Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

I plan on posting some of the Axtell Windmill Co. and family history here as I find it. Please feel free to share any of the info you may have also. Thanks

Jerry



Jay M. Axtell, 82 year old, of Las Cruces, NM died Thursday, February 9, 2006 at Memorial Medical Center. Jaybird, as he was affectionately called, was born to F.W. and Allie Mae Axtell in Fort Worth, Texas on January 9, 1924.

After the death of his mother at an early age, his loving stepmother, Mamie, raised him on the family ranch in San Angelo, Texas where the Axtell Company manufactured the revolutionary Ever-oil windmill. After graduating from high school he proudly joined the United States Navy and served as the pilot of a Landing Craft boat in the Pacific during WWII. When he returned to San Angelo he attend Texas A & M, where he completed his Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal Husbandry. Jay moved to Las Vegas, New Mexico with his father and other family members to work on the family ranch and dairy. He was involved in the local chapter of the FFA and served as a mounted patrol officer.

Jay moved to Las Cruces during the 1950's were he began working at White Sands Missile Range and was part of the Apollo missions that sent the first men to the moon. He also worked briefly on Kwajelein Island. He worked for Johnson Controls in Las Cruces and after assignments in Farmington and Albuquerque he retired from The Honeywell Corporation as a refrigeration and pneumatics controls specialist and returned to Las Cruces.

He was an avid hunter and fisherman throughout his life, and held a state record for a fish he landed at Snow Lake. We cherish the memories of many wonderful times spent with him at his place at Lake Roberts. He was a sports fan and especially enjoyed watching his grandchildren play sports. He also played cowboy polo in Las Cruces in the1960's. Jay will be remembered as a humorous and fun-loving man who loved so many people. He was quick to lend a helping hand when needed and was always friendly, frequently telling people he'd "see more of you when we go swimming" or something equally silly. We will miss his light-hearted smile. Jay was a believer in the Lord and was a member of the Mesilla Park Community Church.

Jay is preceded in death by many friends and loved ones, as well as his father, mother, step-mother, brothers "Dub" and "Doc", and sisters Libby, Jane, and Margaret. The most important person in his life, his beloved wife Lori, went be with the Lord in 1999, and he has longed to be in her presence ever since.

Jay is survived by his sisters, Jerry Cherry of Albuquerque, and June Hutchinson of Texas; sons Ron Axtell of Las Cruces, and Tony Axtell of San Angelo, Texas; daughters Kim Axtell of Sacramento, California, Sedra Ranae of Portland Oregon, Kate Hasty of Las Vegas, Nevada and Kim Namestnik of Albuquerque; and by his grandchildren Halle, Jason, Josh, Christopher, Heather, Jordan, Lauren, Tina, Matthew, Taylor and eight great grandchildren.

A graveside memorial service with military honors was held at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens Cemetery on Monday, February 13, 2006 at 10 AM.

F. W. Axtell, for many years, was a leader in the commercial life of Fort Worth, Texas, where he was engaged in the pump, mill, and general supply business.

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Jerry thank you for your history information. Dan

He sold Monitor windmills before and after he started manufacturing the Standard. You can find Monitors around with F.W.Axtell on the vane. The story in The Windmill Bible he was ordering so many Monitors the Baker Monitor people thought he was doing something crooked so they came down to check him out. The truth was he really was selling that many windmills. So they rewarded him by giving him all of Texas as his territory. I found an ad the other day talking about a double-acting pump jack they made and sold. Anybody know what a double-acting pump jack would be. They also sold Monitor and Witte gas engines.

I have a double acting pump cylinder. About 4 in wide, and like 3 ft long. Pumps on both the upstroke and downstroke. Pretty hard on the mill head.

This Axtell information is copied from the Windmillers' Gazette, 2001 from Baker Article:

This is who bought out Axtell in 1956 (matchbook from eBay).

Jay Axtell born in 1924, was my father. They sold the windmill company and the ranch near San Angelo after his father had a massive heart attack and moved to Las Vegas, NM.

My brother, Jay's oldest son just passed away at age 80, April 14. Ron served as police chief in Las Cruces NM for many years. Ron was raised on the family ranch in San Angelo and later in Las Vegas, NM. He joined the Navy during Viet Nam and served on a nuclear submarine before moving the Las Cruces, where he settled, worked as a police officer and raised his family.

I was raised mostly in Las Cruces, served in the US Air Force, and returned to Las Cruces afterward, raised my son here, and attended college at New Mexico State University. I am a teacher at a local high school. My brother, myself, and my son all continued our father's legacy of being in FFA. I hope my grandchildren will also. My son is a local photographer and taken many pictures of the local area with windmills, although they aren't Axtell's of course. I hope to have a homestead in the coming years and may revive windmill technology.

Kim thank you for that information about your dad starting the Axtel windmill co. You make two people now on this forum who's relative started a windmill co. Jim Corcoran is another who just aquired a family windmill of his own!!