Lineage Societies I am Eligible for

Genealogy as a hobby and passion has come a long way from its early roots, first as a passion of the aristocracy to document their blue blood, and then as a snobbish hobby in old America, where some would use it to show their superiority: that they had not come from immigrants, but from the earliest settlers. Through intermarriage, our genealogies have become so mixed that vast numbers of us can claim descent from both groups. For example, I descend from some of the earliest settlers of the Old South and of New England (the "city upon the hill" of Governor Winthrop), but I also descend from a clutch of more recent Dutch immigrants to West Michigan and Chicago in the 1800s. 

However, modern-day Genealogists of course have many motives for their research. Originally mine was to establish my European roots when I was obsessed with the continent, but a multitude of others, have a goal of proving their descent from some august figure, so they can join a lineage society. Many such groups exist, requiring the applicant to prove descent from a specific ancestor, or an ancestor involved in a specific historical event, in order to join. While reading over a list of lineage societies, I have discovered that I am eligible to join a great number of them, proving the vast amount of intermarriage through the centuries. This of course does not count groups I want to join, but haven't able to prove my eligibility for yet. This is of course a reference to my long running dream of finding a Mayflower or Huguenot ancestor, or one of the early Dutch settlers of New York, one of the New Swedes, or maybe even a specific person, such as Governor Thomas Dudley or Governor John Winthrop. In the interest of demonstrating the many different things I have found in my heritage, I have drawn up a list of some of the many lineage societies I am eligible to join. 

One note before I begin: some of these societies, while I do have the heritage necessary to join, are limited in membership, or are by invitation only. So I am technically not eligible to join some of these societies. There are also a great number of seemingly duplicate societies, with the same membership requirements as another. In those cases I will only be including one or two specific examples of that type of society. 

Enjoy!

• American Descendants of the House of Burgesses 1619-1699: Possibly eligible through the Reverend Robert Bracewell, who was briefly a member of the House of Burgesses before being asked to leave due to the separation of powers, since he was a Cleric. 
• Baronial Order of Magna Charta: Through my gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt of Jamestown, Virginia, I am eligible to join- Wyatt had documented descents from multiple Sureties of the Magna Carta. 
• Chicago Genealogical Society: Eligible for Ancestor Certificates as a descendant of early residents of Chicago, in two categories: Pioneer, through Hendrik Otte, who settled in Chicago in 1856, and Rebuilder, through Jan Peter Huyser, who settled in Chicago in the late 1880s. 
• Colonial Order of the Acorn: One of the more restrictive lineage societies, which requires a person to have a patrilineal descent from a resident of one of the thirteen original Colonies of the United States before 1776. My patrilineal immigrant ancestor, Michael Sadler of Germany, immigrated in 1751 to the Colony of Pennsylvania, and resided there, making him an eligible ancestor. 
• Descendants of Fossors: Possibly eligible through Clifton Bowen Jr. and Sr., who both served on the Coroners Inquest to the death of John Register in 1763 in Duplin County, North Carolina. 
• Descendants of Founders of New Jersey: Possibly eligible through Samuel Bowen, who between February 12, 1701 and December 30, 1703, came from Swansea, Massachusetts with his family to New Jersey to join the Baptist Meeting of Reverend Timothy Brooks. Supposedly, the family came to New Jersey prior to February 24, 1702, which would make him a qualifying ancestor for admission, however, more research is needed. 
• Descendants of Sheriffs and Constables of Colonial and Antebellum America: Eligible through Colonel Thomas Avent, a 1700s Colonial English immigrant who served as Sheriff of Sussex County, Virginia. He was holding this position at least by 1728, when Governor William Gooch called him in to investigate some troubles involving local Indian Tribes. 
• Descendants of the Illegitimate Sons & Daughters of the Kings of Britain: My gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt, has several descents from illegitimate children of British Kings. These include Robert de Caen, 1st Earl of Gloucester (illegitimate son of King Henry I of England); Matilda FitzRoy, Duchess of Brittany (illegitimate daughter of King Henry I of England); William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury (illegitimate son of King Henry II of England); Richard FitzRoy (illegitimate son of King John of England); Joan, Lady of Wales (illegitimate daughter of King John of England), and Isabella Mac William (illegitimate daughter of William the Lion, King of Scots), among others. 
• Edmund Rice (1638) Association: Eligible as a descendant of Deacon Edmund Rice. 
• First Families of Georgia 1733-1797: Eligible through Joshua Stafford, a Revolutionary War Veteran from North Carolina who settled in Georgia before his death. Proof of his residence in Georgia before 1797 comes from his 1794 marriage in Screven County, as well as the land surveyed in that county for him, also in 1794. 
• First Families of Pennsylvania: Eligible for all three categories: Colony and Commonwealth (through Johan Michael Grauel, Hans Michael Krieger, and Michael Sadler Sr.), Keystone and Cornerstone (Catherine Wise), and Pennsylvania Proud (Abraham Wise). 
• First Families of Wythe County: Eligible through Michael Creger of Elk Pond, who seemingly settled in Wythe County before 1799, when he appears on the county land tax records. 
• Flagon and Trencher: Eligible through Marshal Jonathan Gilbert of Hartford, Connecticut; who kept an inn at Hartford until his death. His widow, Mary, and his son, Samuel succeeded him as innkeepers there, and are thus also eligible ancestors of mine for admission. 
• General Society of Colonial Wars: Eligible through Thomas Stanton and James Rogers, who both fought in the Pequot War, and possibly through Ensign John Divoll, who was killed defending a garrison house in an Indian attack during King Philip's War. 
• General Society of the War of 1812: Eligible through Marmaduke Hart, who served six weeks as a draftee in the South Carolina Militia during the war. 
• Hereditary Order of the First Families of Massachusetts: Eligible through multiple ancestors, but one specific ancestor is Deacon Edmund Rice, who settled in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1638.
• Hereditary Society of Teachers: Eligible through my mother, who was educated as a substitute teacher. She would be categorized as an ancestor who taught in the 20th century, and thus represented by an open book. 
• Jamestowne Society: Eligible through several ancestors, including the Reverend Hawte Wyatt, who was a Minister of Jamestowne, the Reverend Robert Braswell, Alexander Mountney, and Hannah Boyle (Mountney's wife).
• Military Order of Agincourt: Eligible through at least six ancestors: Sir John Tyrrell, later Speaker of the House of Commons; Hamon Belknap; Sir Thomas Hoo; William Gulby; Sir Richard Waller, who supposedly captured the Duke of Orleans at the battle; and John Pympe. 
• Military Order of the Crusades: Eligible through a great many ancestors, a few of note include the French Crusader King Saint Louis IX, Count Stephen of Blois, and Count Hugh of Vermandois. 
• Military Order of the Purple Heart: Eligible as a hereditary member through my great-grandfather, John Washington Winn Jr., who was awarded the Purple Heart during World War II. 
• Military Order of the World Wars: Eligible as a hereditary member through my paternal grandfather, Luther Allen Saddler Jr., and my great-grandfather, John Washington Winn Jr., who both served in World War II. 
• National Guild of Saint Margaret of Scotland: Eligible as a descendant of Saint Margaret through my gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt. 
• National Society Descendants of American Farmers: The vast majority of my ancestors between 1776 and 1914 lived on farms, so I am eligible for membership in this society many times over. 
• National Society of Saints and Sinners: Eligible through several ancestors, a few specific ones are Bishop Arnulf of Metz, King David I of Scotland, King Fernando III of Castile and Leon, Duchess Ludmila of Bohemia, King Olaf II of Norway, and Grand Prince Vladimir I of Kiev.
• National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution: Eligible through my many Patriot ancestors, a few specific ones are Elijah Bowen, James Bullard, Michael Sadler Sr., and Jasper Saxton. 
• National Society Sons and Daughters of the Pilgrims: Eligible through many ancestors, a few of note are Deacon Edmund Rice, Thomas Gilbert, and Deacon Samuel Wright. 
• National Society Sons of Colonial New England: Eligible through many ancestors, as my 3rd great grandmother, born in 1853, was entirely of Colonial New England descent.
• Order of Alba: Eligible through my gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt, who had a descent from the Scottish royal house. 
• Order of Descendants of Ancient Planters: Eligible through Alexander Mountney, an Ancient Planter. 
• Order of Descendants of the Justiciars: Eligible through many different Justiciars, including Richard "Strongbow" de Clare, Earl Richard "Copped Hat" Fitz Alan of Arundel, and Earl Saer de Quincy of Winchester.
• Order of First Families of Connecticut: Eligible through several ancestors, including Jonathan Gilbert, James Rogers, Thomas Stanton, and Andrew Warner. 
• Order of First Families of North Carolina: Eligible through John Browne, an Indian trader who died before April 7, 1713 in Chowan Precinct, North Carolina. 
• Order of the Crown of Charlemagne in the United States of America: Eligible as a descendant of the Emperor Charlemagne through my gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt. 
• Order of the First Families of Maryland: Eligible through William Crump, who was living in Talbot County, Maryland in 1671 and appears to have remained there until his death around 1695.
• Order of the Founders of North America 1492-1692: Eligible through my mother's many 1630s Puritan immigrant ancestors to New England. 
• Order of the House of Wessex: Eligible through my gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt, who was descended from the House of Wessex through Saint Margaret of Scotland (earlier mentioned).
• Order of the Kings and Queens in the Holy Lands: Eligible through several ancestors, including King John of Jerusalem (John of Brienne) and Prince Raynald of Antioch (Raynald of Châtillon).
• Order of the Monarchs of Rheims: Eligible through my gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt, who descended from the House of Capet, of which many Monarchs were crowned at Rheims. 
• Order of the Norman Conquest: Eligible through my gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt, who descended from William the Conqueror as well as several of his companions at the Battle of Hastings. 
• Order of Three Crusades 1096-1192: Eligible through several ancestors, including Count Stephen of Blois (First Crusade), King Louis VII of France (Second Crusade), and Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (Third Crusade).
• Plymouth Hereditary Society: Eligible through Richard Bowen, who settled in Rehoboth, Plymouth Colony. 
• Presidential Families of America: Eligible through many different connections, but one in particular is Deacon Edmund Rice, who is a common ancestor of me and President Calvin Coolidge. 
• Society of Descendants of Knights of the Most Noble Order of the Garter: Eligible through many ancestors, including Earl William de Bohun of Northampton and Sir Richard Guildford.
• Society of Descendants of Ireland: Eligible as a Royal Life Member through descent from High King Brian Boru, King Diarmait Mac Murchada of Leinster, and several other Irish Kings. 
• Society of Descendants of Lady Godiva: Eligible through my gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt, who was a descendant of Lady Godiva. 
• Society of Descendants of Scotland: Eligible through my gateway ancestor, the Reverend Hawte Wyatt, who descended from several Scottish Kings, including Kenneth MacAlpin and King Saint David I. 
• Society of Descendants of the Conquest: Eligible as a descendant of the Conqueror and of multiple companions. 
• Society of Descendants of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem: Eligible through John of Brienne, King of Jerusalem. 
• Society of the Descendants of the Colonial Clergy: Eligible through the Reverend Robert Braswell and the Reverend Hawte Wyatt. 
• Society of the Descendants of the Founders of Hartford: Eligible through three Hartford founders: Thomas Lord, Thomas Stanton, and Andrew Warner. 
• Society of the Order of the Southern Cross: Eligible through a few ancestors, including James F. Benton, Noah Gideon Pittman, and Joseph Franklin Winn Sr. 
• Sons and Daughters of the Colonial and Antebellum Bench and Bar 1565-1861: Eligible through Ezekiel Stafford, who served as a Justice of the Peace in Montgomery County, Georgia 1799-1801 and Tattnall County, Georgia 1823-1827. 
• Sons and Daughters of Virginia Founding Fathers: Eligible through the Reverend Robert Braswell, Alexander Mountney, and others. 
• Sons of Confederate Veterans: Eligible through several ancestors, including Bartholomew K. Bragg and William J. Humphreys. 
• Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War: Eligible through my three Union ancestors: Jan François Joseph Frederik Goossen, Roelof Strick, and John Harter Wise. 
• Thomas Stanton Society: Eligible as a descendant of Thomas Stanton. 
• United States Cavalry Association: Eligible as a Heritage Trooper through Roelof Strick, who served in the 9th Michigan Cavalry Regiment during the American Civil War.