Where the First Colonists Lie: Early American Burials in Jamestowne and Plimoth
We’re thrilled to announce that our Fall 2026 newsletter is published and this year’s Compact Day Luncheon will feature a presentation by Bonnie Wade Mucia.
Title: Where the First Colonists Lie: Early American Burials in Jamestowne and Plimoth
Explore the earliest English burials at Jamestowne and Plimoth Colony through archaeology, material culture, written records, and modern DNA analysis. Discover how survival-era burials, cultural influences, and recent identification projects connect these first colonists to their living descendants and illuminate the legacy they left behind.
Bonnie Wade Mucia, AG®, AGL™, is an Accredited Genealogist® and Accredited Genealogist Lecturer™ specializing in New England research. She is the owner of Keeper of the Past Genealogy, LLC, with a particular interest in colonial New England research.
Bonnie spent six years contributing to the General Society of Mayflower Descendants' Silver Books Project, documenting descendants of the Mayflower passengers and many other rolls within the society. She has presented lectures on Mayflower research, colonial New England records, and genealogical methodology at national and regional conferences, including RootsTech, the National Genealogical Society Family History Conference, and the New England Regional Genealogical Consortium conference.
Her work has appeared in numerous respected genealogical journals, and she writes the Keeper of the Past blog. In addition to her professional work, Bonnie volunteers as a docent at Beaufort National Cemetery and the Parris Island Museum at the U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot. Originally from Rhode Island, she now lives in South Carolina.
We warmly invite you to join us for this unique and memorable presentation—Saturday, November 21, 2026
Traditionally we hold two statewide luncheon meetings each year. Our Spring Meeting is held on the first Saturday in May, and our “Compact Day” meeting is held the Saturday before Thanksgiving each November.
Registration Deadline: Friday, November 14, 2026
NOTE - MEMBERS NEED TO LOG IN TO REGISTER
The Compact Day meetings have been held in recent years at the Commonwealth Club in Richmond, whereas our Spring meeting is usually held elsewhere in the state, such as Williamsburg, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Natural Bridge, Strasburg, and Norfolk. From time to time our members also hold regional meetings and outings.
The varied programs at our meetings are designed to help educate and remind our members about “The Pilgrim Example,” to recall the sacrifices and struggles of our ancestors who succeeded in laying the foundation for the American freedoms we all cherish. To quote from our “Pilgrim Pledge,” we study our Pilgrim ancestors’ lives, deeds, faith, courage and character, and draw inspiration therefrom.
Here is the Pilgrim Pledge that all our "cousins" read in unison at the start of each of our luncheon meetings:
