The Founders’ Grange and Ours

April is Grange month and as the Grange organization turned 148 years old last December, it is appropriate to look at the roots of the Grange and wonder how the founders of the Grange would view us today.

America was very different in 1867. The civil war was concluded and the reconstruction was in progress, both in welcoming back the Confederate states, and in efforts to punish them. Most people lived in rural America and over 50% of the population was farmers. The economy was in recession following the war. The industrial revolution was in full swing and the country was changing.

Today politicians and their supporters demonize their opponents and partisanship divides the country. Most Americans live in urban and suburban areas and less than 2% of the population is farmers. The economy is out of recession, but stagnant and struggling in most states. The information revolution is in full swing and the nation is changing.

So who were the eight individuals credited with being the founders?

Oliver Hudson Kelley was from Boston and moved west ending up in Itasca Minnesota with a farm. He was the promoter of the organization and the initial success of the Order is largely due to his extensive correspondence and field work in organizing Granges. He resigned as National Grange Secretary in 1878 and pursued other vocations, including writing, farming, municipal public service, real estate development and oil exploration. He returned to the Order later in life.

William Saunders was from Scotland and worked in horticulture and landscape design. He was personally recruited by Isaac Newton, the first US Commissioner of Agriculture, to join the management team of the fledging USDA in 1862, where he served until his death in 1900. He brought a keen analytical mind and extensive contacts in agriculture to the Grange formation. He stepped down from the Executive Committee in 1875. 

William Ireland was a Pennsylvanian and worked much of his life in Washington, D.C. He was a significant contributor to Grange rules and ritual. He was the first Treasurer and assumed the duties of Secretary when Kelley resigned. He resigned as National Secretary in 1885 and then worked with Albert Pike in the Masonic Order until his death in 1891. 

John R. Thompson was born in New Hampshire. During the Civil war he was promoted to the rank of Colonel. He wrote much of the sixth and seventh degrees and contributed much to the lower degrees. He served as the first Lecturer and the second Treasurer. For 10 years he served as High Priest of the Assembly of Demeter from 1873 to 1883. He passed away in 1893.

Rev. Aaron B. Grosh was of Pennsylvania birth and of the Universalist faith. He was the only older man of the founders and contributed extensively in writing ritualistic work. He also wrote “Mentor in the Granges and Homes of Patrons of Husbandry,” He served as National Grange Chaplain until 1875 and died in 1884. 

Francis McDowell was a New Yorker who was a highly successful New York investment banker who sold US railroad bonds to European investors until his failing health forced his retirement. He then turned to growing grapes on the shores of Lake Keuka. He served as Treasurer until 1893 and died the following March. He contributed many ideas to the structure of the Grange and is credited with the addition of the Seventh Degree. The financial success of the Order was due to his counsel and guidance.

 John Trimble was born in New Jersey and received his Doctor of Divinity while serving as a minster. He provided constructive criticism during the formation of the structure and ritual of the Grange. He refused office in the Grange until 1884 when he filled in for Ireland. He was elected and served as Secretary and also as the National Grange’s lobbyist in Washington DC from 1885 until his death in 1902. 

Caroline Hall was born in Boston. She served as her uncle Oliver Hudson Kelley’s right arm, providing aid in correspondence and in providing much needed clerical assistance to him, especially during his tenure as National Grange Secretary. She is credited with insisting to the other founders that the National Grange give full voice and vote to women from the very start of the organization.  She served as Ceres from 1868-1873 and Lady Assistant Steward from 1873-79 and died from a car accident in 1918.

What would these individuals think of the Grange today? Would they recognize it? Would they approve of us?

I believe that that answer is yes. The Grange was formed with two main goals, provide and encourage education and to arrange for social connection and interaction. The purpose of this was to allow each member to learn and grow in order to reach their full potential while promoting agriculture as a noble endeavor. 

I have a hunch that many of the founders would encourage us to focus more on education than we already do, especially as they viewed the Lecturer as an educator or teacher. However, it is likely that they would smile in pride at the spirit of fraternity and friendship in the Grange of today.

Even with all the changes to the ritualistic work of the Order over the past 148 years, I have no doubt the each of the founders would recognize the Grange today. They might ask us some hard questions about why some ritual and rule changes were incorporated, but other changes would be greeted with a “well done” by even John Trimble.

It is my opinion that the achievements of the Grange would amaze all of the founders. They might even be surprised that after nearly a century and a half, we remain a non-partisan grassroots legislative force and that so many good works are accomplished for our local communities. I doubt any of them would be surprised that we still remain true to the principles of the Grange. They saw Faith in God, Hope, Charity to the needy, and Fidelity in all aspects of life to be essential characteristics. They would be proud that our organization has not abandoned these principles as they likely would have believed that the loss of principles would have doomed their organization.

In 1873 at the sixth Session of the National Grange, the founders and the first delegates adopted a new Constitution and By-Laws for the Grange. The big change was the elimination of the Grange Senate. In real terms, the founders bequeathed the Grange organization to the delegates of the National Grange. The organization we have today remains the gift of the founders to all of us.

If they could speak to us today, don’t you think that they’d encourage each of us to continue their legacy? Will you invite someone to Grange; will you bring in a new member this year, especially as we celebrate Grange month?