Why IMFA

The International Molyneux Family Association is a forum for the exchange of genealogy and family history for people interested in the Molyneux surname (and its many variants). Our publications and online forums include our periodic newsletter, this website, our DNA project, and our Facebook pages. IMFA relies on members to provide content for these media. We welcome your participation!

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

Dues from memberships are used for funding grants to help offset the cost of Y-DNA testing with FamilyTreeDNA, special research projects and maintaining our website www.mx-world.org.

We hope you join us!!

A Brief History

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.

Later, Patricia Geary, a volunteer 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 created a new DNA website, and was aided in our complicated and many-faceted DNA project by US312 Steve Mullinax, US315 Mark Molyneux and US332 Wayne Straight.

In August 2010 we launched our current website under the guidance of web administrator US329 Jim Molineux. Jim makes it possible for IMFA members to access the entire archive of newsletters in pdf format. Soon after IMFA joined Facebook.

US101 Marie Mullenneix Spearman, daughter of Wesley, assumed the role of President after his death in 1995 and served until 2012 when US329 Jim Molineux accepted the role. In August of 2014 AU019 Brian Seddon assumed this responsibility followed by UK188 Antony Molyneux Steele in 2016 and US312 Steve Mullinax in 2018.

Always a labor of love, the IMFA, like any volunteer effort, is a work in progress. It is through the generous donation of time and expertise of our dedicated volunteers, and the sharing of family research by our members that we continue to grow.

Your suggestions and comments are welcome. You may contact:
our President at:
   
our webmaster at:
   
our Editor at:
   

IMFA’s Founder – Wesley L. Mullenneix

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

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

In retirement, Wes and wife Claire made several trips across the United States in their motor home looking for clues for the parents of great grandfather Nathaniel Mullenix (ca. 1817-1896) and Nathaniel's wife Sarah Ann Pettigrew. 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 nearby. Wes was known for knocking on doors hoping to meet a friendly face with: “Hello, I’m Wes Mullenneix, and I think we’re related.” Distant cousins and unproven relatives alike soon became friends and Wes was encouraged to consolidate and share the clues he found. The Bible records and photos might not be related to Wes’ family, but they 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 new-found cousins started filling the pages of what is now Mx-World.

In 1988 IMFA held its only world-wide reunion - in England. I am positive it was the highlight of my Dad’s retirement years.

Wes's daughter, US101 Marie Mullenneix Spearman

IMFA’s Editor – Betty Molyneux Brown

After Wes' death in January of 1995, Betty Molyneux Brown in the UK stepped down as IMFA President 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. 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. In 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

Betty retired as our editor in 2020 and continued her participation in IMFA as United Kingdom Family Representative until her death in 2022.

IMFA Constitution

Our association's governing document was adpoted by our membership in 1987. View Constitution of the International Molyneux Family Association.