Section 1: The name of the society shall be “Winslow Heritage Society”. Herein referred to as the Society.
Article II
Objectives
Section 1: To perpetuate the history and honor the memory of the Winslow brothers who first stepped foot in America during the “Great Pilgrimage” beginning with the voyage of the Mayflower in 1620: Edward, b. 18 Oct. 1595, d. 8 May, 1655; John, b. 16 April 1597, d. 1674; Josiah, b. 11 Feb. 1605-6, d. 17 Dec. 1674; Gilbert, b. 26 Oct. 1600, d. (?); Kenelm, b. 29 April, 1599, d, (bur.) 13 Sept. 1672.
Section 2: To encourage continued research and education regarding the children of Edward Winslow, Sr., including those in America and in England, and their descendants and to reach out to other kindred family and Pilgrim friends.
Section 3: To assist in the preservation of history pertaining to all Pilgrim families drawn to the shores of America for religious freedom, new frontiers, trade, etc. who participated in the building of a nation.
Section 4: To celebrate the time honored traditions which began when our forefathers first set foot in Plymouth Colony.
Section 5: To establish a Memorial Fund to be used in memory of the Winslow Family.
Section 6: To encourage and support DNA testing programs either through the General Society of Mayflower Descendants or through established genealogical testing programs.
Article III
Membership
Section 1: The Society shall be open to all persons who:
Can prove lineage to any descendant of Edward Winslow, Sr. (1560-1631);
Can prove lineage to any Mayflower Pilgrim and has an interest in the history of the Winslow family.
Can prove lineage to the ancient lines of Winslows*
Section 2: There shall be three levels of membership:
Regular
Life
Junior
Section 3: Regular Members
a. All persons 18 years of age or older who are descended from one the Winslow brothers or from any Mayflower Pilgrim shall be eligible for regular membership in this society or who can prove lineage to the ancient lines of the Winslows;*
b. Membership in the Society requires a written application which is sent to the Historian of the Society along and a non-refundable application fee as established by the Board of Assistants, that is sent to the Treasurer of the Society;***
c. All regular members shall be eligible to vote.
Section 4: Life Members
a. Life Membership is available to regular members for a one-time payment as established by the Board of Assistants.***
b. All life members shall be eligible to vote.
c. Any Board member who is not a life member may automatically receive life membership after serving one full term, as defined in the document.*****
Section 5: Junior Members
a. Any person under the age of 18 years may become a Junior member by paying a one-time fee as established by the Board of Assistants.***
b. This membership shall remain in effect until the Junior member turns 18, at which time he or she is eligible to apply to become a Regular or Life member of this society.*****
Section 6: Applications must be submitted on the appropriate Winslow Heritage Society Application Form provided by the Society and accompanied by an application fee and first year’s dues.
Section 7: Documentation to sufficiently prove line of descent from any descendant of Edward Winslow, Sr. (1560-1631) or from a Mayflower Pilgrim or for those who can prove lineage to the ancient lines of Winslows which shall be submitted to the Society Historian/Genealogist, who shall determine the validity of the line. A copy of a previously approved lineage from the General Society of Mayflower Descendants is acceptable for membership.*
Section 8: Friends of the Winslow Heritage Society
When the Society wishes to recognize someone who supports the objectives of the Winslow Heritage Society and wishes to have an association but is not eligible for membership as defined in Article III, Membership, Section 1, such a person may be called “Friend of the Winslow Heritage Society”. Such friends may include the spouse of a member or be a member of the household who is not biologically descended from the member, or not biologically descended from the Winslow Brothers or a Mayflower Pilgrim. The Board of Assistants shall provide an application form, annual fee structure, and rules for this designation. There shall be no application fee.
Section 9: Honorary Member
When the Society wishes to recognize someone who has gone above and beyond to benefit the Winslow Heritage Society and/or its membership, such person shall be bestowed “Honorary Membership” status by a majority vote of the Board of Assistants. The Honorary member shall receive an official membership certificate, receive newsletters, be allowed to attend annual meetings, but shall not maintain voting rights or be required to pay fees.**
Section 10: Removal of a Member
The Winslow Heritage Society Board may consider and revoke the membership of any member that does not support the goals and principles prescribed in the founding documents of the Winslow Heritage Society.****
Article IV
Dues and Fees
Section 1: Annual dues as established by the Board of Assistants are payable January 1 of each year except Life Members. Members failing to pay dues for the current calendar year shall be notified by the Treasurer by May 1 of the current year that they will be dropped from membership if dues are not received by June 1.***
Members may be reinstated upon payment of the current year’s dues. No re-admission fee shall be assessed.
Section 2: Annual dues for “Friends of the Winslow Heritage Society” as established by the Board of Assistants are payable January 1 of each year. Non-payment by May 1 of the current year will result in them being dropped from membership. “Friends” may be reinstated upon payment of the current year’s dues. No re-admission fee shall be assessed.***
Section 3: Resignation shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary. Members who are in good standing may be reinstated upon payment of the current year’s dues and a re-admission fee determined by the Board.
Section 4: The calendar year shall govern membership that is from January 1 through December 31.
Article V
Officers
Section 1: The Officers of the Society shall constitute the governing Board to be known as the Board of Assistants.
Section 2: The Governor shall preside at all meetings of the Society; shall appoint committee members and chairs and shall appoint a Nominating Committee.
Section 3: The Deputy Governor shall perform the duties of the Governor in his/her absence; shall succeed the Governor in completion of an unexpired term and shall perform such other duties as may be required.
Section 4: The Secretary shall record the minutes of all meetings; shall maintain and up-to-date membership list as a Membership Directory; shall give notice of the time and place of all meetings and shall perform such other duties as pertain to the office.
Section 5: The Treasurer shall be authorized, under the direction of the Board of Assistants, to open a bank account in the Society’s name; to collect, take charge and keep all moneys belonging to the Society; to make all necessary disbursements therefrom and to make investments as directed by the Finance Committee. The Treasurer shall keep suitable books of accounts, make a financial report at each annual meeting, and perform such other duties as pertain to the office of Treasurer.
Section 6: The Historian/Genealogist shall determine the eligibility of applicants for membership; shall maintain the applications and documentation of the Society’s members, and perform such other duties as pertain to the office.*****
Section 7: The Chaplainshall send out cards of condolence on the occasion of the death of a Society member or a member’s family and shall make a Necrology report at each Society meeting. The Chaplin shall give the benediction and invocation at meetings of the Society when requested and shall perform such other duties as may be required.
Section 8: The Assistantsshall perform such duties as may be requested by the Governor.
Article VI
Board of Assistants
Section 1: The Society shall be governed by the Board of Assistants, herein referred to as the Board. All members of the Board must be members in good standing who are volunteering their time to the Society.
Section 2: The Board shall have general responsibility for conducting the business and affairs of the Society, including the authority to fill unexpired terms of office. The Board may not change the bylaws without first bringing any change(s) before the membership for a vote.*****
Section 3: The Board of Assistants shall consist of all elected officers, namely the Governor, Deputy Governor, Treasurer, Secretary, Historian/Genealogist, Chaplain and up to six Assistants. All members of the Board of Assistants shall be regular or life members.
Section 4: Nominations for officers shall be made by a three person Nominating Committee appointed by the Governor. The report of the Nominating Committee shall be communicated to each member three months before the Society’s annual meeting. Nominations from the floor at the annual meeting shall also be acceptable for any office. The Nominating Committee will also act to fill any vacancy of office that may arise during a three year term. The Board of Assistants will have the authority to approve such nomination until the next annual meeting.
Section 5: Elections of officers shall be held at the annual meeting of the Society. Officers shall be elected for a three year term.
Section 6: Minutes of all Board meetings and the Treasurer’s report shall be made available to the membership when requested by members in good standing.
Section 7: Officers may be removed from office for cause as provided in the parliamentary authority.
Article VII
Meetings
Section 1: An Annual Meeting, open to all members, shall be held in August-September-October of each year at a place, time and date selected by the Board of Assistants (including Zoom or similar format). If unforeseen circumstances arise, the Board may adjust when and where the Annual Meeting is to be held, but will make all attempts to hold the meeting as indicated within these By-laws.*****
Section 2: Each third year, the Annual Meeting shall be planned to coincide with the Triennial Congress of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants and is to be held in Plymouth, MA or within a 100 mile radius of Plymouth, MA, and shall be called the “Triennial Plymouth Meeting.”
Section 3: Notice of the Annual Meeting shall be provided to all members in good standing. Notification may be by mail or electronic mail. A simple vote of regular and life members attending shall constitute authority for the transaction of business. Each member will be provided with a proxy form in the notification of Annual Meeting. Members unable to attend the Annual Meeting may vote by proxy, said form to be returned to the Secretary two weeks prior to the annual meeting to be included in the total vote.
Section 4: The Board of Assistants may hold meetings at such time and place as is convenient and necessary and will be permitted to conduct meetings by electronic means, including e-mail phone, and Zoom or similar platform, as required.*****
Section 5: Special meetings for the purpose of approval of matters requiring action may be conducted by the Board of Assistants by electronic communication providing that such action is ratified in writing at the next regular Board of Assistants meeting
Article VIII
Rules of Order
Section 1: Robert’s Rules of Order, current edition, shall govern the Society in all cases to which they are applicable and where they are not inconsistent with the by-laws and any special rules or order the Society may adopt.
Article IX
Amendments of the Bylaws
Section 1: Amendments to the By-laws may be made at any Annual Meeting by a majority vote, provided that the notice of such amendments is given in the announcement for the Annual Meeting.
Section 2: These By-laws shall take effect after ratification at the first Winslow Heritage Society Meeting in September, 2014. Any amendments hereafter shall be ratified upon majority vote at the Annual Meeting and shall be made available on the Society website within one month after ratification.*****
Article X
Headquarters
No permanent National Headquarters shall be maintained. The address of the Society shall be that of the current Governor of the Society.
Article XI
Committees
Section 1: Committees and committee chairs shall be appointed by the Governor. Committees may include, but shall not be limited to By-laws, Education/Research, Finance, Newsletter, Webmaster, Junior membership, and as needed, Nominating Committee. Committee chairs will be appointed for a three year term.
Section 2: The Governor shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
Article XII
Tax Status
The Society shall seek to function as a non-profit organization for charitable and educational purposes. This will include registration with a state corporation bureau as a non-profit corporation and Federal designation as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation for tax purposes.
Article XIII
Dissolution of Society
Section 1. In case of dissolution of the Society, its assets, if any, remaining after all of its debts, liabilities and other obligations have been fully satisfied and discharged, shall be distributed by the Treasurer as determined by the Board, subject to the guidelines of a state and federal non-profit corporation.
By-laws approved at the First Annual Meeting of the Winslow Heritage Society, Plymouth, MA, on September 8, 2014.
*Indicates an amendment to the By-laws to include wording about regarding membership for the ancient Winslows, which amendment was duly adopted at the 2nd Annual Meeting of the Winslow Heritage Society via teleconference, October 24, 2015.
**Indicates an amendment to the By-laws to include wording regarding Honorary Membership status, which amendment was duly adopted at the 5th Annual Meeting of the Winslow Heritage Society via teleconference, October 13, 2018.
***Indicates an amendment to the By-laws to include wording to empower the Board of Assistants to make decisions as necessary to maintain viability of the Winslow Heritage Society, which amendment was duly adopted at the 5th Annual Meeting of the Winslow Heritage Society via teleconference, October 13, 2018.
****Indicates an amendment to the By-laws to include wording to empower the Board of Assistants to remove any member who does not support the goals and principles prescribed in the founding documents of the Winslow Heritage Society, which amendment was duly adopted at the 8th Annual Meeting of the Winslow Heritage Society via teleconference, Oct 3, 2021.
*****Indicates changes or additions to the By-laws, which were duly adopted at the 11th Annual Meeting of the Winslow Heritage Society held via Zoom, January 25, 2025.