Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket—these iconic New England locales are not just summer destinations but the cradles of some of America’s earliest colonial settlements. To preserve and celebrate the legacy of those who first settled in this unique region, a lineage society known as The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands (DCCI) was founded. This society brings together individuals who trace their ancestry to the early founders of Barnstable County and the surrounding islands, helping to keep this rich regional history alive for future generations.
Founding of The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands
The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands was formally established in 2005 as a nonprofit lineage society. It was founded by a group of genealogists and historians with deep family roots in southeastern Massachusetts. Their goal was to create an organization that would honor and preserve the heritage of families who helped shape the cultural and historical identity of the Cape and Islands region, which includes:
- Cape Cod
- Martha’s Vineyard
- Nantucket
- Elizabeth Islands
The society reflects a growing interest in regional lineage organizations—groups that focus on specific geographic areas rather than national figures or wars—providing a more localized and community-based lens into early American life.
Purpose and Mission
The mission of the DCCI is threefold:
- To identify and honor the descendants of the early settlers of Cape Cod and the Islands.
- To encourage the study of the early history of the region through research, writing, and education.
- To preserve historical sites, records, and stories connected to the colonial era in Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket Counties.
The society also supports genealogical research and collaborates with historical societies and libraries throughout the region to ensure that vital records and family histories are conserved and accessible.
Who Qualifies as a Descendant?
To become a member of DCCI, individuals must prove direct lineal descent from a settler who lived in Cape Cod or the islands before the year 1700. These settlers include those who:
- Arrived with or soon after the Mayflower,
- Migrated from Plymouth Colony to Cape Cod towns,
- Established early island settlements like Edgartown, Nantucket, and Falmouth.
Early settlers eligible for lineage documentation include prominent family names such as:
- Freeman (Sandwich)
- Hinckley (Barnstable)
- Mayhew (Martha’s Vineyard)
- Starbuck and Coffin (Nantucket)
Applicants are required to submit primary genealogical documentation, including birth, marriage, and death records, wills, land deeds, and church registers.
Historical Significance of the Region
Cape Cod and the Islands hold a special place in colonial American history. Some highlights include:
- 1620: The Mayflower made its first landfall at Provincetown, where the Mayflower Compact was signed before the settlers moved on to Plymouth.
- 1630s–1650s: English Puritans settled Cape towns such as Barnstable, Sandwich, Yarmouth, and Eastham.
- 1642 onward: Thomas Mayhew Sr. and Thomas Mayhew Jr. established settlements on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, initiating early missionary work among the Wampanoag.
- The region became a hub for whaling, shipbuilding, and commerce throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.
Preserving this early colonial footprint is central to the DCCI’s mission.
Activities and Preservation Efforts
The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands engage in a variety of activities:
- Hosting annual meetings and conferences with speakers on colonial New England history.
- Supporting genealogical publications, including family group sheets and transcriptions of early records.
- Placing historic markers at cemeteries and significant homes.
- Partnering with organizations such as the Cape Cod Genealogical Society and the Nantucket Historical Association.
Members also contribute to newsletters and collaborative research projects and are encouraged to submit their own family stories for publication.
Sources
- The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands – Official Website
- Cape Cod Genealogical Society
- Philbrick, Nathaniel. Away Off Shore: Nantucket Island and Its People, 1602–1890. Penguin Books, 2003.
- Martha’s Vineyard Museum – Archives and Colonial Collections
Conclusion
The Descendants of Cape Cod and the Islands offers more than just a connection to the past—it provides a living legacy of coastal resilience, community-building, and historical preservation. For those with ancestral ties to the sandy shores and windswept harbors of southeastern Massachusetts, DCCI offers a unique way to celebrate and safeguard the memory of the region’s earliest European settlers.
If your family tree reaches back to Barnstable, the Vineyard, or Nantucket before 1700, you may find yourself part of a story that helped shape the very roots of American history.
