TO ALL PROSPECTIVE CERTIFIED MEMBERS:
I am delighted that you are interested in joining the Society of the Descendants of Robert Bartlett of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Before you begin, however, you need to know that joining The Bartlett Society as a Certified Member requires some effort on your part.
We are a hereditary society and applicants must file lineage forms and acceptable documentation substantiating their descent from Robert and Mary (Warren) Bartlett. As Historian, I have the responsibility to determine what is necessary to substantiate each lineage.
Is this going to be too much trouble, you ask. Most applicants survive the process just fine, but you must be prepared for the expense of obtaining copies of birth, marriage, and death records or other primary documentation. You may even need the assistance of a professional genealogist.
Please don’t let this discourage you. When we receive your application, we use the information from your Synopsis Form to begin filling in your lineage papers based on information already in our files. We can often fill in the first six or seven generations, which will save you a lot of time and effort. Then we send the papers to you, along with instructions and information to help you complete them.
Your lineage will be examined on its own merits based on the evidence. The fact that any lineage or partial lineage has previously been filed with The Bartlett Society does not exempt new applications from this examination. Many older Bartlett Society lineages (as well as older papers filed with the Mayflower Society) do not contain appropriate documentation by today’s standards. You will be responsible for supplying copies of all pertinent documentation that I may require. I only require what is necessary, I promise!
So, are you ready for a meaningful and fun experience? I look forward to working with you and to approving your Bartlett lineage.
Jay (James W.) Lucas
Historian
