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Elligibility
The National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century (NSCDXVIIC)is a non-profit women's lineage organization. To become a member of the society, a woman of age 18 years or older must prove their ancestry to a prominent or notable person who lived in one of the original colonies prior to 1701. One must provide documented proof of an ancestor's service and residence prior to 1701. A person of lineal descendant must be blood related. No one can join the society under false pretense by falsifying documents.

Founding
The founder of the National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century was Miss Mary Florence Taney of Kentucky. Mis Taney's ideals were initiated during a meeting of the International Genealogical Congress that was held on July 15, 1915 at the Panama Exposition in San Francisco, CA. Miss Taney had a natural attraction in genealogy which she shared with five other women, namely, Mrs. Alice Hardeman Dulaney of New York, Miss Anna Taylor Hodge of Kentucky, Mrs. Georgena Hodge Bailey of Kentucky, Miss Florence May Washington of Kentucky and Miss Grace Marie Cheever of Ohio, who shared the same passion in genealogy that led to the formation of the lineage organization that was named the National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century. The headquarters of the society is located in Washington, D. C., situated in a remarkable historical building, built in 1884 and is registered with the National Register of Historic Places.

Purpose
The National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century is committed to maintaining the principals and morals of each ancestor by preserving historical documents and important records. The society marks, preserves and restores ancestral headstones and cemeteries by bringing knowledge and information to the cemeteries throughout America which is a continuing project of the Society. Members of the society endeavor to defend the goals and objectives that were set in place by the founder by marking historical sites and preserving factual colonial records and making them available to everyone.

The society also promotes heraldry and coats of arms lineage research. The society has one of the largest COA collections in America. NSCDXVIIC supports and promotes education, not only on a local level, but also on state and national levels. Members volunteer their services to veteran facilitiess by honoring those who have worked hard to defend American freedoms. The society offers a variety of scholarships each year to college students based on their scholastic and economical needs. NSCDXVIIC is devoted to and acknowledge as a number a one priorty to adding and keeping junior members of ages 18-36. The transmition of communications between members and headquarters is predominently through email exchange. Yvonne Hiteshue, President General 2023-2025 states, "Through these projects, we acknowledge and honor those individuals whose enduring legacy of virtue, courage and patriotism formed this great nation." The society's motto is "Tying It All Together in Service and Friendship."

Structure
The National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century consist of 11,000 members who are interested and have a love and respect for American history. The society offers heraldry as a part of its asperations and holds one of the largest Coats of Arms selections in the country. 45 State Societies in the US and 1 international society based in Canada participate in this organization. Furthermore, each state is divided into chapters. The President General is the head of the society, governing over all 45 states and is elected for a 2-year term by the members in attendance at the national conference. She is the leader of all states and local chapters that delegates and signs all contracts for the society during her term. The President General serves on the National Executive Board, that is madeup of thirteen elected members, including three vice-presidents, who are also elected every two years at the national conference that is held in Washington, D.C. The state and local chapters operate in the same manner as the national society with the exception of not having curator positions, nor do have three vice presidents.