The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-04-28
Granite Grange Anniversary.
A History Of the Grange by Past Master
r T.. Tundy.


Granite Grange, No. 1872, North Sears
port, held an all-day meeting April 18th,
it being the anniversary Of the Grange.
Worthy Master H. M. Black, Jr., called
the forenoon meeting to order and open
ed the grange in form. All the officers
We're in their places. After the regular
routine of business remarks were made
by Past Masters A. Stinson and E. B.
Thayer. A recess was then taken for
dinner and a good oldfashioned harvest
feast was partaken of in the dining room
off the hall. The Past Masters of the
Grange passed around cigars and corn
cakes and the Brothers smoked while the
Sisters chatted and ate corn cakes. When
the Grange was again convened the pro-
gram arranged for the occasion was sue
cessfully carried out. The history of the
Grange by Past Master F. L. Trundy,
which follows this report, was given in
fine manner. There being no further
business to come before the Grange it
closed in form. 1t was a first-class time.
OLD GRANITE GRANGE.
Granite Grange, No. 1872, was organic
ed November Is, 1875, by Bro. George M.
Clements of Winterport with IS or 40
charter members. Of the thirteen Off
GERS who were elected then the most, if
not all, are dead or scattered and fled.
The first master of the old Grange was
E. H. Chase, who held the office for two
years. The next master was E. w. Rob-
bins, for the year 1878. and H. P. Carter
for the year 1879 The last meeting of
the old Granite Grange was held Febru
airy 2, 1880, when it disbanded and sur
rendered its charter to the State Grange
through Brother Moody, one of the ex-
ecutive committee of the State Grange.
Old Granite Grange was organized in the
church and afterwards held its meetings
in the old brick house hall where the
house owned by Sister Stevens now
stands. 1t moved from there in the year
1876, and went into new hall at Oliver
Whitcomb's until turned out of doors,
after which they met at the private resi-
dences of the members until it died a
natural death. Old Granite Grange ex-
listed just four years, two months and
nineteen days, and during that time we
find but two deaths recorded: Bro. Waldo
Mathews, who died in October, 1876, and
Bro. Henry S. Black, who died in J anuary,
1873. This Grange remained in DOR
mant condition for over twelve years,
when it was reorganized April 20, 1892,
in Bro. Howard Wards hall by Bro.
George W. Richie of West Winterport,
with So charter members. The following
officers We're elected: Alfred Stinson,
7 D
Thayer, Lecturer; W. C. Mathews,
Steward; Harry Moore, Asst. Steward;
Mrs. W. J. Mathews, Chaplain; Fred A.
Secretary; M. M. Curtis, Gate Keeper;
Sarah A. Trundy, Pomona; Martha
Moore, Flora; Myra Black, Ceres; Mabel
Dow, L. A. Steward; Mrs. F. H. Ward,
Organist.
The new hall was built in the summer
of 1894 and the Grange moved from Bro
Wards hall and first occupied the new
hall in September of the same year.
Since this Grange was reorganized in
1892, 48 members have died, as nearly as
we can ascertain. The greatest number
of deaths in one year was seven in 1907
and 1909 was only one behind tina
number. Of the deaths % were Sisters
and 20 were Brothers. We have one
member who has kept his dues paid from
the time he first joined the order in 1875
until the present time, which is IS years,
and which shows that he has never lost
his interest in the order, Let Bro. A.
Stinson be honored as a true and loyal
patron.
The masters who have served in the
new grange are as follows: A. Stinson,
1923; Arthur Boyd, 1894; Fred Black,
1895; Arthur Boyd, 1896; E. B. Thayer,
1897: F. M. Nickerson, 1898; F. L.
Trundy, 1899; w. J. Mathews, 1900; C.
A. Harrison, 1901; A. Stinson, 1902; w.
J. Mathews, 1903; Irwin Harris, 19O4-5;
Zenie D. Hartshorn, 1906; Fred M. Nick
erson, 1907; F. l.. Trundy, 1908; Hollis
M. Black, Jr, 1909.
Now, Worthy Master, word in another
direction: 1t seems to me that large ma
jority of our members have but limited
knowledge of the principles of our order
Let US see some of it's objects: "To de-
velop better and higher manhood and
womanhood among ourselves; to foster
mutual understanding and cooperation,
earnestly endeavor to suppress personal,
local, sectional and national prejudices,
all unhealthy rivalry, all selfish ambi
ton" Not word of naturalized citi-
zenship; only good OF our country and
mankind.
In the Is years of existence Of this
grange what changes have taken place.
Look around you and see how many of
the over SO members that helped organ
ize this grange are gone-gone probably,
the most of them, never to return. Our
members are scattered all over this State
and in almost every State in the union,
and one at least is out in the canal zone at
Panama. How pleasant to let memory
carry US back to the many friendships
formed, and how sad the many deferred
hopes and the partings from the many
friends of years gone by. Let US hope
that sometime, and somewhere, we may
meet again, where farewells will forever
cease and where 'Well done good and
faithful servant" shall be the glad well
come to the grange above. Submitted
in F. H. andC. F, L. TRUNDY.
Searsport, April 16, 1910.