The Society of Mayflower Descendants in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (SMDPA) was organized in 1896 by two Philadelphians, Francis Olcott Allen and Edward Clinton Lee, who were members of the New York Society. The charter was issued on 14 October 1896. Although its governing Board of Assistants has been based historically in the Greater Philadelphia area, the Society has two Colonies. The Susquehanna Colony is located in Central Pennsylvania in the greater Harrisburg area and the Western Colony is located in Western Pennsylvania in the greater Pittsburgh area. Members are invited to participate in the State and Colony levels or merely through our award-winning quarterly newsletter, The Pennsylvania Mayflower.

Each season of the year the Society holds a social event in the Greater Philadelphia area. In January we hold our Annual Meeting at one of the clubs and present our national “Katharine F. Little Distinguished Mayflower Scholarship Award” to a non-member.  A Spring "Tea" is held at one of the historic homes in May. The summer picnic is held in August. In the November we honor the memory of our Pilgrim ancestors and SMDPA members of whose passing we were advised during the past year at an historic church. The service is followed by a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at a nearby restaurant at which time we honor one of our own members with our “John Mortimer Hunt, Jr. Distinguished Pilgrim Award.” Our two Colonies which are located in the greater Harrisburg and Pittsburgh areas (the latter having absorbed the former Erie Colony) also schedule dinner meetings accompanied by educational programs for their members.

The Most Distinguished Pilgrim Award is bestowed upon Pennsylvania Society members for their exceptional service to the State Society.

The Katharine F. Little Distinguished Mayflower Scholarship Award is a national award given to those individuals who are not members of the State Society in recognition of their meritorious work in enhancing understanding of the Pilgrims and the Pilgrims’ contributions to American life.

Classroom Visits

In an effort to bring the true story of spirit, purity of purpose and steadfastness of will of the Mayflower ancestors to today’s youth, each spring the State Society completely funds classroom visits to elementary schools in the Commonwealth by museum instructors from the 1627 living history museum, Plimoth Plantation of Plymouth, Massachusetts. A number of schools have been selected for these visits in the Greater Erie, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh areas with approximately 15,000 third through sixth graders sharing in this experience in the past six years. Museum instructors in the persona of one of the 1627 residents of the Plymouth Colony visit the classes in authentic costume, speaking the 17th century dialect of the English shire from which they originated, and with the knowledge of only what has transpired up to 1627. Each teacher of the class to be visited determines whether the subject will be the trip over on the Mayflower or day to day life in the Plymouth Colony. High on the agenda of each program is a lesson in traditional English civility and the demonstration of proper respect to others.