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Edward R. Lief, son of Walter and Julia Lief, is a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has worked in the academic, corporate, governmental, and nonprofit realms. 

 

Memberships

  • National Gavel Society

  • Society of the Descendants of the Colonial Clergy (Chancellor General; Past Governor General)

  • National Society of Sons of the American Colonists (Treasurer General; former Librarian General)

  • General Society Sons of the Revolution (Minnesota Society, former President)

  • National Society Sons and Daughters of the Pilgrims (Minnesota Branch, Councilor; former Governor)

  • Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts 

  • Descendants of Sheriffs and Constables of Colonial and Antebellum America

  • Flagon and Trencher

  • Hereditary Order of the First Families of Massachusetts

  • Hereditary Order of the Families of Presidents and First Ladies

  • National Society Children of the American Colonist (former Treasurer General)

  • National Society of Sons of Colonial New England (former Secretary General)

  • Order of Americans of Armorial Ancestry

  • Presidential Families of America

  • Sons and Daughters of the Colonial and Antebellum Bench and Bar 1565-1861

Civic/Charitable 

  • American Academy of Achievement 

  • Society for Promoting Theological Education 

  • Toastmasters International

Other

Mr. Lief long admired his mother’s doing her own genealogical research. (That led to her memberships in the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution; National Society Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America, National Society Daughters of the American Colonists; National Society Sons and Daughters of the Pilgrims; and the Society of the Descendants of the Colonial Clergy.) 

Even though Mr. Lief was highly admiring of what he viewed as his mother’s hobby of genealogy, he was not personally involved in such. That changed when the late Mr. John Winthrop Sears of Boston, Massachusetts voluntarily did additional research at the New England Historic Genealogical Society on Mr. Lief’s ancestors. Amazed at such a thoughtful gift, Mr. Lief took up Mr. Sears’ challenge to become personally engaged in genealogy. 

Even though his mother’s genealogical research formed a sufficient basis for him to qualify for membership in many societies, Mr. Lief felt both a calling and an obligation to add to his mother’s research prior to submitting his own membership applications. This, he was able to fill in various “blanks” (birthdays, marriage dates, death dates, locations, etc.) and the doing of such modest research gave him an appreciation for the work that genealogists do. 

Mr. Lief credits two long-time national leaders in hereditary organizations with his having been able to gain a rich appreciation of the hereditary society traditions and for the encouragement they provided that he serve in officer capacities. The gentlemen he recognizes with appreciation in this regard are: 

  • Mr. Peter Arrott Dixon of Alexandria, Virginia 

  • The late Mr. John Hallberg Jones of Minneapolis, Minnesota

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