Charter of the Joseph Bucklin Society
General description.
The Joseph Bucklin Society is a national organization dedicated to historical
and genealogical research and the dissemination of educational material. The
Society is not connected with any denomination or political group.
Name of society and general purposes of society.
BECAUSE: The colonists of the seventeen century who planted the Massachusetts
Bay Colony and the Rhode Island and Providence Plantations Colony were one of
the most influential groups of settlers of North America. William Bucklin and
his descendants were a vital part of that group that determined the initial
character of what became the United States of America.
AND BECAUSE: Joseph Bucklin, in
the Gaspee Affair of 1772, was the first American who deliberately shot an
English military man in an attack upon the English. (The Gaspee Affair was an
outstanding event in the formation of the American Revolution. Joseph Bucklin
and his relatives were typical of the early Americans who rose in the American
Revolution to start what became a new nation.)
NOW THEREFORE: The Joseph Bucklin
Society is named for Joseph Bucklin and is dedicated to researching and
preserving the history of the Massachusetts and Rhode Island colonists and
transmitting their example of courage, zeal, faith, duty, and honor.
Scope of our work.
Our scope of research, study, and education includes:
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the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the Rhode Island and Providence
Plantations Colony, in the period 1600--- 1799; and England in the same time
period (with particular reference to the Dorset area), and
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the Bucklin family, with
particular reference to the period 1600 --- 1899, and
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the
Gaspee Affair (including the legal and political background as it relates to the
American Revolution).
Goals of the Joseph Bucklin Society.
Our goals are:
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To research, preserve, and
publish the events of the Gaspee Affair, its historical background, and the
succeeding events up to the time of the Lexington Alarm, both in England and
New England.
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To research, preserve, and
publish the geopolitical events of 1600 to 1799 in England and New England.
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To locate the origins and
family histories in England of the Bucklins.
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To make, preserve, and
present a genealogical database including all the descendants of the
Bucklins to the eighth generation from William Bucklin, with the
reconstructed biographies and ancestries of the Bucklins as well as can be
established, plus the lineages to the present day as submitted to us by the
membership.
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To call attention to the
books, articles and research established both by others and also by our own
research findings.
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To engage in public
ceremonies honoring the colonists of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the
Rhode Island Colony, the participants in the Gaspee Affair, and Americans
living at the time of the American Revolution.
Membership.
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Full Member Membership. Full non-hereditary membership is open to all men and women of
good character and who are either: [descent] are of: descent from one or more Bucklins,
or descent from participants in the Gaspee Affair, or descent from others who
settled in the American colonies before 1775, or [participation] have
participated in an event commemorating the Gaspee Affair.
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Supporting Member Membership. Associate membership in the Society is
available for those interested in supporting the purposes of the Society. Upon
unanimous decision of the Officers as to an applicant, persons who wish to
support the Society may purchase a non-hereditary Supporting Membership with such membership
rights and participation as the Officers may from time to time determine for the
class of membership.
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Honored Member Membership. Upon unanimous decision of the Officers,
persons who have given valuable voluntary services in conformity with the ideals
and purposes of the Society may be awarded a special non-hereditary class of
membership, with such membership honors, rights and participation as the
Officers from time to time may determine for the individual then to be admitted
Assets.
No part of the earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefit of, or
be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons,
except the organization may pay expenses and reasonable compensation to its
officers or to others for items furnished or services
rendered. and may make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes
of the organization. No substantial part of the activities of the organization
shall be attempting to influence
legislation; and the organization shall not participate in, or intervene in any
political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public
office. This organization shall not, except to an insubstantial degree, engage
in any activities or exercise any powers that are not in furtherance of the
purposes of this organization. Upon the dissolution of the organization, assets
shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of
any future federal tax code, or to a an organization which is organized and
operated exclusively for such purposes. or shall be distributed to the federal
government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose.
BYLAWS
Office.
From time to time the Officers shall determine the location of the principal office of the Society. It may be any location within the United States. The Secretary shall
keep, at the principal office, a copy of these bylaws and minutes of all meetings of the Officers.
The principal office as of 11 June 2000: 8063 South Michele Lane,
Tempe, AZ 85284, and the office continues there to the present date..
Internet addresses and pages may be maintained by the Society.
Officers.
All business and affairs of the Society shall be managed solely by the
Officers. Initially the Offices shall be a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, an
Executive Director, a Secretary and a Treasurer. The Chairperson shall be in
general charge of the organization. Should the Chairperson be absent or
otherwise incapable, the Vice-Chairperson will assume the duties of the office.
The Executive Director shall be the chief executive officer and shall manage the
day to day affairs of the Society. In addition, the Executive Director may take
any action that may be decided by majority vote of the Officers, subject to
reversal or change by a majority of the Officers. The Secretary shall keep accurate minutes of
the meetings of the Officers, and will chiefly be responsible for formal
correspondence with the members. The Treasurer shall be the Society's chief
financial officer and shall keep and maintain correct books of all accounts and
transactions of the Society.
Any number, or all, of the five Offices can be held
by the same person. An Officer may resign at any time upon written notification
to the Chairperson, Executive Director, or Secretary. Any Officer may be removed at any meeting of
the Officers upon a majority vote of the Officers. Any Office vacated can be
filled by a majority decision at a meeting of the Officers. Offices can be
eliminated or New Offices can be created by majority vote of the existing
Officers. The number of Offices may never be less than three nor more than
seven.
Initially Officers will receive no salary, pay, or compensation for their
services other than reimbursement for expenses as filed with and recorded by the
Treasurer. After membership reaches 25 members, a suitable honorarium for
services rendered may be paid to an Officer, as decided by majority vote of the
Officers.
Officers for each year, with a term of office of one year, will be elected at
a meeting of the Officers each year on or about the 10th day of June of each
year.
Meetings.
The Officers shall convene at least once a year and whenever else and in a
manner they deem necessary to conduct business, either at the principle office,
or any other place, or by any communication media felt appropriate by the
Officers. Either (a) two or more of the principal Officers, or (b) Sixty percent
(rounded to the nearest full percent) of all Offices (not Officers) must be
present for a quorum to be declared. Each Officer has one equal vote, no matter
how many Offices he/she holds.
Membership.
Applicants will be admitted to membership solely upon the discretion of the
Officers. Upon the Officers' decision, the prospective Member will be admitted.
The admitted Member will receive a personalized certificate of membership
suitable for framing. Membership will commence upon issuance of the certificate.
If Full Society Membership is based on one of the descendant categories of
membership, then, the applicant's lineage as given by the applicant will
be accepted on faith, if the details thereof are reasonably complete and connected, unless they appear
illogical. The lineage must be accompanied by the applicant's best (sufficient
but not exhaustive) documentation for the birth events and relationships
submitted. Published sources are preferred, but family sources are acceptable.
Reproductions of documentary evidence may be requested at the discretion of the
officers in some cases. Any and all evidence, sources and argument the applicant
can provide on his/her 17th and 18th century New England ancestors are
requested..
Applicants for Full Society Membership must state in their application that:
Membership fees for various categories and lengths of membership will be set,
and may be changed from time to time, by the Officers. Subscription to the
Society's publications will be separate fees, as set by the Officers from time
to time. Subscriptions are voluntary.
Annual dues shall be a requirement to maintain the status of a Full Society
Member as an active member. Failure to pay annual dues shall automatically
terminate active membership. From time to time, the Officers shall set the
amount for annual dues.
Full Society Membership is permanent, regardless of the status of the members
as active or non-active, but membership is non-hereditary and non-transferable.
Any other class of Membership will renew annually, but subject to the
discretionary decision of the Officers to terminate by non-renewal any
Membership other than Full Society Membership.
A Member may not be expelled from the Society, except by unanimous vote of
the Officers for one of the five following causes:
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1. evidence of the Member's deliberate falsification of his/ her application.
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2. the Member's conviction of a felony.
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3. the Member's dishonorable discharge from the US military service.
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4. the Member's continued and deliberate harassment of the Officers (as in
the abuse of the rights to petition and to demand financial reports) to the
extent that Society business is impeded. Any such dismissal is open thereafter to a single appeal to a majority vote of the full
membership within one year, to be handled in the manner of a petition as described below.
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5. The Member's misuse of Membership to the extent that Society business is
impeded or the Society is exposed to public harassment. Any such dismissal is
open for one year thereafter to a single appeal to a majority vote
of the full membership, to be handled in the manner of a petition as described
below.
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6. Failure to pay membership dues.
Changes to these bylaws.
These bylaws may be amended:
1. when the Officers shall agree
unanimously to the change; or
2. upon a petition of the Members. A petition may be initiated by any Member,
and the Officers are bound to notify all of the Members (whose addresses are
held in confidentiality), giving an accurate copy of the petition along with the
Officers' position on the proposal. Any one Member may not initiate or
participate in the initiation of more than one petition per calendar year.
Within six weeks of the receipt of said initial petition, the proposal must be
duly and completely distributed by the Officers for a vote of the full active
membership, with a due and diligent attempt to obtain the votes of all Members.
A due and diligent attempt to obtain the votes of all Members may consist of
email solicitations of votes. The tally of said vote will be taken within three months of the receipt by the
Officers of the said initial petition. The Officers will publish the results in
an appropriate manner, which may consist of a posting on an Internet site of the
Society.
Members must individually state their vote to the
Society when voting on a change in the Society bylaws or on a petition. No
petition initiation by proxy or vote by proxy will be recognized. A quorum of
Members for any vote on a change in the bylaws will be 30% of the full active
membership. Should less than 30% respond to a solicitation of votes, no change in these bylaws will be
made, regardless of the majority vote of those voting.
After a two-thirds majority approval by a quorum of the membership,
notwithstanding any objections of the Officers, the changes duly petitioned will
be written into this Charter by amendment and will take effect immediately.
Inactive Members.
A Member will be placed into inactive status when:
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1. after a reasonable time
the Member has failed to pay
annual or any other dues established
by the Society as the dues necessary to maintain active status; or
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2. the officers cannot
communicate to the Member by either United States Postal Service mail or
e-mail after due and diligent attempts to do so, or
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3. for any reason the Member voluntarily leaves the Society, and notifies the
Officers to that effect, or
Duties of Members.
Members have the duty to inform the Society of their email address and their
postal address, and to keep such information current.
Members have the duty to occasionally inform the Society of all substantial
new information they discover about their 16th , 17th , or 18th century
ancestors.
Especially important to the Society is the bibliography of sources, original
17th century documents, and results of research done in original sources in
England or New England.
Rights of Members.
Members, should they disagree with the bylaws of the Society or the work or
position of the Society, have a right to petition the Society's Officers for a
change. Living Members have a right to privacy. While a living
Member's lineage might be published in the publications of the Society, due care
will exercised to provide that no other information about living Members,
including their addresses, will ever be disclosed by the Society to anyone,
other than an Officer of the Society for the operation of the Society, not even to other Members, except by the Member's permission or
by Court Order. A Member's or public statement of his/her membership is implied
permission for the Officers to disclose the fact of membership existing.
NOTE: THIS WEB SITE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION. THE ABOVE COPY OF THE CHARTER AND BYLAWS IS APPROXIMATE. THE CHARTER,
AS AMENDED, AND THE BYLAWS, AS AMENDED, MAY BE DIFFERENT IN WORDING AND MAY
HAVE DIFFERENT FORMATTING, SECTION NUMBERS, OR OTHER DIFFERENCES OR THERE MAY BE
AMENDMENTS NOT REFLECTED IN THE WORDING ON THIS WEBSITE.
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