The Portland daily press., 1883-05-21
The Grange in Maine.

The first Grange in Maine was organized
In Hampden, Oct. 81, 1873 through the in
strumentality of Mr.. A. K Walker of that
town who had been temporarily residing In
Washington, and had become member of
the Order while there. The Hampden
Grange was called Eastern Star Grange No.
/, and was petitioned for by twenty men and
ten women. Mr.. Walker was the first Mas
ter. This Grange, it may be we'll to state,
has met almost every week now for over
nine years and the spirit of harmony and
brotherly love that has always prevailed
among its members still binds them together
as active workers for the success of the or
der. The rolls of the Grange contain los
members and several applications for mem
bership. 1t has nice hall furnished with an
excellent organ, and its treasury contains a
balance of about $780, After the organza-
ton of Eastern Star Grange, Mr.. Walker
continued to receive letters from all portions
of the State asking information about the
new order, and in the following December,
Deputy o. ID Hinkley of Wisconsin paid the
State a visit with au hority to cooperate
with Mr.. Walker in the formation of other
subordinate Oranges. Together they dvid-
ed the State, Mr.. Walker taking the eastern
part aud Mr.. Hinkley the western, and by
April, 1874, seventeen new Oranges had
been organized, the former bringing the
took, Piscataquis, Somerset Hancock and
Waldo counties.
The success that had crowned their eff
forts was so signal that Deputy Hinkley is
sued call to the Masters for the organiza
ton of a new State Grange, and on April Fl,
sixteen responded to the call, and were duly
organized at Lewiston under the direction
of the Masterof the New Hampshire Grange,
with the following officers: Master, Nelson
IS II a..-tcf
Gilman of Heulton; Lecturer, L. b. Dem
net of Portland; Steward, E. H. Clements
of Newburg; Assistant Steward, Hartwell
Little of Brunswick; Chaplain, p. E. Norton
of Pennington; Treasurer, Charles Ii. Cobb
of Poland; Secretary, j. NJ. jackson of
Lewiston; Gate Keeper, George Clements of
WATERPROOF. The wisdom of this action was
shown during the following month by an
Increase in the number of Oranges in differ
ent portions of the State, so that at the end
of the year 63 Oranges were reported back
from Washington, distributed as follows by
counties: Audroscoggin, H.; Aroostook, A;
Cumberland, IL; Franklin, 8; Kennebec, l;
Oxford, 6; Pen0hscot, 10; Sagadahoc, 4;
Somerset. 2: Waldo, s.; York, 9; with total
membership of about 2000.
The following abstracts from the annual
reports of the Secretary of the State Grange
will show the general prosperity of the or
der:
1876 (second annual sessionl-136 oranges
organized during the year, making 21S in
the State, with a membership of about 5000.
Balance in he treasury, S1n57.41.
1S76-220 Oranges, with membership of
about 1900. Balance in the treasury.
$3775. rs.
1S77-A gain in the number of oranges
reported, but decrease of about 20 per
cent. in membership. Balance in treasury.
s1291.o6
1S7s-140 oranges paid their dues for the
quarter ending in September, and a mem
berssip Of S2l5 was reported to the National
Grange.
1S19-No new oranges organized since the
last report, and four had surrendered their
charters; three county oranges had been or
ganized. For the quarter ending Sept. 80.
133 paying oranges were reported, with
membership of 1850. Twenty additional
oranges reported before the close of the year.
Balance in the treasury, S102517.
1SSO-Three new oranges organized and
hve surrendered their charters; one county
grange was organized. The quarter end
ing Sept 80, showed 119 oranges, with a
membership of 1899. Balance in the treas
ury, $77S.42.
1S81-Three dormant oranges revived and
two new ones organized, making 40, with
membership of S549. Two county oranges
were organised Balance in treasury, $685..
20.
1SS2-Five dormant oranges reorganized,
five new ones organized and eight standing
still resumed their places in the active list.
The returns showed 15S oranges with pay
ing membership of 1875 Balancein treas
ury, S1323 o.. The largest gain for the year
was made by the North Brooksville Grange,
49, The largest grange il the State was the
North Star OF Dixmont, having ISL MEM
bers. twenty oranges have over 100 mem
bers, and seven more than doubled their
membership during the past year. Several
new oranges have been organized since the
annual meeting in December.
Since the organization of the State Grange
in 1874, there have been but three Masters.
Nelson Ham of Lewiston, d. H Thing of
Mt. Vernon and Frederic Robbie of Gorham
Maine Farmer.