"Any male person above the age of eighteen years of good moral character and reputation, shall be eligible to membership in the Society of Colonial Wars, provided he be lineally descended in the male or female line from an ancestor:
(1) Who served as a military or naval officer, or as a soldier, sailor, or marine, or as a privateersman, under authority of any of the Colonies which afterward formed the United Sates, or in the forces of Great Britain which participated with those of the said Colonies in any wars in which the said Colonies were engaged, or in which they enrolled men, during the period from the settlement of Jamestown, May 13, 1607, to the battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775; or
(2) Who held office in any of the Colonies between the dates above mentioned, as
(a) Director General, Vice-Director General, or member of the Council or legislative body in the Colony of the New Netherland;
(b) Governor, Lieutenant or Deputy Governor, Lord Proprietor, member of the King's or Governor's Council, or of the legislative body in the Colony of New York, the Jerseys, Virginia, Pennsylvania, or Delaware;
(c) Lord Proprietor, Governor, deputy Governor or member of the Council, or of the legislative body, in Maryland, the Carolinas, or Georgia;
(d) Governor, Deputy Governor, Governor's Assistant, or Commissioner to the United Colonies of New England, or member of the Council, body of Assistants, or legislative body, in any of the New England Colonies.
(e) A Justice, Judge, Justice of the Peace, or other judicial officer.
No State Society shall adopt any rule of eligibility for membership other than that prescribed in this Article.
Membership in the Society shall not be held completed until the application papers relating thereto have been approved by the Registrar General."
Membership is by invitation only. Normally an applicant will seek membership in the State of his residence, but there is no prohibition against joining another State Society. An application form will be issued by the State Registrar. It must be completed by computer and emailed to the Registrar and two sets of documentation mailed to the State Registrar. Once the application and documentation are accepted by the Registrar, the applicant will be asked to sign the final application and submit it and the required fees to the Registrar for processing.
The final application must have the endorsement of two members of the State Society as sponsors of the applicant. The Secretary, Registrar or other members of the Society can assist you with the sponsoring process. Information as to dues and application fees may be obtained from the State Registrar.
An applicant may not enter the Society under more than one qualifying ancestor, but a qualifying ancestor may be used for admission by any number of descendants.
After election to membership the Society welcomes supplemental claims of descent.
For more information on membership e-mail Thomas F. Fitzgerald, Registrar