From the Helm - December 2020

The Australian Governor's update for Sept-Dec 2020

Congratulations

Congratulations to Shiloh N. (Nee Isham) Longbottom on the birth of her baby girl, Attia, on 24th November. Pictured below with her father Wilbur, Attia will be the 14th generation of Mayflower pilgrim Edward Fuller.

New members

Congratulations and welcome to our newest members this quarter (September to 10 December 2020):

• Philip H. Koether & Marc Curyer - Philip is a William Bradford descendant and has 12 other proven Mayflower lines. A licensed architect, Philip is a Life member from the New York Society and now a Dual NY-Australia member. He has also done extensive genealogical research and willing to assist our society in any way possible. Philip's husband Marc (originally from Adelaide, SA) has joined us too as an associate member.

• Lisa (Tarleton) Apfel - Lisa is a Richard Warren descendant who successfully researched and proved her lineage back in 2018. At this time there was no Australian Society so Lisa was advised to apply with the Massachusetts Society because that is where her forebears last resided before departing for Australia in 1876. On discovering the newly formed Australian Society, Lisa promptly transferred to us.

• Lorraine Annette (Van Patten) Link - Lorraine is Dual Member from Minnesota and a descendant of John Howland, as well as of Elizabeth Tilley, John Hurst Tilley and John Tilley. Lorraine is our GSMD representative 'Member at Large', taking this assignment over from Lisa H. Pennington.

• Graham L. and Vicki Andrews - Graham is a John Howland descendant and an Australian Third Fleet descendant. Graham was the first official applicant to be approved since our Charter. His wife Vicki has also joined us as an associate member. Graham is pictured below celebrating his 75th birthday in August 2020.

Business Directions

Zoom Annual General Meeting

Our very first Annual General Meeting was conducted via ZOOM on the 19 November. We're proud to say we had 20 members attending from both Australia and the USA. Congratulations to our four new Board of Assistants who were nominated and voted in unanimously. Our newly elected Officers for 2021 are:

• Governor - Keith C. Quimbach

• Deputy Governor - William R. Elliott

• Secretary - Connie Lynn Riley

• Assistant Secretary - Fiona Rae Lynton

• Treasurer - William R. Elliott

• Board of Assistants - BOA - Thomas H. Clynes, Jr; Steve E. Isham; Joan Elizabeth Hall Joans; Philip H. Koether

• Historian - Andrew Wells; Co-Historian - Kenneth Whittemore (California, USA)

• Elder - Steve Isham

• Web Manager - Keith D. Price; Co-Web Manager - Kimberly Florsheim (Texas, USA)

• Newsletter Editor - Sue Mclean

• Facebook (Social Media) Manager - Steve Isham

• Surgeon - Dr Naomi E. S. Mann, MD.
  

Australia's Zoom AGM in progress

New Member Benefit

Mayflower Society members can now search the online database of GSMD membership applications from 1620-1920 for free, thanks to a new GSMD member benefit. The database includes all applications to the General Society of Mayflower Descendants starting from their founding in 1897 for applicants born before January 1, 1920. It also contains some marriage and death records for dates well after 1920.

Find out more about this useful research resource at American Ancestors, the website of the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

Reaching Out

Thanksgiving (November 26th) was a great opportunity for Australian Mayflower members to celebrate the blessings of the past year with family, friends and associates. Genevieve and I had Thanksgiving dinner with First Fleet family members; Bill Elliott spoke at the Australian American Association dinner, and Jeanne and Colin Harrison had lunch with the Captain James Cook Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. See more photos in our photo gallery.

Bill Elliott speaking at the American Australian Association with Vice President, Terry Aronson.

Upcoming Birthdays

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to members who have birthdays coming up this summer - Scott Granger, Kylie Moore, Robert Granger & his great-grandson who has just joined the Junior Group.

Special birthday wishes to Robert, who will be 80 in January, and is our most 'senior' member!

The Australian Mayflower Society will also be celebrating its first birthday this summer - our first Year Anniversary is on Jan 26th - Australia Day.

Finally, wishing EVERYONE - all our Members and their families - A very merry

Christmas and a very prosperous new year and 2021.

Keep sailing along! Keith Quimbach, Governor

Please let us know if you would like to receive our email updates so we can add to our email listing and or our Private (members only) Facebook page.