So this process has taken a lot longer than I thought and most of it...so far.... has been my fault.
When I submitted my ancestry documentation to my local Mayflower Society chapter here in Florida they identified a few death certificates I was missing. I had the obituaries, but I didn't have the death certificates. I got the first one right away, but the last one proved more difficult to get and I finally got the last document last week and provided it the Mayflower Society librarian.
I will give my local chapter credit. They don't want to waste my time or the Plymouth office's time to review an application which is missing things or would obviously be rejected.
After I provided all my documentation, my local chapter historian took a hard look at all the info I had provided to determine if there was anything that would cause an issue in the review and approval process.
She has one major concern connecting my 2nd Great-Grandfather, James Henry Fuller to his parents David Fuller and Mary Cary Fuller. James H. Fuller was born in Windsor or Horton, Nova Scotia on September 12, 1827. However, there is no birth record that I can find (not many records from Nova Scotia from that period) and his death certificate doesn't reference the name of his parents. Also, in James multiple marriages....his parents names are never referenced on the marriage records.
When James H. Fuller originally moved to Portland, Maine from Nova Scotia he lived with his parents, David and Mary. In the 1850 US Census is shows them living together along with their other children: Theodore, Andrew and Collingwood. However, in those old census records it doesn't state a family relationship. While it was likely that James was David and Mary's son...you couldn't be sure. He could be a nephew or cousin.
I was able to find death records for Collingwood which stated his parents were David Fuller and Mary Cary Fuller. Which is great. This still doesn't prove that James wasn't a cousin.
Lastly, I found James living with Collingwood and his family in the 1880 US Census which indicated that James was Collingwood's brother.
With any luck this last piece should end any concerns that Mayflower Society should have about the application.
So I submitted the final version in writing (into the mail) with all the documents, provided my payments for the final submission and review on August 12.
Now we will see what the results are, if they have any further questions and how long it will take.
Stay tuned....
