The following are the original bylaws of the AFO from a small (4" by 2 1/2") booklet dated December 1951. Of course, these bylaws carry no weight today. The last part of the booklet lists all members of the AFO, including 50 members from England in the English division. Thanks to Dean C. Axtell for this information.

Constitution and By-Laws
of the
Axtell Family Organization
adopted at the
Axtell Family National Convention
at
CUSTER, SOUTH DAKOTA
August 7, 1947

ARTICLE I
The name of this organization shall be "The Axtell Family Organization".

ARTICLE II
The purposes of this organization shall be social; the protection of the fair name of our family; to insure the keeping of accurate family records and the promotion of the educational interests of the the Axtell youth.

ARTICLE III
Voting by members of the organization shall be limited to descendents of Thomas Axtell, brother of Daniel the Regicide, who landed in Sudbury, Mass., in the year 1643.

ARTICLE IV
All wives, husbands, or parents of members shall be eligible to be associate members of the Axtell Family Organization.

ARTICLE V
Dues of all members, regular and associate, shall be $1.00 a year, payable on the first of August of each year.

ARTICLE VI
This organization shall consist of three divisions, which in all except national convention years shall function independently: i.e.

The Axtell Family Organization of the East.

The Axtell Family Organization of the Central.

The Axtell Family Organization of the West.

which organizations shall be presided over by a Vice-President of this organization and served by a Secretary to be elected by the members of each regional organization.

ARTICLE VII
No member who is in default of dues shall have a vote. Membership in the organization shall be limited to Axtell's by descent, that is, by sons and daughters of Axtells, who are 18 years of age or over.

ARTICLE VIII
The officers of this organization shall be a President who shall preside at all conventions and three Vice-Presidents who shall serve 5-year terms.

ARTICLE IX
In case of a vacancy in the office of President, his office shall be filled by the Vice-President of the East, who shall preside until the next convention, 1952, to be held at the Bob Marshall Camp, Custer, South Dakota, unless otherwise directed by the trustees.

ARTICLE X
The President, the three Vice-Presidents and the Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected at the quinquennial [sic] conventions.

ARTICLE XI
In case the office of Vice-President becomes vacant, his duties shall be performed by the Secretary of the regional organization until a successor is chosen by the Board of Trustees, or elected at the next convention.

ARTICLE XII
Meetings, except in each convention year, 1952, 1957, 1962, shall be held by each regional group at such times and places during the year as the dues-paying members of each group or their officers may decide.

ARTICLE XIII
All power to transact business of this organizations shall be in the members at the quinquennial conventions, except that between conventions all necessary functions of the organization, in the interest of members, shall be done and transacted by the Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE XIV
The officers of this organization: i.e., President, three Vice-Presidents and Secretary-Treasurer shall constitute the Board of Trustees of this organization.

ARTICLE XV
While region meetings may recommend action to the national organization, all authority to take action shall be in the members of the National organization to be exercised either at conventions or through the Board of Trustees between conventions.

ARTICLE XVI
Special Meetings of the Board of Trustees may be called whenever a majority of the Trustees or 15 or more members, by petition, request a meeting to be held for the purpose of considering any matter deemed to be important to the organization. The voting at special meetings of the Board of Trustees may be held at the office of the President by the device of proxy vote.

At a previous meeting a resolution that Robert's Rules of Order should govern the conduct of all meetings of members of the organization was passed.

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