California Company had been inactive for years. The First California Company was re-organized and re-chartered in May 1999 with Mrs. Martha Pace Gresham as Organizing and Chartering Governor.
1980–1989Members in Kentucky petitioned to organize in May 1980 and were chartered on November 15, 1980, as the Kentucky Company. Frank M. Long, Jr. served as the                                           Organizing and Chartering Governor.
First Texas Company held its organizational meeting on November 14, 1981, and was chartered on May 8, 1982, with Mrs. Elisabeth Bates-Nesbit as Organizing and Chartering Governor.
Georgia No. 1 Company was organized January 16, 1982 and chartered on March 1, 1982, with Varney A. Graves, Sr. as Organizing and Chartering Governor. He resigned due to health problems and Lieutenant Governor C. P. Cosby became Governor. Georgia No. 1 petitioned the Council in November 1989 to be renamed as the First Georgia Company.
San Antonio Company was organized and chartered by Mrs. Lela (Milton H.) Baughn, Jr., in San Antonio, Texas. The organizing meeting was held on October 2, 1982. The Company was chartered on May 8, 1982.
Jacksonville Company (Florida) was organized and chartered on November 12, 1983, by Chartering Governor, Mrs. Harding Palmer.
Kansas-Missouri Company was chartered on November 30, 1984, with Mrs. Berry M. Smith as the Chartering Governor.
South Florida Company was organized and chartered on November 30, 1984, with Colonel O. D. Simpson as Organizing and Chartering Governor.
Princeton Company held its organizing meeting on December 8, 1984, when Herschel Helm presented the Company Charter to Albert S. Wilson, Jr., who was elected Organizing and Chartering Governor.
The organizing meeting of the Tulsa Company was on February 23, 1985. Mrs. Benjamin L. Curtius, Jr. was elected Governor. The Tulsa Company petitioned in November 1993 to be known formally as the Oklahoma Company.
West Texas Company held its organizing meeting in Midland, Texas, on June 1, 1985. Mrs. Elizabeth (Warren L.) Faller was elected the Organizing and Chartering Governor.
First North Carolina Company held its organizing meeting on December 6, 1986. Mrs. Gloria (Robert N.) Hendry was the Organizing and Chartering Governor.
Captain John Clay Company was chartered in November 1989 with Mrs. Norma T. Norton of Austin, Texas, as Organizing and Chartering Governor.
1990–1999
New York Company held its organizing meeting on May 13, 1991, and elected R. Jefferson Jinnett as Organizing Governor. The Company Charter was issued November 1991.
Little Rock Company was organized and chartered in November 1992 with George W. Browning, Jr., as Organizing and Chartering Governor.
Alabama Company was chartered on May 11, 1996, by Organizing and Chartering Governor Mrs. Mary Ross.
Michigan Company was organized and chartered in November 1997 by Organizing and Chartering Governor Charles K. Field.
Lone Star Company was organized on September 19, 1998. The Company, with 65 members, was presented its charter on November 14,1998. The Organizing and Chartering Governor was Thaddeus Alto Tatum, III, of Dallas, Texas.
James Citty Company was organized after a Bylaws revision permitted companies in the Richmond and Jamestown-Williamsburg area. It was chartered on May 8, 1999, with Mrs. Gaynelle Walker Richardson as Organizing and Chartering Governor.
2000–2009Virginia Piedmont Company was organized in February 2000 and chartered in May 2000. The Organizing and chartering Governor was Mary Leigh Deane Boisseau.
First Mississippi Company was organized in January 2001. Its charter was approved at the May 12, 2001, Council meeting. Kay Parrish Hudson was the Organizing and Chartering Governor.
First South Carolina Company, organized on March 31, 2001. Its charter was approved on May 12, 2001. Bonnie Richburg Haskins was Organizing and Chartering Governor.
Great Northwest Company, with membership from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Canada, was organized in September 2003. Its charter was approved by Council in November 2003. Ardyth Schaumburg was Organizing and Chartering Governor.
First Colorado Company was chartered on May 8, 2004. The Rev. Barry C. Howard, II was Organizing and Chartering Governor.
Shenandoah Valley Company was organized by Linda Betts Frazier and its charter approved by the Council in May 2005.
First Ohio Company was organized and chartered in May 2005 with Dr. Elizabeth Kennard, of Columbus, Ohio, as Organizing and Chartering Governor. John Marshall Gephart, Jr., grandson of Jamestowne Society founder, George Craghead Gregory, was elected Chartering Lt. Governor.
Roanoke-New River Valley Company was organized and chartered in May 2006 with Patty Arnold as Organizing and Chartering Governor. Immediate Past Society Governor, James J. Owen, was elected Chartering Lt. Governor.
Chesapeake Bay Company was organized and chartered in May 2006 with Mrs. Judith Conner as Organizing and Chartering Governor.
First Nevada-Arizona Company was organized on February 10, 2007. The Organizing and Chartering Governor, Martha Gordon, of Las Vegas, Nevada, received the Company charter on May 12, 2007.
Kentucky Trace Company received its charter from Governor Harrison Schroeder on November 9, 2008. The Organizing Governor was D.D. Cayce.
New England Company was chartered on May 17, 2008, with Charles C. Lucas, Jr.,
M.D. as Organizing and Chartering Governor.
Tennessee Valley Company was chartered on May 17, 2008, with Richard H. Knight, Jr. as Organizing and Chartering Governor.
Florida Gulf Coast Company was chartered in May, 2009.
2010–2019
On May 15, 2010, North Florida Company was chartered. The Organizing Governor was Monica D. Douglas.
Wilderness Road Company was chartered in May 2010.
Central Missouri Company, Columbia, Missouri, was chartered on May 12, 2012. Iola Jane Smith was Organizing Governor.
First Indiana Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, was chartered on May 12, 2012. Mr. Rick Gann was Organizing Governor.
Golden State Company, Santa Barbara, California, was chartered on May 12, 2012. Catherine Ellen Brothers Matrange was Organizing Governor.
Northern California Company received its charter at the Society’s November 2012 meeting. J. Michael Phelps was the organizing governor.
First Illinois Company was chartered on May 11, 2013.
Cape Canaveral Company was chartered on May 17, 2014. Jane Congdon was the Organizing Governor.
Central North Carolina Company was chartered on May 17, 2014. Thomas Leitch was the Organizing Governor.
First Arizona Company was chartered on May 17, 2014. Richard Burke was the Organizing Governor.
First Maryland Company on chartered on May 17, 2014. Jerry Zillion was the Organizing Governor.
Florida Panhandle Company was chartered on May 17, 2014. Barbara Watson was the Organizing Governor
Lake Erie Company was chartered on May 17, 2014. Janice O’Neil was the Organizing Governor.
First Landing Company, Virginia Beach, Virginia, was chartered on May 16, 2014. Thomas H. Goodrich was the Organizing Governor.
Lady Rebecca Staunton Company, Staunton, Virginia, was chartered on May 16, 2016. Elizabeth “Janie” Sherman was the Organizing Governor.
Lewis & Clark Company, St. Louis, Missouri, was chartered on May 16, 2016. John Graves was the Organizing Governor.
Susan Constant Company, Oxford, Mississippi, was chartered on May 16, 2016. Dr. Charles E. Moore, Sr. was the Organizing Governor.
Cape Fear Company was chartered on May 21, 2016.
Florida Gold Coast Company was chartered on May 21 2016.
Natchez-Trace Company was chartered on May 21, 2016.
Bay of Naples Company, Naples, Florida was chartered on May 20, 2017.
Companies by State
Alabama
Alabama Company (1996)
Arkansas
Little Rock Company (1992)
Arizona
First Arizona Company (2014)
California
First California Company (1999)
Golden State Company (2012)
Northern California Company (2012)
Colorado
First Colorado Company (2004)
Florida
Jacksonville Company (1983)
South Florida Company (1984)
Florida Gulf Coast Company (2009)
North Florida Company (2010)
Cape Canaveral Company (2014)
Florida Panhandle Company (2014)
Florida Gold Coast Company (2016)
Bay of Naples Company (2017)
Georgia
First Georgia Company (1989)
Illinois
First Illinois Company (2013)
Indiana
First Indiana Company (2012)
Kansas
Kansas-Missouri Company (1984)
Kentucky
Kentucky Company (1980)
Kentucky Trace Company (2008)
Wilderness Road Company (2010)
Louisiana
First Louisiana Company (1996)
Maryland
First Maryland Company (2014)
Michigan
Michigan Company (1997), disbanded.
Missouri
Central Missouri Company (2012)
Lewis & Clark Company (2016)
Mississippi
First Mississippi Company (2001)
Natchez-Trace Company (2016)
Susan Constant Company (2016)
New Jersey
Princeton Company (1984)
New York
New York Company (1991)
North Carolina
First North Carolina Company (1986)
Central North Carolina Company (2014)
Cape Fear Company (2016)
Nevada-Arizona
First Nevada-Arizona Company (2007), disbanded.
Ohio
First Ohio Company (2005), disbanded.
Lake Erie Company (2014)
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Company (1993)
South Carolina
First South Carolina Company (2001)
Tennessee
Tennessee Company (1960)
Tennessee Valley Company (2008)
Texas
First Texas Company (1982)
San Antonio Company (1982)
Lone Star Company (1998)
Captain John Clay Company (1989)
Virginia
James Citty Company (1999)
Virginia Piedmont Company (2000)
Shenandoah Valley Company (2005), disbanded.
Roanoke-New River Valley Company (2006)
Chesapeake Bay Company (2006)
First Landing Company (2014)
Lady Rebecca Staunton Company (2016)
Washington Great Northwest Company (2003)
​Companies by Region
Florida Region
Jacksonville Company (Florida (1983)
South Florida Company (1984)
Florida Gulf Coast Company (2009)
North Florida Company (2010)
Florida Panhandle Company (2012)
Cape Canaveral Company (2014)
Florida Gold Coast Company (2016)
Bay of Naples Company (2017)
Great Lakes Region
Michigan Company (1997), disbanded.
First Indiana Company (2012)
First Illinois Company (2013)
Lake Erie Company (2014)
Great Plains Region
Kansas-Missouri Company (1984)
Tulsa Central Missouri Company (2012)
Lewis & Clark Company (2016)
Mississippi Valley Region
Tennessee Company (1960)
Kentucky Company (1980)
First Mississippi Company (2001)
First Ohio Company (2005), disbanded.
Kentucky Trace Company (2008)
Tennessee Valley Company (2008)
Wilderness Road Company (2010)
Susan Constant Company (2015)
Natchez-Trace Company (2016)
New York/Northeastern Region
Princeton Company (1984)
New York Company (1991)
First Maryland Company (2014)
South Central Region
First Texas Company (1982)
San Antonio Company (1982)
West Texas Company (1985)
Captain John Clay Company (1989)
Little Rock Company (1992)
First Louisiana Company (1996)
Lone Star Company (1998)
First Nevada-Arizona Company (2007), disbanded.
First Arizona Company (2014), disbanded.
Southeastern Region
First North Carolina Company (1986)
First Georgia Company (1989)
Alabama Company (1996)
First South Carolina Company (2001)
Central North Carolina Company (2014)
Cape Fear Company (2016)
Virginia Region
Washington/Northern Virginia Company (1959)
James Citty Company (1999)
Virginia Piedmont Company (2000)
Shenandoah Valley Company (2005), disbanded.
Roanoke-New River Valley Company (2006)
Chesapeake Bay Company (2006)
First Landing Company (2014)
Lady Rebecca Staunton Company (2016)
Western Region
First California Company (1999)
Great Northwest Company (2003)
First Colorado Company (2004)
Golden State Company (2012) (disbanded)
​Northern California Company (2012)
Altogether, (number) companies have been chartered by the Society, of which 52 remain extant, as listed on its website. The criteria and procedures for terminating and disbanding a company are found in the bylaws. The reasons for a company’s failure have included the following:


Disbanded Companies
Michigan Company
First Nevada-Arizona Company
First Ohio Company
Shenandoah Valley Company