D.
Brenton Simons OBE was born in New Haven, Connecticut to Elwyn Simons and Mary
Hoyt Fitch. He attended private schools in Connecticut, South Carolina and
Switzerland; graduated from Aiken Preparatory School, Aiken, SC; Hamden Hall
Country Day School, Hamden, CT; Bachelor of Science, College of Communication,
Boston University; Master’s Degree, School of Education, Boston University.
In
the 2023 Special Honours, His Majesty King Charles III appointed Mr. Simons an
Officer of the British Empire (OBE) for his longtime services to Anglo-American
history.
Brenton
Simons has changed the face of nonprofit-based genealogy in America and beyond by
bringing the best scholarship to millions of users as President and CEO (2005-2024),
and President Emeritus and Chief Stewardship Officer (2024-present), of the New
England Historic Genealogical Society, the founding genealogical society in the
world (established 1845). Otherwise known as American Ancestors, it is the
anchor location of the long-running PBS television series Finding Your Roots
with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. He orchestrated an historic expansion of the institution,
now serving almost 450,000 members and millions of online users with 1.4
billion records in 139 countries. See www.AmericanAncestors.org
An award-winning author, he has been widely featured on television, radio, and in print and online media in the United States, United Kingdom, and elsewhere. His most recent book, Boston Beheld, was hailed as “the book Jane Austen might have written had she run into Dickens after his return from his Boston visit of 1842.”
Memberships
· New England Historic
Genealogical Society / American Ancestors (President & CEO, 2005-2024;
President Emeritus & Chief Stewardship Officer, 2024-present)
·
American Patrons of
St. George’s and The Descendants of The Knights of the Order of the Garter
(President, 2022-present)
·
Ancient Heraldic and
Chivalric Order of Albion (Knight)
·
National Order of the
Knights of the Golden Horseshoe (Honorary)
·
Society of the
Cincinnati in the State of Connecticut
·
Saint Nicholas Society
of the City of New York
·
Aztec Club of 1847
·
General Society of the
War of 1812
·
General Society of the
Sons of the Revolution
·
Huguenot Society of
America
·
Holland Society of New
York
·
General Society of
Colonial Wars (MA and FL)
·
Colonial Society of
Pennsylvania
·
Hereditary Order of
the Descendants of Colonial Governors
·
Order of the Founders
and Patriots of America
·
General Society of
Mayflower Descendants
·
Baronial Order of the
Magna Charta
·
Order of the Crown in
America
·
Order of Americans of
Armorial Ancestry
·
Welcome Society of
Pennsylvania
·
National Society of
Americans of Royal Descent
·
Order of Colonial
Cavaliers (Honorary)
·
Order of Colonial
Lords of Manors in America (Honorary)
·
Order of the Crown of
Charlemagne in the United States of America
·
Son of a Witch (Honorary)
·
One Hundred Living
Descendants of Blood Royal
Chivalry, Heraldry, Military, and Freemen
·
The Most Excellent Order of the
British Empire (Officer) OBE
·
The Venerable Order of Saint John,
American Priory (Member)
·
International Congress of
Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences (President)
·
Armiger, granted by College of Arms
(2019) quartered with inherited arms (1588)
·
Committee on Heraldry, New England
Historic Genealogical Society (1864)
·
Gold’s Dragoons, Fairfield,
Connecticut (1657)
·
Squadron A Association, New York
Hussars, New City (1889)
·
The Honourable Company of Freemen of
the City of London of North America
Awards
·
Washington Irving Medal for Literary
Excellence (Saint Nicholas Society)
·
Bradford Award (Pilgrim Hall Museum)
·
Frances Wister Award (Colonial Dames
of America, PA)
·
Award of Recognition (Colonial Wars,
IL)
·
John Adams Medal (Sons of the
Revolution, MA)
·
History Medal (Daughters of the
American Revolution, MA)
·
Spirit of 1812 Award (National
Society United States Daughters of 1812, MA)
·
Award of Merit (American Association
for State and Local History)
Authorships
Public Offices
Listed
In (Publications)
Other
Notes
Other
memberships and offices: The New England Quarterly (former Secretary of
the Board of Directors); Plymouth 400 Inc. (former Board of Directors member);
The Colonial Society of Massachusetts (former Council member); Massachusetts
Historical Society (Fellow); American Antiquarian Society (elected Member);
Boston Athenaeum (Proprietor); Somerset Club; Club of Odd Volumes, French
Heritage Society (Honorary). Episcopalian.