Lineage Society Membership Information

Information on lineage society membership opportunities available to interested descendants of Gilbert Belnap, Adaline Knight, and Henrietta McBride is available here:

Utah Pioneer Ancestry

“Qualifying direct-line ancestors” for membership in the Daughters of Utah Pioneers or Sons of Utah Pioneers for both male and female descendants of Gilbert Belnap include one or more of the following:

• Gilbert Belnap (1821-1899)
• Adaline Knight (1831-1919), wife of Gilbert Belnap (if descended through her)
• Henrietta McBride (1821-1899), wife of Gilbert Belnap (if descended through her)
• Gilbert Rosel Belnap (1847-1929), son of Gilbert Belnap and Adaline Knight (if descended through him)
• Martha McBride (1805-1901), mother of Adaline Knight (if descended through her)
• Abigail Mead (1770-1854), shared grandmother of Adaline Knight and Henrietta McBride
• Betsy Mead (1802-1881), mother of Henrietta McBride (if descended through her)

Daughters of Utah Pioneers

Membership in the International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers is open to women who are over the age of 18 who are direct-line descendants (or legally adopted direct-line descendants) of at least one Utah pioneer ancestor–defined as a person who traveled to or through the geographic area covered by State of Deseret/Utah Territory between July 1847 and 10 May 1869 (i.e., prior to completion of the Transcontinental Railroad).  Further membership information and application forms are available on the DUP website.  NOTE:  Adaline Knight was a founding member of the DUP.

Sons of Utah Pioneers

Membership in the National Society of the Sons of Utah Pioneers is open to men everywhere who admire the heritage and values of the early pioneers of Utah and the Intermountain West.  Utah Pioneer ancestry is not required to become a member of the SUP.  Further membership information and application forms are available on the SUP website.

Mormon Battalion Association

Membership in the Mormon Battalion Association is open to patriotic individuals, families, and organizations of good will–regardless of gender, race, creed, religion, national origin, or heritage.  Descendants of Gilbert Belnap are related (albeit not directly, unless through other non-Belnap family ties) to at least one person who marched in the original Mormon Battalion, Harlum McBride (1824-1901), brother of Henrietta McBride and first cousin of Adaline Knight.  Further membership information and application forms are available on the Mormon Battalion Association website.

American Revolutionary War Ancestry

“Qualifying direct-line ancestors” for membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution or Sons of the American Revolution for both male and female descendants of Gilbert Belnap include one or more of the following:

• Jesse Belnap (1760-1854), paternal grandfather of Gilbert Belnap
• Jesse Belknap (1739-after 1818), great grandfather of Gilbert Belnap (NOTE:  biological connection between Jesse Belknap and his son Jesse Belnap needs further documentary and/or DNA evidence)
• Samuel McBride (about 1740-before 1789), great great grandfather of Adaline Knight and Henrietta McBride
• Samuel Knight (1743/1744-1792), great grandfather of Adaline Knight
• Sherebiah Lee (1747-1843), great grandfather of Adaline Knight
• Benjamin Lee (1718-1796), 2nd great grandfather of Adaline Knight
• Nehemiah Mead (1747-1822), great grandfather of Henrietta McBride

Daughters of the American Revolution

Eligibility for membership in the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is available for any woman 18 years or older who can prove lineal, bloodline descent from an ancestor who aided in achieving American independence.  She must provide documentation for each statement of birth, marriage and death, as well as of the Revolutionary War service of her Patriot ancestor.  Further membership information and application forms are available on the DAR website.

• DAR Applications through Jesse Belnap (1760-1854), DAR Ancestor #A008664, Pension #*S2068 (DAR spells his surname “Belknap”)
  • National membership through Jesse’s son David Belnap (1780-1858):
    • #111654
    • #125162
    • #125163
    • #125164
    • #125165
    • #129454
    • #834889, vol. 1113
    • #879762, vol. 1016
  • National membership through Jesse’s daughter Eunice Belnap (1784-1841):
    • #968297
  • National membership through Jesse’s son Ira Belnap (1785-1878):
    • #754321
    • #785547
  • National membership through Jesse’s son Ansel Belnap (1787-1870):
    • #131480, vol. 359
    • #705486
  • National membership through Jesse’s son Rosel Belnap (1789-1832) [NOTE: this is the father of Utah Pioneer Gilbert Belnap (1821-1899)]:
    • #384880, vol. 779 (through Phoebe Rebeckah Belnap (1812-1888))
    • #727891, vol. 739 (through Gilbert Belnap (1821-1899))
    • #752756, vol. 745 (through Phoebe Rebeckah Belnap (1812-1888))
    • #770094, vol. 779 (through Phoebe Rebeckah Belnap (1812-1888))
    • #968296 (through Gilbert Belnap (1821-1899))
    • #991150 (through Gilbert Belnap (1821-1899))
    • #1006437
  • National membership through Jesse’s son Gilbert Belnap (1794-1851) [NOTE: this person is an uncle of Utah Pioneer Gilbert Belnap (1821-1899)]:
    • #171748
    • #194589
    • #197059
  • National membership through Jessse’s daughter Laura Belnap (1799-1875):
    • #74643
    • #126157
    • #179228
  • National membership through Jesse’s son Hiram Belnap (1802-1848):
    • #974154
• DAR Applications through Jesse Belknap (1739-after 1818), DAR Ancestor #A008665
  • National membership through Jesse’s son Jesse Belnap (1760-1854) [NOTE: this is the grandfather of Utah Pioneer Gilbert Belnap (1821-1899)]:
    • #384880, vol. 779 (through Phoebe Rebeckah Belnap (1812-1888)) (repeated above)
    • #752756, vol. 745 (through Phoebe Rebeckah Belnap (1812-1888)) (repeated above)
    • #770094, vol. 779 (through Phoebe Rebeckah Belnap (1812-1888)) (repeated above)
    • #834889, vol. 1113 (through David Belnap (1780-1858)) (repeated above)
    • #879762, vol. 1032 (through David Belnap (1780-1858)) (repeated above)
  • National membership through Jesse’s son Jesse Belknap (1784-1859):
    • #276930
• DAR Applications through Samuel McBride (about 1740-before 1789)
  • [none]
• DAR Applications through Samuel Knight (1743/1744-1792), DAR Ancestor #A066647
  • National membership through Samuel’s son Rodolphus Knight (1768-1809):
    • #921415 (through Vinson Knight (1804-1842))
    • #951310 (through Vinson Knight (1804-1842))
• DAR Applications through Sherebiah Lee (1747-1843)
  • [none]
• DAR Applications through Benjamin Lee (1718-1796), DAR Ancestor #A068465
  • National membership through Benjamin’s son Sherebiah Lee (1774-1853):
    • [none]
  • National membership through Benjamin’s other children:
    • [multiple]
• DAR Applications through Nehemiah Mead (1747-1822), DAR Ancestor #A076764
  • National membership through Nehemiah’s daughter Deborah Mead (1770-1864):
    • [none]
  • National membership through Nehemiah’s other children:
    • [multiple]

Sons of the American Revolution

Eligibility for membership in the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution is available to male lineal descendants of an ancestor who was at all times unfailing in loyalty to and rendered acceptable service in the cause of American Independence.  The SAR accepts service rendered, with some exceptions, for the period between 19 April 1775 and 26 November 1783. Membership in the SAR requires documented, acceptable evidence of the ancestor’s participation in the Revolution and documented proof of bloodline descendancy.  Further membership information and application forms are available on the SAR website.

• SAR Applications through Jesse Belnap (1760-1854)
  • SAR Application of Frank Jay Belknap, 1920 (through Jesse’s son Ansel Belnap (1787-1870); note that applicant resumed spelling of surname as “Belknap”)
  • SAR Application of James E. Dean, 1927 (through Jesse’s son David Belnap (1780-1858))
  • SAR Application of Burt Wellington Phillips, 1915 (through Jesse’s daughter Eunice Belnap (1784-1841))
  • SAR Application of Franz Race Phillips, 1920 (through Jesse’s daughter Eunice Belnap (1784-1841))

For questions about documentation verification of descendancy, contact the Belnap Family Organization.

Mayflower Ancestry

“Qualifying direct-line ancestors” for membership in the General Society of Mayflower Descendants or other Mayflower passenger descendancy organization for both male and female descendants of Gilbert Belnap include the following:

• William Brewster (about 1564-1644), 7th great grandfather of Gilbert Belnap
• Mary (last name unknown; wife of William Brewster) (about 1569-1627), 7th great grandmother of Gilbert Belnap

General Society of Mayflower Descendants

The General Society of Mayflower Descendants, commonly called the Mayflower Society, is a hereditary organization of individuals who have documented their descent from at least one of the 102 passengers who arrived on the Mayflower in 1620 at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts.  The Society was founded at Plymouth in 1897.  Further membership information and application forms are available on the GSMD website.

• GSMD Applications through Gilbert Belnap (1821-1899)
  • GSMD Application of Janet Brooks, 2021; #99931

The Elder William Brewster Society

Membership in The Elder William Brewster Society is open to any person who can provide documentation demonstrating that he or she is a direct descendant of William Brewster who sailed to New England on the Mayflower in 1620.

Other Lineage Societies

Society of the Descendants of the Founders of Hartford

Membership in the Society of Descendants of the Founders of Hartford, Connecticut is open to any person who can prove that he or she is descended from someone who owned property or settled in Hartford before February 1639/40, as shown in the Book of Distribution of Land, or other authentic and reliable historical source(s).  “Qualifying direct-line ancestors” for membership in SDFH for descendants of Gilbert Belnap and Adaline Knight include the following:

• Matthew Marvin (chr. 1600-1678), 6th great grandfather of Adaline Knight

Descendants of the Founders of Ancient Windsor

The Descendants of the Founders of Ancient Windsor, Connecticut welcomes descendants of Windsor’s Founders, spouses, other members of the extended family, and those interested in Windsor’s families.  “Qualifying direct-line ancestors” for membership in DFAW for descendants of Gilbert Belnap and Adaline Knight include the following:

• Edward Griswold (abt 1607-1691), 6th great grandfather of Adaline Knight
• John Drake (abt 1600-1659), 6th great grandfather of Adaline Knight

Winthrop Society

The Winthrop Society is a lineage society for descendants of the first settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.  Membership is open “to all men and women of good character and proven descent from one or more passengers of the Winthrop fleet, or of others who settled in the Bay Colony and Down East by the end of 1640.”  “Qualifying direct-line ancestors” for membership in the WS for descendants of Gilbert Belnap include the following:

• [Several qualifying ancestors–TO COME]

General Society of Colonial Wars

The General Society of Colonial Wars is a lineage society for men who trace their descents from forebears who, in military, naval, or civil positions of high trust and responsibility, by acts or counsel, assisted in the establishment, defense, and preservation of the mainland American colonies of Great Britain.  Qualifying direct-line ancestors” for membership in GSCW for descendants of Gilbert Belnap include the following:

• [Several qualifying ancestors–TO COME]

United Empire Loyalists

The United Empire Loyalists’ Association of Canada is an organization dedicated to enriching the lives of Canadians through knowledge of the past, in particular the history of the United Empire Loyalists and their contribution to the development of Canada.  The United Empire Loyalists were generally those who had been settled in the Thirteen Colonies at the outbreak of the American Revolution, who remained loyal to and took up the Royal Standard, and who settled in what is now Canada at the end of the war.  “Qualifying direct-line ancestors” for membership in UEL for descendants of Gilbert Belnap include the following:

• Sylvester Richmond (1737-1803/1804), maternal grandfather of Gilbert Belnap

Last update:  1 May 2023