Nonprofit Information
Pilgrim Edward Doty Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Everything the Society does — genealogy, education, preservation, and fellowship — is carried out by volunteers and supported by member dues and donations.
Our Nonprofit Details
- Legal name
- Pilgrim Edward Doty Society
- Status
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
- Purpose
- Charitable and educational — preserving the history and genealogy of Edward Doty, a Mayflower passenger, and his descendants
- Founded
- October 1982, in Wilmington, Delaware, by Mary Lee Merrill
- Recognition
- Endorsed by the General Society of Mayflower Descendants as an officially recognized Mayflower family society
- Mailing address
- PO Box 10104, Prescott, AZ 86304
- Governance
- A volunteer Board of Trustees, serving under the Society’s Bylaws
What a Nonprofit Is
A nonprofit organization has no owners and pays no profit to anyone. Every dollar of dues, donations, and sales goes back into the mission — in our case, researching and preserving the Doty family story, publishing the Society newsletter, placing historical markers, and bringing descendants together.
The “501(c)(3)” in our status is the section of the tax code for charitable and educational organizations. It makes the Society tax-exempt, and donations to the Society are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. A nonprofit is overseen by its board, follows its bylaws, and exists for public benefit rather than private gain.
Who Our Members Are
Our members are typically descendants of Edward Doty — through the lines of his children Thomas, Samuel, Edward, Joseph, Isaac, Mary, Desire, Elizabeth, and John — together with spouses, family historians, and friends with an interest in Mayflower history. The Society counted 450 members across the United States in its 2022 membership statistics. Read more About Membership, or join the Society.
Run Entirely by Volunteers
Everyone who leads the Society is a volunteer. The Governor, the officers, and the Board of Trustees serve without pay, and members give their time to the newsletter, the family tree, events, and historical projects because they care about this family’s story.
How to Volunteer
Share Research
Add your line to the Society tree, or help verify the lines of others.
Share Your LineageWrite for the Newsletter
Family stories, research finds, and photos are welcome in the quarterly newsletter.
The NewsletterReady to help? Tell us how you would like to volunteer and we will point you to the right place.
Volunteer — Contact Us