About Us

The General Society of Colonial Wars is an historical, genealogical, educational and social organization with constituent societies in 30 states, including Rhode Island, as well as the District of Columbia and the British Isles. It was instituted to perpetuate the memory of those events in American colonial history which took place within the period May 13, 1607 to April 19, 1775.

Membership

colonial warsMembership is by invitation.

It is limited to men who are lineally descended in the male or female line from ancestors who, between 1607 and 1775, assisted in the founding, defense and preservation of the American colonies.

Visit our Qualifications page for details.
 

New Publication

colonial warsPreparations for the Defense of Rhode Island 1755 - By Prof. John B. Hattendorf


This 37-page pamphlet provides a selection of four transcribed and annotated original documents on the history of the international security situation that faced one of the British North American colonies in 1755: Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. At this point, France and England had not yet declared war against one another in the Seven Years' War, but the hostilities of the French and Indian War were beginning in the interior areas of North America.  Read more or purchase.
 

 

 

From the Archives

                                                    Occasionally we come across orations, stories and histories from the Society's past. Here are a few
                                                     recently discovered ones:

                                                    Great Swamp Fight - Oration delivered December 30, 1902 - Click here to read.

                                                    Ye Old Colonial Schoolmaster - Oration delivered by Walter H. Small - December 30, 1903
                                                     - Click here to read.

                                                    The Privateers - The Naval Militia of the Colonies - Oration delivered by John Austin Stevens -
                                                    December 30, 1963 - Click here to read.

                                                                                              

Upcoming Events

hope club
--Summer Court; June 23, 2022 -- Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet, Cranston, RI
--Winter Court; December 6, 2022 -- The Hope Club, Providence, RI

 

 

 

About Our Society Seal

Colonial Wars

The seal of the Society consists of the coat of arms, above it, the Royal Crown of England and surrounding the whole on a title scroll: “Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,” showing at the base on folds: “1636 1638 1647.” The flag is white; bearing in its center within a circle of thirteen five-pointed gold stars the seal of the Society in full color, the title scroll being red with white lettering.

The coat of arms, or escutcheon, of the Society is quarterly of St. George of England, and Rhode Island, as is more clearly depicted herewith: It is blasoned "quarterly: i & iv. Silver a cross gules (a red cross on a field of silver), ii & iii, Azure an anchor gold (a gold anchor on a field of blue)."