In the last couple of months, I have received applications from several people who did not follow our instructions on how to put an application together. This has meant lots more work for me to reorganize, photocopy and search online for better copies of documents. Please read these instructions carefully before you send in any documentation!
A couple of issues ago, I pointed all of you to the articles written by Alicia Crane Williams on AmericanAncestors.org. In one article, she recommended that you code your documents by generation and event. I can appreciate her thinking, but I would prefer that you do not attempt to code anything. It takes me longer to proof and correct what you might use as codes than it would be for me to do it all myself.
Completed worksheets and documentation should only be sent to the Historian (Ann). No documents or fees should ever be sent to the Assistant Historian (David).
You only need one copy of your completed worksheet. It must be signed. If you made corrections to the one that was sent to you on your computer, please highlight them so those same changes get made on your finished application. I tend to work from the documentation so if there is something you want me to see, make sure you highlight it!
If you hand-write your worksheet, please make sure it is legible.
When you record sources on the worksheet, abbreviate so I know which document you mean – you do not need a full citation as we will be sending the documents themselves to the Historian General in Plymouth.
If the information you want us to use is difficult to find on the document, please use a post it note to point out the relevant data. If I can’t find it, I can’t use it. This is critical on old, hand-written documents that may be hard to decipher.
Submit 2 copies of each piece of documentation (keep the originals in your own files). One copy will be sent to Plymouth and the second remain in the files of the Ohio Society until your file is put into storage at the Ohio Genealogical Society library. At that time, per your request on your preliminary application, the documents on the living will be returned to you, shredded or the critical details redacted.
All the documents you submit will be scanned, so do not staple pages together. All documents should be letter or legal sized and single sided. Any document or photograph smaller than 8 ½ x 11 must be either photocopied on a letter sized piece of paper, or securely taped to one.
Do not write on the front of your proofs; if needed, make any notes on post-it notes or other notes attached with paper clips. No highlighters please! You do not need post-its on birth, marriage or death certificates.
Note the generation number on the back of the documents in pencil.
Do not enclose any documents in plastic sheet protectors, file folders or binders.
Do not submit duplicates of documents if they support more than one generation – keep all pages of the document together and make a note on the back in pencil indicating the relevant generations.
All documents must be legible – if we can’t read it, you can’t use it.
Please do sort your documents by generation with your own generation at the top - you should have 2 complete packets of proofs. Keep each packet together with a clip or rubber band or put them in an envelope.
If you have a copy of a previous Mayflower Society application that parallels your line, please include one copy with your packet.
Do not include any documents that you have not referenced.
Do not include any documents for your children. We don’t need them until they are over 18 and ready to apply for full membership.
If several members of your family are applying at the same time, you can send all the documentation together. If this is a new line for the Society, one application will be sent to Plymouth to open the line, and then the other family members can be sent after the first line has been approved.
No comments:
Post a Comment