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Mary Robin Redfearn Towns was born in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia to Clarence Elisha Redfearn, JD, and Phyllis Camille Rycroft. She was married to the late COL Robert Forrest Towns. They have four children and eleven grandchildren, and one great grandchild. Towns is anticipating the arrival of another grandchild in 2024.

Mrs. Towns graduated from the University of Georgia in 1973, with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA). She has held the following positions: Narcissus Interiors, Interior Designer, 1984–2011; Verifying Genealogist, The Colonial Dames of America, New York, NY; and Christopher Robin Vintage, Antiques, owner.

Memberships

  • The National Gavel (President 2019-2022)

  • National Society Colonial Dames of America in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

  • National Society Colonial Dames, Seventeenth Century (National Chair)

  • National Society Dames of the Court of Honor (State Registrar)

  • National Society Daughters of American Colonists (State Chaplain; State Parliamentarian)

  • National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (National Vice Chair; Recipient of “Outstanding Regent” Award)

  • National Society Daughters of Colonial Wars (National Chair)

  • National Society Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America (State President; National Councillor)

  • National Society Descendants of American Farmers

  • National Society Descendants of Colonial Indentured Servants (Registrar General)

  • National Society New England Women

  • National Society of Saints & Sinners

  • National Society Sons and Daughters of Antebellum Planters

  • National Society Sons and Daughters of the Pilgrims (State Governor)

  • National Society Southern Dames of America (National President)

  • Continental Society Daughters of Indian Wars (Registrar General)

  • Descendants of Early Postmasters 1607-1900 (Founding Postmaster General; Registrar General)

  • Descendants of Sheriffs & Constables in Colonial & Antebellum America (Registrar General)

  • Dutch Colonial Society (President)

  • First Families of North Carolina

  • Georgia Salzburger Society/Greater Atlanta Salzburger Society (Board of Directors)

  • Guild of Artisans and Tradesmen 1607-1783 (Chaplain General)

  • The Huguenot Society of South Carolina

  • The National Huguenot Society (Recording Secretary General; State President)

  • Magna Charta Dames & Barons (State Regent)

  • Pirates and Privateers

  • Presidential Families of America (President General)

  • Order of Wessex

  • Order of Fossers (Chief Coroner)

  • Order of the Founders of North America (Deputy Vicountress)

  • Order of Bacon’s Rebellion (Second Deputy Governor; Registrar General)

  • Order of Steel Magnolias (Registrar General)

  • Order of the Southern Cross

  • Order of the Sovereigns of Ancient Scandinavia (Chaplain)

  • Order of the 1704 Virginia Quit Rents (Recording Secretary)

  • Purrysburg Society

  • Sons and Daughters of Colonial and Antebellum Bench and Bar (President General)

  • Descendants of El Cid (Fourth Deputy Governor; Recording Secretary General)

  • Descendants of the Monarch of Rheims (Lady of the Court)

  • The Colonial Dames of America (Founding President, Georgia Piedmont Chapter; CDA Board of Proprietors; Recipient of CDA “Van Rensselaer Award”)

  • United Daughters of the Confederacy (Chapter President)

  • United States Daughters of 1812 (State Chaplain)

  • Founders Fellowship

  • National Society SAR National Ladies Auxiliary (National President)

  • National Society Founders of Places of Worship in America

  • Military Officers Association of America

Social

  • The Erudite Study Club, Athens, GA (Founder, President)

  • Peachtree Racket Club, Atlanta, GA

  • The Army and Navy Club, Washington, DC

  • Athens Country Club, Athens, GA

  • Jennings Mill Country Club, Athens, GA

  • Country Club of Columbus, Columbus, GA

  • Chattahoochee River Club, Columbus, GA

 

Genealogy interests

 

  • Prepared more than 1,000 approved hereditary society applications for others, pro bono.

  • Prepared applications and supplementals approved for more than 50 of her Colonial ancestors.

  • Served as Judge for Texas Genealogical College, 2016.

  • Co-founded in 2008 - The Georgia Colonial Debutante Ball (DAR-SAR-CAR)

 

Community Service

 

  • Opera Athens (Founding Director, Board of Directors)

  • Athens Symphony (Board of Directors 1994-2014; Vice President Athens Symphony Guild, President, Gala Chair)

  • Junior League of Athens, GA, Inc. (Sustaining Member; Community Advisory Board Recipient of the “Spirit of the League” award)

  • Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation, Athens, GA (Board of Directors; Gala Chair)

  • Athens Welcome Center & Church-Waddel-Brumby House Museum (Chair)

  • Athens Museum House Association (Board of Directors)

  • Alpha Gamma Delta Fraternity (Gamma Alpha Chapter, The University of Georgia Recipient of “Arc of Epsilon Pi” award; President, House Association (6 terms); President - Alumnae Chapter)

  • Minerva Club / Sigma Alpha Epsilon (Mothers Club) - The University of Georgia

  • The Ladies Garden Club [First Garden Club in America] Athens (President)

  • Foxhall Flower Show, Atlanta (Board of Directors)

  • The Girl Scouts of America (member; leader)

  • The State Botanical Garden of Georgia (Friends of the Garden member)

  • The Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia, Director’s Circle member, Friends of the Museum (Board Member)

  • The University of Georgia President’s Club (Founding member)

  • St. Mary’s Hospital Auxiliary, Athens (Vice President; Recording Secretary)

  • American Cancer Society Auxiliary, Athens

  • Junior League of Columbus, GA, Inc. (Board of Directors)

  • Girls Club of Columbus, Inc., Columbus, GA (Board of Directors)

  • Columbus Museum, Columbus, GA (Museum Guild, Docent)

  • St. Francis Hospital Auxiliary, Columbus, GA

  • Wreath Across America (Area Chair)

 

Authorships

 

  • The Journal, Editor, Newsletter magazine of National Society Southern Dames of America

  • The Gazette, Editor, Newsletter magazine of Presidential Families of America

  • Dutch Dispatch, Editor, Newsletter magazine of Dutch Colonial Society

  • The Post Rider, Editor, Newsletter magazine Descendants of Early Postmasters 1607-1900

  • Designed and edited numerous hereditary society, garden club, and social organization directories. Awarded The National Garden Club “Best Yearbook” National Award; awarded Garden Club of Georgia “Best Yearbook” award, Georgia DAR “Best Yearbook” award (4 years)

  • Contributing researcher for “Ancestors of William Harris and Harriett Amanda Davenport and their Related Families” by Hulsey, David and Donna Harris.

 

Listed In (Publications)

 

  • Garrett, Franklin “Atlanta and Environs” Volume III

  • DeVane, E.M. “DeVanes 1798-1975”

  • Gnann, P.R. “Georgia Salzburgers and Allied Families”

  • Redfearn, Daniel Huntley “History of the Redfearn Family”

  • Redfern, Michael Robert “The History of the Redfearn Family Revisited”

  • Shaw, M. “History of Cook County (GA)”

 

Other Notes 

Member, Ashford Memorial Methodist Church, Watkinsville, GA

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