This September, I was humbled to serve as the Patron of the 36th International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences, held at the American Ancestors Research Center—the first time this event was ever hosted in the United States of America. I was honored to be amongst the company of some of the finest minds and most passionate hearts in the study (and practice) of genealogy, heraldry, and the rich narratives that bind our human past to our present identity.
Genealogy and heraldry are in essence, the pursuit of personal truth and collective memory. They speak to the human need to understand not only where we come from but also how the complexities of our past echo through time, shaping the world we live in today. For each of us in this room, the study of ancestry is not a matter of curiosity alone, but a deeply personal quest—whether we’re unraveling the mysteries of forgotten branches of a family tree or uncovering the stories behind coats of arms that have been passed down for centuries.
But genealogy and heraldry are more than academic sciences. They are also living breathing expressions of the human journey brought to life by the brushes and pen strokes of the scribes, heraldic artists, and scriveners who continue to practice their ancient crafts. Our fields, while steeped in history, carry an almost sacred responsibility. You are not merely historians or researchers, you are custodians of memory. Every pedigree you record, every
coat of arms you paint, represents a fragment of a larger story—the story of human connection across time. Your work safeguards legacies and ensures that future generations will
understand their place within that great human continuum. As they say — past is prologue, and we must understand from where we come in order to chart a course for where we are
going — as individuals, as families, as a society, and as a civilization.
In this respect, our gathering this year was more than an intellectual forum; it represented a community of shared purpose. We are united not only by our scholarly interests but by the deeper significance of our work. The genealogical and heraldic sciences are not detached, academic subjects—they are personal histories, made richer by the collective understanding that we bring to them. These sciences allow us to recognize the continuity between our ancestors’ struggles, triumphs, and values, and the narratives we continue to write in the present.
I prefer to view this Congress not just as a platform to share knowledge, but as a moment to connect with the spirit of discovery that drives all of us in this room. Let us reflect on the responsibility we bear: to ensure that history, in all its forms—whether carved in a granite lintel or recorded in forgotten parish registers—remains alive and accessible. In a world that increasingly values the fleeting and the ephemeral, our work offers depth, continuity, and meaning.
American Ancestors is home to the oldest continually existing non-governmental heraldic body in the world — the Committee on Heraldry, formed in 1864. During its first 60 years of existence, the Committee sported a seal which was ultimately found unsuitable as it borrowed from both the original flag of Massachusetts, as well as from the escutcheon of the College of Arms. Over the course of nearly nine months in 1926, the Committee approved and rejected a second design, until in November, a final design for an escutcheon, designed by Robert Weston, was approved, blazoned as follows: Silver in base waves of the sea, floating thereon an ancient ship with one mast of the second, a single square sail spread of the first, thereon and also on a square banner of the first attached to the dexter side of a staff on the sterncastle the cross of Saint George. The escutcheon was placed on a tabard which became the design for the seal of the Committee. And there it stayed for the next 100 years.
In celebration of this, the first Congress on American shores, we were determined to bring the tabard to life in full-color, and I was proud to wear it alongside Brenton Simons during my open address at the Congress. A special thanks to Shervin Hawley for spearheading this effort, and gratitude to the coterie of heralds that served to advise us on bringing it to life.
I want to thank our sponsors, our vendors, our speakers, the organizing committee, the Committee on Heraldry, the staff at American Ancestors, Brenton Simons, the Academie Internationale d'Heraldique, and the International Academy of Genealogy for all of the efforts that went into making this historic event a success