Who We Are
The Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants (CSMD) celebrated its 44th anniversary on September 13, 2024. It was established in 1980 when it became the first Mayflower Member Society of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants to be formed outside the United States. Article II of our Constitution sets out our Society’s objectives.
The formation of our Society was largely due to the efforts of our first Governor, Reverend James S. McGivern, SJ. CSMD received its Charter on September 13, 1980, with 29 charter members. The General Society of Mayflower Descendants was formed in 1897 and in addition to Canada, has Member Societies in every American state and the District of Columbia. In 2016, the Society of Mayflower Descendants in Europe was established.
In 2005, the Canadian Society celebrated its 25th anniversary with 60 members and friends on a three-day trip to Plymouth, Mass. During this trip we planted a tree with a memorial stone in the garden of the Mayflower Society House in Plymouth. The stone remembers our founder, Father James McGivern. The same year we published a beautiful hard cover account of our first 25 year history.
The Society Charter was presented by General Society of Mayflower Descendants Governor General, Frederick Low on October 18, 1980 and the first Annual Compact Meeting and Dinner was held on November 21, 1981.
Our current Governor is Bill Curry; past Governors of the Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants were:
| Name | Term |
|---|---|
| Rev. James S. McGivern, SJ | 1980 – 1982 |
| Col. Harry F. Pierce | 1982 – 1983 |
| Rev. Melvin V. Donald | 1983 – 1988 |
| Keith Bain | 1988 – 1991 |
| Leon S. Warmski | 1991 – 1994 |
| Robert Cruikshank | 1994 – 1997 |
| Paul Hill | 1997 – 2001 |
| Susan E. Roser | 2001 – 2003 |
| Joyce A. Cutler | 2003 – 2013 |
| George McNeillie | 2014 – 2019 |
| Bill Curry | 2019 – Present |