Society Saturday- Colonial New Hampshire Stories Your GrandmotherDidn't Tell You

The Order of the First Families of Maine and the Order of the First Families of New Hampshire held a joint tea for their business meetings.

Member Sumner Hunnewell regaled us with interesting tales from Colonial New Hampshire.

- He told us of the Great Carbuncle, a legendary precious stone hidden somewhere in Mount Washington.  It is guarded by an Indian curse, and has not been found to this day.

- He spoke of the Dover massacre during King William's War.  The female Indians would shelter inside the fort at night.  One night, they acted like the Trojan horse and let the warriors in, who massacred many of the colonists.

- one colonist, Samuel Stone, was shot 9 times, and hatchetted twice, but lived to tell about it.

- there was a naval battle between a New York colonial ship and a Massachusetts colonial ship.

- and of course, the story of Lithobolia, or the stone throwing devil of Great Island.  This is a famous story of witchcraft, a land dispute, a disliked government official, and family strife.

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www.homestead.com/offnh 

Society Saturday - First Families of Maine and New Hampshire

On Tuesday of Lineage Week, there is a joint meeting and tea for the Order of the First Families of Maine and the Order of the First Families of New Hampshire.  These two organizations have met jointly for four years and it works well.  There is a lot of overlap in membership.

The Order of the First Families of Maine conducted their business first.  Membership is open to men and women who can trace their ancestors to Maine prior to 1652. Their prime objective is to support historical projects in Maine and it was agreed again to support the Maine Historical Society.

The Order of the First Families of New Hamsphire offers membership to men and women who can trace their ancestry to that state prior to 1680.  It was exciting to see the Order's Flag presented.  This was a dream of Founder Shari Worrell, and it took nearly 3 years to raise money and find a company to make a suitable flag.

Historian Margie Knight told of the origin of the Order's seal which is depicted on the flag.

http://offme.homestead.com/

http://offnh.homestead.com/

Society Saturday - First Families of Maine and New Hampshire

On Tuesday of Lineage Week, two societies meet jointly for a tea.  They are the Order of the First Families of Maine (OFFME) and the Order of the First Families of New Hampshire (OFFNH).

OFFME was founded in 2003 to honor the memory of ancestors who settled in, owned land, or conducted business in what is now present-day Maine prior to 1652. 

Similarly, OFFNH was founded in 2009 to honor the memory of ancestors who settled in, owned land, or conducted business in what is now present-day New Hampshire prior to 1680.

There is an overlap of membership between the two organizations, and similar missions.  Both organizations donate to historical charities in Maine and New Hampshire, respectively.  Because of this, they have a joint meeting every April.

OFFNH Governor General, Marlene Wilkinson called the joint meeting to order.  After their business was concluded, OFFME President General Kimberly Nagy presided over the OFFME business meeting. 

This was an election year for OFFME, and the new slate of officers was installed.  New OFFME President General Timothy Finton was installed, and the members enjoyed refreshments and fellowship.

www.homestead.com/offme

www.homestead.com/offnh



Lineage Week is Coming!

Every year, members of many national lineage groups meet in Washington DC for Lineage Week.  It is actually 11 or so days of meetings, including breakfasts, luncheons, teas and banquets.  We meet many of our dear friends from across the US (and Canada) and talk about all the wonderful things the various societies do over the year.  And, we start planning for the next year.  My schedule is fairly non-stop from when I arrive Monday afternoon until I leave Sunday morning.  This year, I will be attending events for:

• Women Descendants of Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company (banquet) 
• National Society Children of the American Colonists (breakfast)
• National Society Daughters of the American Colonists (meeting and banquet)
• Order of the First Families of New Hampshire (tea)
• Order of the First Families of Maine (tea)
• National Society Daughters of Founders and Patriots (meeting, luncheons and banquet)
• Descendants of Sheriffs and Constables (tea)
• National Society Children of the American Revolution (meetings)
• Guild of Colonial Artisans and Tradesmen (tea)
• National Society New England Women (breakfast)
• Sons and Daughters of Colonial and Antebellum Bench and Bar (banquet)
• Sons and Daughters of Antebellum Planters (banquet)
• Associated Daughters of Early American Witches (breakfast)
• Descendants of Colonial Clergy (banquet)

Luckily, some of these are joint meetings, but I will still be eating all week!  And this is only about half of all lineage groups that meet - many overlap and we have to pick and choose which ones to attend.  I am a member of all the groups listed above and an officer or chairman of most of them, so those are the ones I attend.
I will try to update the blog during the week with all of our festivities.