How to Join The Jamestowne Society and The Northern California Company
How do you join the Jamestowne Society? We would be happy to have you contact us and we can provide you the basic information. Our emails are available elsewhere on this website; your best point of contact would be our Registrar, Robert “Larry” Wynne. In addition, our periodic member meetings afford prospective members excellent opportunities to get acquainted with the organization and individuals that share a kindred interest in Jamestown. We will welcome your attendance. Future meetings are listed on this website.
The Northern California Company also participates in various genealogical events throughout the region (both in person and “virtual” events), at which our members are available to answer your questions and help you learn more about the application process. Some libraries also have supplies of our brochure, which summarizes our application procedures, including California Genealogical Society & Library. The application procedures are also found on the national Society’s website.
Membership in the Jamestowne Society is normally by invitation. The process starts with a recommendation by a current Society member to our national headquarters in Virginia, requesting that an invitation be issued. If you do not know a Society member, please contact our This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., whose email address is on this website. You are not required to live in Northern California to join this Company, but it certainly helps!
An applicant for membership must document a line-of-descent from a qualifying Jamestown ancestor and present it to the Society’s registrar-genealogist. The application and documentation must use the Society’s software package and be completed within a year. Of course, if you have problems using the software package, we will try to help you learn how to use it.
Qualifying Ancestors
Our Society has confirmed over 1,500 names of individuals that are listed among its Index of Qualifying Ancestors. The following criteria are used to determine who may be included as a Qualifying Ancestor for purposes of membership in the Jamestowne Society. Specifically, your ancestor may qualify if he/she--
- was a stockholder in the London Company or the Virginia Company;
- owned land on Jamestown Island or lived on the Island prior to 1700 (owning land in a neighboring area or neighboring county does NOT of itself qualify an individual;
- was a resident in Virginia at the time of the 1624/25 Muster;
- served as Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Attorney General, Clerk of the General Court, Member of the Council or House of Burgesses prior to 1700;
- was an Anglican Church [Church of England] minister in Virginia prior to 1700; or,
- served as an Indian Interpreter in Virginia prior to 1700; these persons shall be conclusively presumed to have had their domiciles on Jamestown Island during their terms of office.
The names that appear on the Index are of those ancestors that have met those criteria and from whom descent has or can be proven. The Society does not perform research for individuals to add names to the Index, but additions are made from time to time if an applicant provides valid proof that an individual meets one of the above categories. Do not assume that because your ancestor’s name doesn’t appear on the index, that ancestor can never qualify. However, the genealogical research needed to establish such qualification and lineage must be performed by the party that is seeking them.
We want to underscore that a number of Qualifying Ancestors did not live in Virginia—they may have lived in England or elsewhere, but were shareholders in The London Company or The Virginia Company. Just because you don’t have an ancestor who lived at Jamestowne doesn’t mean you cant qualify for membership.
Membership in the Northern California Company
The Northern California Company is one of the Society’s 42 chapters, or “Companies.” Any member of the Jamestowne Society may join the Northern California Company by applying to our Governor, and including your residence address. When you join the Northern California Company, you can participate in our events and other special activities in Northern California. Prospective members of the Jamestowne Society may attend Northern California Company functions as a guest; simply let us know that you’d like to attend.
Helpful Tools
There are a number of sources of information on the national Society’s website: Jamestowne.org that may be helpful. The website includes an “Index of Qualifying Ancestors” whose connection to Jamestowne between 1607 and 1700 have already been verified and accepted by the Society’s genealogists. Also, the website features a “Lineage Paper Project” list that matches the names of Qualifying Ancestors with persons who lived in the 13 colonies during the Revolutionary War era, and whose descent from that Qualifying Ancestor already has been verified. If you know that you descend from someone whose name appears on the “Lineage Papers Project” list, you may be able to skip having to prove many generations in your line to a Qualifying Ancestor. Our Registrar can provide further guidance to you.
Finally, you might find this video useful. One of our members, Jonathan Dickey presented information about applying for membership and proving your Jamestowne lineage.
Family Lineage Papers
If you know that you are related to a Society member, living or dead, there may be a streamlined way of proving your lineage. You can make a written request for special “Family Lineage Papers,” which are previously approved applications that would link you to that member. To be of any benefit, the request must be specific to an individual who is known to be in a prospective member’s line, such as a grandparent. There is a small fee for the copying and mailing of these Family Lineage Papers, but they are a tremendous timesaver. Please send all requests to the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
