April 19, 1776 is known as “Patriots Day,”  On the 250^th anniversary of Patriots Day, a new organization was organized in Austin. The International Genealogical and Historical College (IGHC) was modeled in part from success of the Texas Genealogical College (TGC). Principal Founders include His Royal Highness, Borwin, Duke of Mecklenburg; His Excellency Miguel Mazarambroz, Ambassador  of Spain; Judge Edward F. Butler, Sr., former President General National Society Sons of the American Revolution; the Founding Governor General of IGHC, and Jonathan Porter, a Computer Programmer, from Ireland. Judge Butler was co-founder with Lynn Forney Young, former DAR President General. Judge Butler was also the Founder and CEO of the Order of the Founders of North America.

Several of the elected officers were present at the organizational meeting.  The newly elected Adjutant General, Wayne Allen Courreges, Jr., opened the meeting.  He currently serves as Commander-in-Chief of Descendants of Washington’s Army at Valley Forge, Deputy Governor General of Colonial Wars in the State of Texas, President of the Society of the Sons of Revolution in the State of Texas and is a past President, Hall of Fame recipient and Fellow of the Texas Genealogical College.

Among the dignitaries present was Nancy Jay, President of the Texas Genealogical College.  Nancy was elected Deputy Treasurer General.  Nancy is an active member of the Texas DAR, and several other organizations.  She is the current President of the Texas Genealogical College.  She was elected Deputy Treasurer General of IGHC.

Past state SAR President Tom Jackson, who participated in the color guard, was elected Deputy Governor General At Large.  He will be asked to head up recruiting in the Houston, TX area.  Tom is a publicly elected school board member and a leader in the Order of the Granaderos y Damas de Galvez and several other organizations.

About 40 individuals showed up for the organizational meeting of the International Genealogical and Historical College in Austin, TX following the dedication of the SAR?DAR Monuments dedicated in the Texas State Cemetery to recognize all the Texans who fought in the American Revolutionary War, who are buried in Texas.  Several members who were there didn’t stay for the group photo because it was hotel checkout time.

 

General Officers shown in the photo include on the front row from the left, Adjutant General, Wayne Courreges; Genealogist General Cheryl Rios, and Governor General Ed Butler.  Second from the left on the back row includes Dep. Treasurer General, Nancy Jay, and Deputy Governor General, Tom Jackson.

Eligibility requires the applicant to prove that he or she had a direct lineal ancestor who lived in a foreign country a minimum of six generations ago. Applicants with a Noble Ancestor will be authorized to wear a small gold colored castle on their membership medal drape. Those with Royal Ancestors will wear a small gold colored crown on their membership medal drape.

Officers of the new international group elected:      

GOVERNOR GENERAL	Judge Edward F. Butler, Sr.
GOVERNOR GENERAL ELECT	CAPT. Roger Coursey
ADJUTANT GENERAL	Wayne Allen Courreges, Jr.
DEP. GOV. GENERAL, N. EUROPE	Borwin, Duke of Mecklenburg
DEP. GOV. GENERAL, S. EUROPE	H.E. Miguel Mazarambroz
DEP. GOV. GEN., EAST US	Lindsey Brock
DEP. GOV. GEN., CENTRAL US	Kimberly Nagy
DEP. GOV. GEN., AT LARGE	Tom Jackson
SECRETARY GENERAL	Robin Towns
TREASURER GENERAL	Steven J. Lucas
CHANCELLOR GENERAL	Hon. David N. Appleby, Jr.
GENEALOGIST GENERAL	Cheryl Rios
HISTORIAN GENERAL	Lawrence King Casey, Jr.
WEBMASTER GENERAL	Jan Brooks Johnpier
AMBASSADOR GENERAL	LTC Tomos Pelham Curtis, II
EDITOR GENERAL	Larry Luckett
SURGEON GENERAL	Dr. Daryl Addington
CHAPLAIN GENERAL	Rev. James Taylor
DEP. CHANCELLOR GENERAL	Judge Tom Lawrence
IT GENERAL	Jonathan Porter
HERALD AT ARMS	Russ Coppage
DEP. HERALD AT ARMS	Peggy Jared
DEP. TREASURER GENERAL	Nancy Jay
MARSHAL GENERAL	James Alderman
OFFICER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO	John Bourne
OFFICER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO	Rita Schimpff
OFFICER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO	Mike Tomme
DEP. GENEALOGIST GENERAL	Annelies Mourning
DEP. GENEALOGIST GENERAL	Alex Bannerman
DEP. AMBASSADOR GENERAL	Louis Benevides
DEP. REGISTRAR GENERAL	Douglass “Tim” Mabee

PURPOSES

The purposes of the International Genealogical and Historical College (IGHC) shall include the following:

1. Scholarly Repositories and Records
   • Maintain a permanent repository of International Pedigrees of members.
   • Maintain a permanent repository of International Coats of Arms of members.
   • Preserve and archive all official IGHC publications and records.
2. Publications and Communications
   • Maintain an official IGHC website.
   • Publish a biannual Membership Directory.
   • Publish a Quarterly Newsletter and maintain a permanent archive of all newsletters.
   • Solicit, review, and publish genealogical and historical articles.
   • Produce and publish genealogical and historical podcasts.
   • Publish an Annual Yearbook, including:
     • Photographs and summaries of College activities
     • Officers and their contact information
     • Hall of Fame honorees, Founder’s Medal recipients, and other awardees
     • Calendar of events
     • By-Laws
     • Blank Membership Application
     • Hall of Fame Nomination Form
     • Governor General’s Annual Report
3. Governance and Transparency
   • Publish and maintain a current list of Officers and their contact information.
   • Publish official reports, governing documents, and forms relevant to College operations.
4. Recognition and Honors
   • Confer annual awards at the Annual Meeting, including:
     • Founding Fellows (first year only)
     • Noble Fellows
     • Royal Fellows
     • Hall of Fame Inductees
     • Founder’s Medal recipients
5. Education, Fellowship, and Outreach
   • Conduct quarterly Zoom meetings featuring distinguished and engaging speakers.
   • Promote fellowship, collegiality, and social interaction among members.
   • Encourage international collaboration in genealogical and historical research.

In addition to recognizing outstanding leadership among its members, IGHC will annually recognize outstanding international leadership in genealogy and history by conferring the IGHC Hall of Fame awards to international leaders.

At the meeting it was announced that the group is planning a trip to Madrid, Spain, where they will have a joint private audience with HRM Felipe, King of Spain, where each participant will get to shake the hand of the king. The group will be taken on a tour of Madrid before traveling to Paris, France.

 

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IGHC Passes Resolution to Require Classroom Instruction on Spain’s Assistance during the American Revolutionary War

AT the April 19 Organization meeting of the International Genealogical and Historical College, the following Resolution was unanimously adopted:

RESOLUTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL GENEALOGICAL AND HISTORICAL COLLEGE

WHERAS. The International Genealogical and Historical College, at the meeting of its  Board of Governors Meeting on this the ____ day of April, 2026 in Austin, Texas, upon motion being duly made, seconded and carried, it adopted the following Resolution:

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the International Genealogical and Historical College (IGHC) was formed to fill a void on the international genealogical and historical scene; to promote information about the colonization of North America, the Western Hemisphere, Australia, New Zealand, and the Commonwealth of British Nations;

And

WHEREAS, one of the goals of the IGHC is to point out the distinction between Colonists and Immigrants, and to educate the public that the United States is a nation of Colonists and not a nation of Immigrants; and

WHEREAS, The Texas State Board of Education has not seen fit to educate our Texas children about the substantial assistance rendered to the United States by Spain, during the American Revolutionary War by providing the U.S. with cash, arms, ammunition, and other military supplies, and

WHEREAS, the population of Texas is about 40% Hispanic, and

WHEREAS, that Hispanic population is in large part descended from Spanish Colonists, who from 1515 A.D. established New Spain, who later became U.S. Citizens by virtue of  the Louisiana Purchase, The Gadsen Purchase, the Treaty with Texas when it came into the Union; or when the western states joined the Union.

WHEREAS, Hispanic children in Texas are being deprived of their history, and their Hispanic heroes  by not instructing them on the valuable contributions by Spain, and

WHEREAS, the teaching of American history without including the contributions of Spain is indefensible, and

WHEREAS, the United States is in the process of celebrating the 250^th Anniversary of the founding of our country, and

WHEREAS, it is appropriate on our 250^th Anniversary to celebrate the copious amount of arms and ammunition supplied by Spain to the United States,  as well as its substantial financial contributions to our war effort.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Governors of the International Genealogical and Historical College, as follows:

The Texas Legislature is requested to enact a law in Texas at the next legislative session that would:

Require 30 hours of classroom instruction about Spain’s assistance during the American Revolutionary War that would include at a minimum, the following instruction:

1. a)      Spain’s relationship with England for the six hundred years prior to the Revolution
2. b)      That the war between the U.S. and England was part of a global war.
3. c)      Biography of Gen. Bernardo de Galvez
4. d)      Treaty of 1763 that ended French & Indian War
5. e)      Causes of the American Revolutionary War stemming from the Treaty of 1763 that ended the French & Indian War.
6. f)       Benjamin Franklin’s advice to establish a Colonial Militia
7. g)      Mass. Committee of Safety ordering guns and ammunition from Gardoqui & Sons in Bilbao, Spain
8. h)      Battles of Lexington & Concord – British seeking guns & ammunition from Spain.
9. i)       Signing of the Borbon Family Compact on May 1, 1776
10. j)       Arrival of first shipment of arms & ammunition from Spain to New Orleans on Sep. 1, 1776
11. k)      Oliver Pollock, financier of the Revolution
12. l)       Galvez established a Louisiana Militia of Germans, native Americans, Cajuns, free and enslaved Blacks
13. m)   Reasons Spain remained neutral until May 1779
14. n)      Battle of Manchac
15. o)      Battle of Fort New Richmond at Baton Rouge
16. p)      Surrender of Fort Panmure  at Natchez
17. q)      Attack of Ft. Charlotte at Mobile
18. r)       Spanish fleet headed to Pensacola destroyed by hurricane
19. s)      Spanish siege of Fort George at Pensacola
20. t)       Spain’s assistance to Gen. George Rogers Clark in upper Midwest
21. u)      Fort Kaskaskia, Illinois & Fort Cahokia, Illinois
22. v)      Fort Vincennes, Indiana & Fort Jefferson, Kentucky
23. w)    Fort San Carlos, Missouri – Attack of British with Indian allies.
24. x)      Spanish soldiers at the ready in California Presidios
25. y)      Spanish fleet captures 55 of 63 British ships in Convoy to resupply Boston
26. z)      Texas connection to the American Revolution – cattle drive
27. aa)  The Donativo– Request from the King of Spain for donations throughout the empire.
28. bb)  Arkansas Post
29. cc)  Spanish soldiers from Fort San Carlos travel to and capture Ft. St. Joseph at Niles, Michigan.
30. dd)  Appreciation to Spain – Summary
31. Spain’s Ambassador stood next to Washington at inauguration of the U.S. President, and
32. Letters of Appreciation from U.S. Presidents
33. ee)  Testing for six weeks of study.

Textbooks:

Spain and the Independence of the United States: An Intrinsic Gift: An Intrinsic Gift by Thomas E. Chávez

Galvez, by Judge Ed Butler – This book has won eight awards.

Spain and the American Revolution: New Approaches and Perspectives (The Revolutionary Age) by Gabriel Paquette (Editor), Gonzalo M. Quintero Saravia (Editor) 

Brothers at Arms: American Independence and the Men of France and Spain Who Saved It Hardcover – Deckle Edge, November 15, 2016, by Larrie D. Ferreiro (Author)

Approved outside reading: 

Bernardo de Gálvez: Spanish Hero of the American Revolution  Hardcover – May 7, 2018 by Gonzalo M. Quintero Saravia (Author)

The Longest Siege of the American Revolution: Pensacola, by Wesley S. Odom

From Across the Spanish Empire, by Leroy Martinez, J.D.

The Arkansas Post Story, by Roger E. Copleman.

The Warriors, an historical novel, by Judge Ed Butler. This book has won 4 Awards.

Frontier Patriots, an historical novel, by Judge Ed Butler

CERTIFICATE

State of Texas

County of Travis

I, Nancy Jay, Acting Secretary of the International Genealogical and Historical College, hereby make oath that on the 19^th day of April, 2026, upon motion duly made, seconded, and carried by a majority, adopted the within Resolution.

S/ Nancy Jay                                                          Apr. 19, 2026

Secretary                                                               Date

 

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ZOOM MEETING JUNE 6, 2026

By e-mail, we will provide the URL to join our Zoom meeting on Saturday, June 6, 2026.  We will set the time so as not to interfere with the NBA Championship games.

The time, date, and place of our meeting in Greensboro, NC in conjunction with the National SAR Congress July 10-16 will be provided soon.

 

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NOTICE TO OFFICERS:

Congratulations to all elected officers.  I look forward to working with you. We have planted the seed for what hopefully will become one of the leading international genealogical and historical organizations.  Each of you will be providing a vital role in building this new organization.

All officers are advised that they will not be allowed to assume the duties of their respective offices, until they have submitted the following:

1. Signed application for Membership with appropriate documentary evidence, and
2. $350.00 check to IGHC, which includes application fee and two years dues, and
3. $50.00 check payable to Cheryl Rios for genealogist fee and Membership Certificate, and
4. Head shot photograph for Web site and directory, and
5. One paragraph resume for the web site.

Once the following has been successfully submitted, the Genealogist General will issue your membership certificate.

Officers who have not yet received their respective membership certificate  will not be inducted as the June 6, meeting.