IMFA’s Founder – Wesley L. Mullenneix

Wes founded IMFA in August 1986 with the publication of Volume 1, Issue 1 of a newsletter simply titled International Molyneux Family Association.

The newsletter began as six pages of single-spaced optimism about the possibilities of connections Mx family historians could make - if they were willing to share their family research and traditions.

Wes and wife Claire (Mackarness) Mullenneix,
sometime in the early 1990s – the peak of their
on-the-road researching years.

In retirement, Wes and wife Claire made several trips across the United States in their motor home looking for clues to his great grandfather Nathaniel Mullenix (ca. 1817-1896) and Nathaniel's wife Sarah Ann Pettigrew’ parents. County court houses and local libraries were starting points. But with his soft spot for pie (Wes only liked two kinds: hot or cold) a town’s home-grown restaurant’s waitress often knew where a Mx family lived. Wes was known for knocking on doors hoping to meet these strangers, with the opening line: “Hello, I’m Wes Mullenneix, and I think we’re related.” Very distant cousins soon became friends and Wes was encouraged to consolidate and share the clues he found. It might not be his family, but the puzzle pieces Wes was finding fit somewhere in the big Mx puzzle. Because Wes and Claire were snowbirds, they also spent two weeks in the spring and again in the fall, at the LDS Library in Salt Lake City, on their north-south route between Salton City, California and Naches, Washington. Wes’ research at the LDS library, on site in county courthouses, local libraries and cemeteries, and the lineages of his newly-found cousins started filling the pages of the quarterly newsletter.

In 1988 IMFA held its only world-wide reunion - in England. It was a grand occasion on many levels. We encourage those who attended this event to share their memories with us. Send a letter or an email or input your memories directly into our new Blog, called Reflections.

For those who want to send a letter:
IMFA
Marie Mullenneix Spearman, President
P.O. Box 10306
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110

IMFA’s Editor – Betty Molyneux Brown

After Wes' death in January of 1995, President Betty Molyneux Brown in the UK stepped down, and immediately stepped up into the role as IMFA’s Editor. The newsletter was renamed MxWorld with a new masthead created by UK015 David Molyneux, and soon grew to 28 pages. At that same time, Wes' daughter, Marie Mullenneix Spearman, assumed the role of President.

Blending lineages, family photos, stories and data extracts Betty creates a most enjoyable family history magazine for our very diverse, world-wide membership.

Betty’s passion and dedication to preserving and making history interesting and accessible extends to her volunteer work with her parish church. This last April, 2010, Betty was instrumental in the great success of the Prescot Church’s 400th anniversary celebration (1610-2010). Betty’s well-researched history can be read from the online pages of the Church Magazine at her church’s website: Prescot Church

IMFA’s Membership

As we begin our 25th year with the August 2010 issue of MxWorld, our international membership exceeds 200. Because of IMFA's presence via the Internet since 1995, and as a grateful recipient of Rootsweb web hosting for over a decade, IMFA has continued to attract new Mx family historians.

IMFA is an all-volunteer family history association and relies on members to share their lineages, their family photos, stories, traditions, and their DNA.

IMFA invites you to join us.

History of IMFA

Since August of 1986 IMFA has been dedicated to sharing Mx family information in the form of a quarterly newsletter. Around 1995, the original website was created by US122 Lynn Olivier and IMFA has benefited from our web presence ever since.

More recently, Patricia Geary, who volunteers with the Rootsweb Help Desk, offered to make necessary revisions, to include the scanned cover images of MxWorld.

In 2008 US332 Wayne Straight began helping members publish family history on IMFA's Wiki website, and later by helping members post queries and comments on IMFA’s Blog (a feature we hope to be moving to Reflections soon.)

In 2009 when US131 Sharon Bryant, our DNA project administrator died unexpectedly, US329 Jim Molineux quickly created a new DNA website, and was aided in this complicated and many-faceted DNA project by US312 Steve Mullinax, US315 Mark Molyneux and US332 Wayne Straight.

Now - August 2010 - we launch our new website under the guidance of web administrator US329 Jim Molineux. Jim makes it possible for IMFA members to access the entire past 24 years of articles and record extractions from one starting point - this web address.

A labor of love, the IMFA, like any volunteer effort, is a work in progress. It is through the largess and sharing nature of our membership that we fill the 28 pages of MxWorld every issue and field our various Web portals.

We are pleased you are interested in IMFA, and we invite you to join us as we celebrate our 25th year. Your suggestions and comments are welcome. Please email:
our webmaster at:
   
our Editor at:
   
or our President at:
    .