United States. A Hereditary Order of Descendants of Colonial Governors in Gold, to Mary Perkins Quincy

A 14K Gold, eight-pointed star with red-enamelled borders, surmounted by a crown, the centre obverse presents the red-enamelled, conjoined initials CG (COLONIAL GOVERNORS), the centre reverse presents the engraving in running script MARY PERKINS QUINCY, maker marked BB&B for Bailey, Banks & Biddle of Philadelphia, measuring 32.46 mm (w) x 38.76 mm (h), on loop for suspension from period original ribbon, with horizontal bar inscribed GOV. JOHN HAYNES, with horizontal pinback, in very fine condition, accompanied by the presentation case of issue constructed of white, hard cardstock, the obverse bears the maker mark THE BAILEY, BANKS & BIDDLE COMPANY, CHESTNUT AND TWELFTH STS PHILADELPHIA, measuring 44 mm (w) x 86 mm (l) x 17 mm (h), and in near very fine condition.

Footnote: Mary Perkins Quincy was born on 13 January 1866 to iron merchant John Williams Quincy (1813-1883) and his second wife Lucretia Deming (nee Perkins) Quincy (1832-1883) in New York, New York. After the death of her parents in 1883, Quincy moved to New Haven, Connecticut to live with her aunt Mary Deming (nee Perkins) Hoppin (1824-1905) and uncle James Mason Hoppin (1820-1906).  She received her education at Miss Leverett’s School in New York City as well as the French finishing school run by Mademoiselle Charbonnier of Paris. Quincy settled in Litchfield, Connecticut, but one of her main hobbies was foreign travel. In addition, she was a member of many genealogical, ancestral, and historical societies. She co-authored the book titled Pages of Azure and Gold with Sarah Gardiner in addition to penning biographies of Edward Elbridge Salisbury and Dorothy Quincy Hancock. She is the descendant of Colonel John Haynes (1597-1653) who served as Governor of the Massachusetts Colony in 1635 and was the first Governor of the Connecticut Colony in 1639.

The Hereditary Order of Descendants of Colonial Governors is a hereditary society composed of men and women who can prove their descent from a colonial-era governor. Founded in 1896 by Miss Mary Cabell Richardson of Covington, Kentucky, the Order’s mission is to “commemorate the services of those men who, prior to July 4, 1776, singly exercised supreme executive power in the American colonies and who laid in them the foundations of stable government and of the respect for the civil law and authority which made the maintenance of their future independence possible.” The first two Governors General served the Order for the first seven years of its existence. In 1903, Ms Gail A. Treat of East Orange, New Jersey became the new Governor General of the Order. Ms Treat was a descendant of Robert Treat, whose served as governor from 1683-1698. Ms Treat was the first member in New Jersey, was the First Chairman in New Jersey and was the organizer of the New Jersey chapter in 1896. She would go on to serve as Governor General from 1903 to 1944 and upon her death, all of the records of the Order vanished and the group entered a period of dormancy. In 1954, a group of members reorganized the Order and sought to preserve whatever records and information they could locate. The Order published a register of known members in 1980, and in 2004, the Lineage Book II was produced. In 2006, the Order published a comprehensive list of the Colonial Governors Prior to July 4, 1776. The Order presently consists of over 500 members throughout the United States of America and overseas and has its annual meeting in April of each year in Washington, DC at the Metropolitan Club.