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A Brief History of The Parma Grange No 1732
                                 By Kenneth J. Lavelle

Area farmers felt an economic and social need existed to establish a farm family organization to meet their future
expectations. Thus, in December 1909, The Grange, was chosen to be their local model of a farm family
organization to be established in Parma, Ohio.

The Grange, as an farm family organization, had been established in 1867 with several goals in mind by its
founder, Mr. Kelly. He had seen the North and South of our country divided by civil war. He thought a farm
family type of organization was needed to help unite the North and South through agriculture. Two other goals
were to pool economic resources together to allow farmers to purchase related farm items and increase the
educational levels of their members to be more equal level to those citizens who lived in the cities , who
purchased their farm products. The Grange has been said to be “ a school outside of the school”. Women were
allowed to be vote on issues affecting them in the grange hall meetings. Women were not allowed to vote on
public issues in normal public elections until 1920. In the beginning, the grange was a secret type of organization.
The general public was not aware of who was a member. Secret handshakes and use of code words were not
unusual between members as they met fellow members.

The Parma Grange was the fourteenth such local subordinate grange to be established in 1909 in Cuyahoga
County, Ohio. It was to serve their rural farm family needs until it disbanded in 1974. In the beginning, the
Parma Grange was like most local subordinate granges. Each member had a specific `station’ or earned status.
There were specific grange ceremonies, rituals, degrees and duties expected of each member. Grange pot luck
suppers, dinners, dances, creating displays at the local annual county fair in Berea, Ohio were encouraged and
members played local baseball games that were held in the area. Social and legislative work on the local , state
levels were encouraged to improve the members’ lives. Some members joined the Parma Grange since it offered
medical insurance benefits. The Parma Grange helped two male members improve their speaking and administrative
skills to later became public elected Mayors of the Village of Parma Heights, Ohio. They were Mayor Uhinck
who served between 1934 - 1944 and Mayor Busch who served from 1944 - 1952. Over time, the Parma Grange
became a more social type of organization.




The Parma Heights Village Town Hall. 6143 Pearl Road. Meeting place for The Parma Grange.
Cleveland Press Newspaper Photograph dated July 26, 1933. From The Cleveland State University
Cleveland Press Archive, Cleveland, Ohio. The building was built by the I.O. G.T. in 1893.
Pearl Road Elementary School is shown on the left in background. It was built in 1921 and closed 2012.




  02/29/12                                 Page 1
The Parma Grange met in two locations while it existed. One location was the in the second floor
meeting room of the Parma Heights, Ohio Village Hall at 6143 Pearl Road .
For many years, this building had been the only public owned building in Parma Township, Ohio
where public meetings could be held. This early public building has been called ‘Temperance Hall’
due to the fact the residents in the rural township met there to not allow alcohol to be available in
the community. The building had been built in 1893 by a local temperance society called ‘The
Independent Order of Templars’. It was built by ‘gift work’. When their land lease expired in 1898,
the building was moved across Wooster Pike to the present Presbyterian Church property.
When the 1835 Presbyterian Church was destroyed by a fire in 1898, it used ‘Temperance Hall’
for church services until a new building was constructed. It was inside this building in 1911, that a
public vote approved the creation of Parma Heights Village out of a portion of Parma Township.
Farmers in that area of Parma township had a perceived lack of representation concerning the local
school board involving local control of the one-room school house. A small community library was
established there inside the Parma Heights Village Hall building in the rear section in 1931.

The elected officers in the Parma Grange had titles similar to other subordinate granges: Master,
Overseer, Lecturer, Steward, Assistant Steward, Lady Steward, Lady Assistant Steward, Chaplain,
Treasurer, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Gatekeeper, Ceres, Pomona, Flora, and Trustee. The County
Pomona Grange No. 73 met some eight times a year at different subordinate county grange halls.
Each subordinate grange where the County Pomona Grange met acted as ‘hosts’ that month and other
grange members from other subordinate granges in the county visited too.




This 1918 photo of the Parma Grange was taken when there was such a County Pomona Grange
meeting held at the Parma Heights Village Town Hall. The photo was sent to this author from
Mrs. Street of New York State. Her father was Mr. O. Kobelt, Master of the Parma Grange in 1925.
Mrs. Street, is in the 1918 photograph. She is the young child with the bow in her hair front row. Her
grandfather was C.T. Huy who owned and operated a large dairy farm located near
Brookpark and State Roads in Parma, Ohio. He delivered fresh milk daily in Cleveland, Ohio.




  02/29/12                               Page 2
Each year there was an annual inspection held by the County Deputy Grange Master, who worked
closely with the State Grange Master. The County Pomona Grange in Cuyahoga County had been
created in 1915 to help aid any subordinate grange in their activities, to form a working unit for
legislative activities, and to be for better acquaintances amongst the other subordinate granges in the
county. The Ohio State Grange had been established in 1873 to work on national grange issues headed
by the State Grange Master.

There was a specific program of awarded degrees to the Parma Grange members, who wished
complete them , which was done also in the other subordinate granges in Cuyahoga County, Ohio.
This was the aspect, that the grange was considered to be ‘a school outside of a school’. Each
member who sought a degree or a higher degree had to complete a specific amount of work,
record it in a scrapbook, and present it for consideration to receive that degree: The degrees this
author was aware of were as follows:
                   Degree Name                            Theme Message
 1st Degree         Preparation   Spring            Agriculture was a noble occupation.
 2nd Degree         Culture       Summer            Occupation was close to nature and God.
 3rd Degree         Harvest       Fall              Share the harvest they may have.
 4th Degree         Home         Winter             Enjoy the fruition of knowledge and children.
 5th Degree         Pomona        County Degree
 6th Degree         Ceres         State Degree
 7th Degree         Flora         National Degree
 Another theme message of the 3rd Degree was `we cultivate the spirit of charity and life’.
The holders of the 7th Degree could be members of a club called ‘the Demeter Club’, who met
twice a year for a pot luck supper and a banquet. Demeter was the Greek goddess of crops.

A subordinate grange would normally met twice a month. The Parma Grange met on the second and
fourth Tuesday of each month at 8:00 p.m. in 1925, for example. At that time, the meetings held in
July, August, and September had been suspended for the last two years. In 1925, their meeting place
was referred to as the ‘Parma Heights School House on Pearl Road’ , which is next to the
Presbyterian Church according to the 1925 Official County Grange Roster. The author interpreted this
1925 reference to be the Parma Heights Village Town Hall. The Parma Grange met there at the
Parma Heights Village Town Hall until 1947 and then moved to their second meeting site in the
City of Parma. In 1960, the Parma Grange met in the Parma Savings Bank meeting room.




The second meeting place for the Parma Grange. Photo From The History of Parma by Ernest R.
Kubasek. 1975. Page 113. The Parma Town Hall later became ‘ Parma Memorial Hall’.




  02/29/12                                Page 3
The second location for the Parma Grange meetings were held in Parma Memorial Hall on Ridge
Road, next to Parma City Hall at 7711 Ridge Road. This building had been the new Parma Village
Hall when it was constructed in 1926. The Parma Grange would have their meetings there until it
disbanded in 1974 .
There were from time to time, several public meeting notices in the local Parma Post paper
concerning the Parma Grange meetings. On April 15, 1948, the Parma Grange had a pubic notice that
a card party and bake sale was to be held Saturday, April 17 at 8 p.m. in the Parma Community
Hall. On January 4, 1952 there was another public notice For Parma Grange members to attend a
pot luck supper at 6:30 p.m. before the annual officers installation meeting. at the community hall.
Another example, on September 2, 1954 the Parma Grange members were encourage to bring any
Sales Tax Receipt Stamps they had been given, in normal purchases to the next meeting so they
could be collected. The Sales Tax Stamps were to be collected and returned to the State of Ohio,
who them printed them, so they could be redeemed at three
percent of their value. This Parma Grange meeting was scheduled for Friday, September 3, 1954 at
8:15 p.m. in the Memorial building on Ridge Road. In the 1950’s, the Parma Grange meetings were
held on the first Friday of each month. In 1974, they met on the 1st Monday of each month.




  02/29/12                               Page 4
The normal practice of giving a consumer a paper sales tax receipt stamp when purchasing a
taxable items in Ohio was common from 1935 to 1961 at the point of sale. Ohio retailers had paid
sales tax to the State of Ohio before any goods were sold. The sales tax receipt stamps could be
purchased a local bank by business owners. In 1962, receiving paper sales tax receipt stamps were
eliminated. The amount of sales tax paid was indicated on a printed receipt to be given to a
consumer at a store. This a very common practice today in 2002. Very few consumers living today
remember the paper tax receipt stamps that were collected by the Parma Grange and other nonprofit,
charitable organizations such as schools to be returned to the State of Ohio, Department of Taxation
for a monetary reimbursement of three percent of their value.

There were very few public notices mentioned of the Parma Grange in the local newspapers in the latter
years of its existence. The Parma Grange disbanded in 1974 due to a lack of the required minimum
number of 12 ‘active’ members to fill officer positions as mandated in the Grange bylaws. Active
membership was low by 1974. There were only thirteen to fifteen persons who were still active members.
Only the fifteen officers showed up for the monthly meetings. Non-farmers could not be members. Land
development in Parma by 1974 had ended local farming as it was once known . The Gibbs farm along
Ridge Road was the last operating farm in Parma, Ohio in 1975. In 1980, it became a working farm
museum with animals, known as the Stearns Homestead operated by the Parma Area Historical Society.
It was founded in 1972. The author presented this paper there at the Stearns Homestead on May 21, 2002.




Source of Article : Parma Sun Post October 4, 2001. Page A3



  02/29/12                               Page 5
This author never saw any of the Parma Grange meeting minutes to mention any more highlights of
the family farm organization. It was no longer an active existing organization. He began to research
the Parma Grange in 1983. A detailed paper was written in 1998. However, he was able to locate a
list of elected officers of the Parma Grange. This list obtained from the Ohio State Grange in
Columbus, Ohio maybe of some interest to the reader. It does provide a partial list of the active
members in the Parma Grange over the years.

The Parma Grange was established in the Township of Parma, Ohio ; Cuyahoga County, on December
1, 1909. It was organized by Burton F. White, Grange Deputy. It had some thirty-four
charter members. There were only three officers mentioned amongst the names provided by the
Ohio State Grange to the author. The elected officers were as follows:

                1st Master             Russell J. Goss
               2nd Master              R.N. Hodgman
               1st Secretary           George J. Heffner

The list of Charter Members were as follows:
                  Russell J. Goss        Alfred Glebb
                  Werner Kobelt          Albert W. Stevens
                 E.W. Hutchinson         Henry C. Wetsel
                 William C. Strund       Irma W. Stevens
                 J.E. Hoffman            Mrs. John Hoffman
                 John Hoffman            M.D. Killmer
                  E.R.. Radway           K.K. Hodgman
                 Mrs. W. Kobelt           O.S. Emerson
                 Mrs. R. J. Goss          Charles W. Hutchiinson
                 Edward O. Nicholas      John B. Hobart
                 George Kitzel            Miss E. Radcliffe
                 S.H. Stumphf             Miss Haxel Hodgman
                 George J. Heffner        Mrs. May Hobart
                 G.S. Hutchinson           Oswalt Kobelt
                  J.M. Ackley              Mary Akers James
                  Helen C. E. Ackley

For a grange to exist, there had to be a minimum of twelve members. Any lower than that
number, the grange disbanded. Normally, there were sixteen elected positions in a local grange. Over
time, it was evident in the later years, only a few persons were running the Parma Grange
as the membership became less active.

In the book, Knights Of The Plow , Chapter 10 on page 172 described the Grange as follows:
“The Grange borrowed much of its rituals from the techniques of the primary religions. Grange
rituals were heavily influenced by Greek, Roman mythology and the Christian religion. Members
at the beginning of each meeting implored God bless their efforts, then called on pagan deities,
present in their symbolic form as officers and teachers in the subordinate grange, for knowledge and
guidance”. Specific messages and themes of each degree was detailed on pages 173-175. In the 1860s
 and 1870s, there seemed to be separate forms of the first four degrees for men and women. This
author was not certain if these separate forms were still commonly used when the Parma Grange
was formed in 1909. However, reading these pages will give the reader the basic
ideas what the grange members were taught. The Grange had songs that were sung at each
meeting to reinforce fraternal bonds and specific goals. The Grange seemed to promote American
Republican political ideals of public and individual virtue. Community service projects were common.
The Grange Aim was `To help rural life; to strengthen the rural community; and to give to agriculture the power
and influence that can come only through community organization’. Many positive rural life improvements were
made over the years for members by the Grange.




  02/29/12                               Page 6
02/29/12   Page 7
Source: Manual Of Subordinate Granges Of The Parrons of Husbandry. Adopted and Issued By
        The National Grange. Thirty-First Edition Revised 1956. Copyright by The National
        Granage, P. of H.




  02/29/12                            Page 8
The 1956 Manual Of Subordinate Granges mentions the following officers and their specific duties:
   Officer Title              Initials  Duties Performed
  Worthy Master                (M)        President and Chief Executive of Local Grange.

  Worthy Overseer                (O)         Vice-President of the local Grange.
                                             Duty to see that the orders of the Master are
                                             transmitted to Laborers and in absence of the
                                             Master, take his or her place.

  Lecturer                       (L)          Leading the literary program and the educational
                                              work of the Grange. Encourage the young to
                                              become writers, readers, and speakers in the Grange.

  Steward                       (S)           Post is at the Inter Gate, which you are to guard, and
                                              to report all signals to the Overseer. Learn the
                                             qualifications of new laborers, then assign them their proper
                                              places, and set them at work. You will some to the library to
                                              improve their minds and incite them to attain the highest
                                              rank. It also your duty to keep safety and in proper order
                                              the property of the Grange. Your assistants will aid you in
                                              the care of the wardrobe, and in arranging the decorations
                                              and of the Grange Rooms. Accountable for Grange Manuals.

Assistant Steward             (AS) Men       To guide men in the opening ceremonies in the field.
                             (LAS) Women     To assist the Steward in his or her duties, examine the
                                             members at the opening of the Grange. To guide those
                                             assigned over the field of the hall from stumbling and
                                             guard their hearts, minds from misconceptions.

                              (LAS) Women Aid the Steward in keeping the wardrobe and the
                                          the decorations of the Grange Rooms.
                                          Guide women in the opening ceremonies in the field.

Chaplain                      (Chap)         Provide insight into God’s word for the Laborers and
                                             Maids.

Treasurer                       (T)          Keeper of the keys to the Treasury.

Gate Keeper                     (GK)         Your position is between the Outer and Inter Gates.
                                             Allow none to enter the field (Hall) except authorized
                                              Persons, in proper attire.

Ceres   *                         (C) Women Encourage the laborers to labor with diligence and prudence.
                                            Goddness of cereals.

Pomona *                         (P) Women Department of Fruits. Urge cultivation and improvement
                                           upon your associates.

Flora      *                     (F) Women Selected to personate Flora in sacred rites.
                                           Prompt assoicates to adorn their homes with flowers.

Executive Committee              (EXCOM)       Those members are responsible for the custody of the invested
                                               Grange funds, for advice and counsel of your fellow officers.
                                               Members are authorized to act in the name of the Grange
                                               between meetings in times of need or emergency.



  02/29/12                              Page 9
* Positions of Patrons of The Grange

The Ante Room was used for an brief waiting area when candidates were planned to enter the hall., by the
Steward, before receiving advance degrees in the Grange. Officer’s regalia , member badges were kept in
closets in the Ante Room. Each officer had a sash. Several officers had a symbol of their office: a ‘Spud’
for the Steward, a ‘Pruning Hook’ for the Assistant Steward, a ‘Shepherd’s Hook’ for the Lady Assistant
Steward, a ‘Owl’ for the Gate Keeper, ‘Grain’ for Ceres, ‘Fruit’ for Pomona, and ‘Flowers’ for Flora.

Each lesson and degree in the Grange had a specific ‘Court Robe’. The robe ‘regalia’ was simple .

Lesson           Degree                                Preparation

 Faith             1st.     White with proper colored trimmings: Yellow for Ceres, Green for Pomona,
                            and Pick for Flora. The use of different colored robe was optional .

 Hope              2nd      Pink, made of suitable material trimmings: Ceres, Yellow; Pomona, Green;
                            Flora, White. Garden Hats maybe worn.

Charity           3rd      Buff Trimmings: Ceres, Yellow; Pomona, Green; Flora, Pink. Tam O’Shanter
                           Caps with russet Trimmings, are appropriate.

Fidelity         4th       Light Blue, Ceres Trimmed with Yellow; Pomona, White; Flora, Pink.
                            Headdresses: Ceres - Wheat Heads, Pomona - Fruit Buds, Flora -
                            carries a bouquet of flowers.

An order within the seventh degree, the Order of Demeter or the Priests of Demeter controlled
the rituals of the organization (1).

Each degree had an emblem: 1st - Ax, Plow, Harrow, and a Spade.
                           2nd - Hoe and Pruning Knife.
                                rd - The Sickles.
                              3
                              4th - The Agate

The Preparation Room was used for preparing candidates for receiving their degrees and testing them on each
degree. For example, the candidates are kept in the room until guided into the hall by the Assistant Stewards
(Men) and the Lady Assistant Steward (Women). Men were called ‘Laborers’ and Women were called ‘Maids’
in the Grange. Each was given hoodwinks as well as cloaks to wear as they were guided into the Hall for the
first degree. It was only when the hoodwinks were removed that the successful candidates saw the membership
of the Grange, whose members had voted individually on his/her application to join that Grange (2). Current
Members voted on new members in this manner: each one placed either a white ball for acceptance or
black cubes in a box as they marched around inside the hall . The ballot was favorable for the candidate, if
there were less than three black balls in the ballot box. If more than three black balls appeared, instructions in
The Digest (Chapter IX, Sec. 57, page 64) were followed.

The Preparation Room was also used for an area where candidates were examined by the Steward with
 the help of the Assistant Steward and the Lady Assistance Steward, before receiving their advanced degrees in
the Grange . For example, candidates for the 3rd degree were tested on their knowledge of the Declaration of
Purposes. This was stressed in the 2nd degree and verified before receiving the 3rd degree.

Grange members were not considered to be ‘Patrons’ until they had earned the fourth degree. Then,
one could vote on Grange business matters and sit in the hall.

Members had to be in regulation regalia to enter the inter gate. When members left the hall, they
had to salute the Overseer. The Steward collected their badges as the members walked by . Officers
were to leave their sash at their ‘station’ in the hall when they left the hall.



  02/29/12                                  Page 10
Ohio State Grange 1873-1973. By The Ohio State Grange. 1973. 4th Degree Photos page 98.




  02/29/12                            Page 11
02/29/12   Page 12
1967 Stamps
Each Grange degree had a emblem:. 1st - Ax, plow, Harrow, and a Spade.
                           2nd - Hoe and Pruning Knife.
                                 The Sickles
                             3rd -
Cover of The Histories of The Lorain County Granges 1891-1991.


  02/29/12                             Page 13
02/29/12   Page 14
When a member of a Grange died, a ceremony called ‘Draping the Charter’ was done by a march
inside the hall. “Stations” refer to the location of the chairs used by the Master and other officers (2).




  02/29/12                                Page 15
02/29/12   Page 16
Annual Dues in the Parma Grange according to the 1909 Charter were “ $1.00 for Men, $.50 for
women, and $.10 a month payable in advance”.

Grange members seemed to have a ‘traveling card’ to carry with them, if they ever traveled . When a
member visited another Grange Hall, the card was presented to the Gate Keeper. That member waited
in the Ante Room before entering the Hall. The Steward would announce his/her to all present in the hall.
This card was inside the Grange Manual book Mr. Wengatz loanded me after my grange talk was completed




  02/29/12                              Page 17
The usual meeting Order of Business The Parma Grange followed.

Source: Manual Of Subordinate Granges Of The Parrons of Husbandry. Adopted and Issued By
        The National Grange. Thirty-First Edition Revised 1956. Copyright by The National
        Granage, P. of H. Page 5.




  02/29/12                             Page 18
Official Roster of Subordinate Granges, Cuyahoga County, Ohio 1925.



  02/29/12                             Page 19
02/29/12   Page 20
Official Roster of Subordinate Granges, Cuyahoga County, Ohio 1925




  02/29/12                             Page 21
Sources: M.E. Gustin. An expose’ of the Grangers: Containing the opening and closing ceremonies of a Grangers’ lodge;
         the ceremony of initation, and the eight degrees of the order… 1875. Pulilisher: Dayton, Ohio: Christian
         Publishing Association. Cleveland Public Library. Reference. Microfiche. Call Number Z1236.L5.

        Constitution of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry with By-Laws of the National Grange, and Declaration of
        Principles, also, By-Laws of the State Grange of Ohio. Published by The Register Press, Sandusky, Ohio, 1896.
        Includes rules for conducting secret trials of members in subordinate granges.

        National Grange. Digest of the laws and enactments of the National Grange. 1900.
        Publisher: G.S. Ferguson: Phlaadelphia. Cleveland Public Library. Reference. Microfiche. Call Number
        Z1236.L5. Availability: Non Circulating. Footnote number 3 reference pages 12-13.

        Grange Melodies. Published by National Grange of Patrons of Husbandry for use in the Granges of the United
        States, edited and compiled by James L. Orr and printed by Ferguson of Philadelphia in 1904. 200 pages
        composed almost entirely of musical scores of songs sung at the grange.

        Official Roster of Subordinate Granges, Cuyahoga County, Ohio 1925. Page 69.

        Photos Parma South Church and Temperance Hall . The Cleveland News, August 29, 1926. Page 1.

        The Patron; The Official Song Book of the Grange; words and music; (many patriotic); Hard cloth Cover.
        Published by authority of the National Grange, April, 1926. Published by Hall-Mack Company; Philadelphia, PA,
        USA. Book is 8 1/2 by 6 inches in size with 150 songs. 64 pages.

       The Secret Empire - A handbook of Lodges by Theo. Graebner Concordia Publishing House St Louis, MO 1927.
       5 x 7 1/2 inches. Hardcover good condition 243 pages. Contains references to fraternal systems. Pages 128 and 129.

        Manual Of Subordinate Granges Of The Parrons of Husbandry. Adopted and Issued By
        The National Grange. 1907, 1910, 1916 and the Thirty-First Edition Revised 1956. Copyright by The
        National Granage, P. of H. Diagrams on pages 2, 65, 68, and 99.
        Note: Grange Manuals were sold only to Grange Units themselves and never to individuals.
        They remain property of the Subordinate Grange. The manuals should be accounted for by
        The Worthy Steward of said Grange. In 2003, it was possible to purchase them on-line at ebay.com .

        “Parma Grange To Have “Night” Saturday Eve.” The Brooklyn News-Times. September 28, 1938.
        Page 4. They held a ‘Booster Night’. Public was invited. Part of program was a flower show.
        Twenty-three members went to Streetsboro, Ohio to present a program. Parma Grange Inspection was
         held October 10, 1938.

        “Community Calendar”. The Brooklyn News. May 26, 1960. Page 10. Parma Savings located at 5839
        Ridge Road. Third meeting place of the Parma Grange. Ridgewood Savings was nearby at 5950 Ridge Rd.

        Ohio State Grange 1873-1973. By The Ohio State Grange. 1973. 4th Degree Photos page 98.

        The History of Parma: A Township, A Village, and A City by Ernest R. Kubasek. 1975. Pages 93-94.
        Brief mention is made of the local temperance society hall in Parma Township.

        Correspondence with Howard Caldwell,       Master. The Ohio State Grange dated May 2, 1983.

        Parma Heights, Ohio Historical Society.

        Toll Roads in Southwestern Cuyahoga County, Ohio by Kenneth J. Lavelle. 1985.
        Mention is made of ‘Temperance Hall’ and ‘Mr. Tauber’ in footnotes.

        A living Christian hertiage: a history of the first 150 years of the Parma-South
        Presbyternian Church by Barbara E. Horrigan. 1985.


  02/29/12                                  Page 22
The History of Parma Township, Ohio by Dewitt Cogswell. Edited and compiled from his diaries by
       Mr. And Mrs. Haren. 1990.
       A Brief History Of The Lorain County Granges Compiled For The 100th Anniversity
       Of Pomona Grange No. 79 1891 – 1991. Front Cover Page.

       Interview with Mr. Wright of the Olmsted Grange No. 1619. Cuyahoga County Grange Deputy.
       Interview with Mr and Mrs. Wengatz. and Telephone interview with Mrs. Medved.
       Correspondence with Mrs. Street, Mrs. Scott, Mrs. Medved, and Mr. Wengztz.

       A Brief History of the Parma Grange by Kenneth J. Lavelle. 1998.
       Mention is made of ‘Temperance Hall’ , Parma Heights Village Halls, and ‘Mr. Tauber’
       in footnotes. Shorter version was written for talk at Parma Area Historical Society given May 21, 2002.

                                       Footnotes:
(1)   Gustin, M.E. An expose’ of the Grangers microform: Containing the opening and closing
      Ceremonies of a Grangers’ lodge; the ceremonies of initiation, and the eight degrees of the order …
      Publisher: Christian Publishing Assocaiton, Dayton, Ohio 1875. CPL Microfiche Call Number Z1236.L5

      Stanley J. Bransgrove, P.M., M.R.S., F.G.C.R Toward a Fraternal History of Marin County:
      A Survey of Secret Societies beng a General History of Various Fraternities and Their Specific Impact
      in Marin County, Califormia. Publication date: Copyrighted ©1996-2002 Stanley J. Bransgrove
      All rights reserved. Must not be copied or reproduced without prior written permission of the
      author. Found on internet June 29, 2002. www.abaris.net

(2)   C. Bruce Hunter’s Masonic Dictionary. Third Edition Published by Macoy Publishing &
      Masonic Supply Co., Inc.: Richmond, Virginia 1996. “Stations” mentioned on Page 85.
      “Hoodwink” - A blindfold. A symbol of the absence of knowledge, mentioned on page 45.

      Sidney Schwartz and John R. O’Connor. The New Exploring Our Nation’s History. 1979. Globe Book
      Company, Inc.: New York. “Granges” were defined as old English term meaning ‘farmhouses’ on page 385.

(3)   There seemed to be ‘eight’ degrees of the Grange in 1875. However, all material viewed by the author,
      in the 1990’s did not mention this higher 8th degree. Only seven degrees seemed to be public knowledge.
      The eight degrees mentioned by Mr. Gustin seemed to refer to the first four degrees for men and women.
      1st Degree candidates were clothed in long , dark robe, and blindfolded. Led by the Assistant Warden into
       the hall, where one was met by the Warden, (who represented Ignorance), Pomona (who represented the
      fruits of nature), etc. in the ceremony. The basic idea was that the candidate was in search of light and
      knowledge when joining the Grange.Their rituals were thought to be less painful compared to those of the Freemasons.
      1st Degree: Men: Laborer Women: Maid                2nd Degree: Men: Cultivator   Women: Shepherdess
      3rd Degree: Men: Harvester Women: Gleaner 4th Degree: Men: Husbandman Women: Maatron
      The 5th Degree was possible to be established for the District or County Grange Level. In most
      situations , in 1900, the 5th degree (state level) was Pomona (Faith). The 6th degree was Flora (Hope) for the
      national level. The 7th degree was given to those who were in charge of the secret work of the order.
      They were in charge of the rituals, honorary members of the National Grange, but not entitled to vote.

(4)   Independent Order of Odd-Fellows. Proceedings at Annual Session. 1899. CPL. Reference. Social Science Storage.
      Call Number 366.3 Od16p . There was no listing for Parma Twp. in Districts C-E of County County in 1899.
      The author believed that no I.O.O.F. Lodge ever existed in Parma Twp. and ever met in Temperance Hall.
      North Royalton was ‘Empire Lodge’ no. 346. Brooklyn was ‘Glenn Lodge’ no. 236. They met in Glenn Hall.

(5)   Charles M. Gardner, “The Grange – Friend Of The Farmer”. 1947. Third Printing. The National
      Grange: Washington, D.C. Pages 481 and 506. The controlling degree was Ceres or Demeter that
       became the seventh degree. All those who received the 7th degree were members of the
      Assemably of Demeter: Men: Priests of Demeter Women: Priestesses of Demeter. The presiding
      officer was the High Priest. The ranking officer was called Priest Archon. The keeper of the
      records was called the Priest Annalist.


  02/29/12                                 Page 23
The Parma Grange met in the Temperance Hall bulding owned by the Parma Protective Society indicated here.
Cuyahoga County Land Parcel No. 472-5-44 located in Parma Heights Village Plat Book 1912-1930,
No. 293 on page 23. Located in Cuyahoga County Archives, Cleveland, Ohio on September 13, 2002.
No specific details of building listed on County Tax Exempt Card and Real Estate Appraisal Cards.
Map indicated the 2/3 of an acre owned by the Parma Protective Society on 1-20-1900 and sold to
Parma Heights Village on 6-30-1915. It is possible that the Village of Parma Heights and the Parma
Grange paid rent to use Temperance Hall between 1912 and June, 1915.




               02/29/12                              Page 24
1901 CLEVELAND, OHIO QUADRANGLE TOPO MAP
Source: ebay Item number: 2563540753 October 16, 2003
Measuring 22" x 14" inches -- This is an OHIO CLEVELAND QUADRANGLE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MAP ---
STATE OF OHIO REPRESENTED BY THE GOVERNOR
H. M. Wilson, Geographer in charge. Control by U.S. Lake Survey and E. L. McNair.
Topography by Robt. D. Cummin. -- Surveyed in 1901 in cooperation with the State of
Ohio. --- CLEVELAND, OHIO Edition of Oct. 1903, reprinted 1950.




 02/29/12                         Page 25
"This is to Certify that William S. Throne was duly invested with the Degree of Ceres and enrolled as a
Seventh Degree member of the ORDER OF THE PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY at an Assembly of the Priests
of Demeter held at Syracuse, New York during the 74th Annual Session of the National Grange and the date
and number of this Certificate are recorded in the office of the Priest Annalist. No. 114641
Chas. M. Gardner - High Priest; Thos Roy Brookes - Priest Annalist
SIZE: 8.75"x10.7"
CONDITION: Certificate is in quite good condition - sharp colors and lettering.
COMMENT: Comes in original mailing envelop postmarked BEL AIR MD 1941
Source: ebay 10/15/2003 Item number: 3631650447




  02/29/12                                Page 26
National GRANGE Patrons of Husbandry Manual 1907
Ebay Item number: 3559531489 October 17, 2003
"Manual of Subordinate Granges of the Patrons of Husbandry," adopted and issued by
The National Grange. Published by George S. Ferguson Co., Philadelphia, 1907. Plain
brown cloth covered boards with "Manual" blind stamped on the front cover. A great
little manual on the Grange, America’s Foremost Volunteer & Grassroots Organization,
who, according to pg. 134 should, "Attend to every duty promptly, and keep constantly
before the minds of the members the important fact that the great and grand object, and
the crowning glory of our organization is to Educate and Elevate the American Farmer."
The book is small, measuring 5 5/8" X 3 7/8" with 134pp.


 02/29/12                           Page 27
1912 Degree of Flora National Grange framed
ebay number: 3632776129 October 21, 2003
From the old grange hall in Charleston Twsp. located near Wellsboro Pa.   1916 Grange Hall Diagram




  02/29/12                                  Page 28
Source: ebay October 25, 2003
This is a neat award given to the Charleston Twsp. Grange hall in 1948. It reads " Award of Merit In
recognition of outstanding service to this community National Grange Community Service Contest 1948"




        Source: ebay October 25, 2003                                  Source: ebay October 25, 2003

                                        Grange Poster
Up for auction is a 16-1/2" by 21-1/2" poster for a Community Service Project sponsored jointly by
                     The National Grange and The Sears Roebuck Foundation.




  02/29/12                                 Page 29
This is a 64-page booklet entitled "Launching the Grange into the 80's" and distributed by the National Grange
to its subordinate chapters. It contains a guide to contests, projects and programs sponsored by the national
organization during the years 1980-82.




         National Grange Membership Card Booklet
   Up for auction is an old partially used membership card booklet for The
National Grange Order of Patrons of Husbandry. There are 20 unused cards in
 the booklet and the used receipts are dated 1945 - 1947. Condition is very good.

Source: ebay October 29, 2003 Item number: 3634579431




  02/29/12                                   Page 30
1927 CLEVELAND P OF H GRANGE PINBACK BUTTON
THIS IS A GREAT ANTIQUE 61ST ANNUAL SESSION NATIONAL GRANGE P. OF H.
CLEVELAND 1927 CELLULOID PINBACK BUTTON AND CELLULOID RIBBON. THE PIECE IS IN
EXCELLENT CONDITION WITH NO DAMAGE AND MEASURES 4" LONG BY 1 1/4'' IN
DIAMETER. THE PIECE IS MADE BY THE WHITEHEAD AND HOAG COMPANY.
Ebay Item number: 3267409813 January 16, 2004.




 02/29/12                       Page 31
Headline: Rain Halts Races At Chagrin Fair Full Card With Othe Events Scheduled for Throng Expected; Article Type:
News/Opinion
Paper: Plain Dealer; Date: 09-06-1911; Issue: 249; Page: [7]; Location: Cleveland, Ohio

This entire product and/or portions thereof are copyrighted by NewsBank and/or the American Antiquarian Society. 2004.




   02/29/12                                              Page 32
02/29/12   Page 33

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Parma Grange Paper

  • 1. A Brief History of The Parma Grange No 1732 By Kenneth J. Lavelle Area farmers felt an economic and social need existed to establish a farm family organization to meet their future expectations. Thus, in December 1909, The Grange, was chosen to be their local model of a farm family organization to be established in Parma, Ohio. The Grange, as an farm family organization, had been established in 1867 with several goals in mind by its founder, Mr. Kelly. He had seen the North and South of our country divided by civil war. He thought a farm family type of organization was needed to help unite the North and South through agriculture. Two other goals were to pool economic resources together to allow farmers to purchase related farm items and increase the educational levels of their members to be more equal level to those citizens who lived in the cities , who purchased their farm products. The Grange has been said to be “ a school outside of the school”. Women were allowed to be vote on issues affecting them in the grange hall meetings. Women were not allowed to vote on public issues in normal public elections until 1920. In the beginning, the grange was a secret type of organization. The general public was not aware of who was a member. Secret handshakes and use of code words were not unusual between members as they met fellow members. The Parma Grange was the fourteenth such local subordinate grange to be established in 1909 in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. It was to serve their rural farm family needs until it disbanded in 1974. In the beginning, the Parma Grange was like most local subordinate granges. Each member had a specific `station’ or earned status. There were specific grange ceremonies, rituals, degrees and duties expected of each member. Grange pot luck suppers, dinners, dances, creating displays at the local annual county fair in Berea, Ohio were encouraged and members played local baseball games that were held in the area. Social and legislative work on the local , state levels were encouraged to improve the members’ lives. Some members joined the Parma Grange since it offered medical insurance benefits. The Parma Grange helped two male members improve their speaking and administrative skills to later became public elected Mayors of the Village of Parma Heights, Ohio. They were Mayor Uhinck who served between 1934 - 1944 and Mayor Busch who served from 1944 - 1952. Over time, the Parma Grange became a more social type of organization. The Parma Heights Village Town Hall. 6143 Pearl Road. Meeting place for The Parma Grange. Cleveland Press Newspaper Photograph dated July 26, 1933. From The Cleveland State University Cleveland Press Archive, Cleveland, Ohio. The building was built by the I.O. G.T. in 1893. Pearl Road Elementary School is shown on the left in background. It was built in 1921 and closed 2012. 02/29/12 Page 1
  • 2. The Parma Grange met in two locations while it existed. One location was the in the second floor meeting room of the Parma Heights, Ohio Village Hall at 6143 Pearl Road . For many years, this building had been the only public owned building in Parma Township, Ohio where public meetings could be held. This early public building has been called ‘Temperance Hall’ due to the fact the residents in the rural township met there to not allow alcohol to be available in the community. The building had been built in 1893 by a local temperance society called ‘The Independent Order of Templars’. It was built by ‘gift work’. When their land lease expired in 1898, the building was moved across Wooster Pike to the present Presbyterian Church property. When the 1835 Presbyterian Church was destroyed by a fire in 1898, it used ‘Temperance Hall’ for church services until a new building was constructed. It was inside this building in 1911, that a public vote approved the creation of Parma Heights Village out of a portion of Parma Township. Farmers in that area of Parma township had a perceived lack of representation concerning the local school board involving local control of the one-room school house. A small community library was established there inside the Parma Heights Village Hall building in the rear section in 1931. The elected officers in the Parma Grange had titles similar to other subordinate granges: Master, Overseer, Lecturer, Steward, Assistant Steward, Lady Steward, Lady Assistant Steward, Chaplain, Treasurer, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Gatekeeper, Ceres, Pomona, Flora, and Trustee. The County Pomona Grange No. 73 met some eight times a year at different subordinate county grange halls. Each subordinate grange where the County Pomona Grange met acted as ‘hosts’ that month and other grange members from other subordinate granges in the county visited too. This 1918 photo of the Parma Grange was taken when there was such a County Pomona Grange meeting held at the Parma Heights Village Town Hall. The photo was sent to this author from Mrs. Street of New York State. Her father was Mr. O. Kobelt, Master of the Parma Grange in 1925. Mrs. Street, is in the 1918 photograph. She is the young child with the bow in her hair front row. Her grandfather was C.T. Huy who owned and operated a large dairy farm located near Brookpark and State Roads in Parma, Ohio. He delivered fresh milk daily in Cleveland, Ohio. 02/29/12 Page 2
  • 3. Each year there was an annual inspection held by the County Deputy Grange Master, who worked closely with the State Grange Master. The County Pomona Grange in Cuyahoga County had been created in 1915 to help aid any subordinate grange in their activities, to form a working unit for legislative activities, and to be for better acquaintances amongst the other subordinate granges in the county. The Ohio State Grange had been established in 1873 to work on national grange issues headed by the State Grange Master. There was a specific program of awarded degrees to the Parma Grange members, who wished complete them , which was done also in the other subordinate granges in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. This was the aspect, that the grange was considered to be ‘a school outside of a school’. Each member who sought a degree or a higher degree had to complete a specific amount of work, record it in a scrapbook, and present it for consideration to receive that degree: The degrees this author was aware of were as follows: Degree Name Theme Message 1st Degree Preparation Spring Agriculture was a noble occupation. 2nd Degree Culture Summer Occupation was close to nature and God. 3rd Degree Harvest Fall Share the harvest they may have. 4th Degree Home Winter Enjoy the fruition of knowledge and children. 5th Degree Pomona County Degree 6th Degree Ceres State Degree 7th Degree Flora National Degree Another theme message of the 3rd Degree was `we cultivate the spirit of charity and life’. The holders of the 7th Degree could be members of a club called ‘the Demeter Club’, who met twice a year for a pot luck supper and a banquet. Demeter was the Greek goddess of crops. A subordinate grange would normally met twice a month. The Parma Grange met on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 8:00 p.m. in 1925, for example. At that time, the meetings held in July, August, and September had been suspended for the last two years. In 1925, their meeting place was referred to as the ‘Parma Heights School House on Pearl Road’ , which is next to the Presbyterian Church according to the 1925 Official County Grange Roster. The author interpreted this 1925 reference to be the Parma Heights Village Town Hall. The Parma Grange met there at the Parma Heights Village Town Hall until 1947 and then moved to their second meeting site in the City of Parma. In 1960, the Parma Grange met in the Parma Savings Bank meeting room. The second meeting place for the Parma Grange. Photo From The History of Parma by Ernest R. Kubasek. 1975. Page 113. The Parma Town Hall later became ‘ Parma Memorial Hall’. 02/29/12 Page 3
  • 4. The second location for the Parma Grange meetings were held in Parma Memorial Hall on Ridge Road, next to Parma City Hall at 7711 Ridge Road. This building had been the new Parma Village Hall when it was constructed in 1926. The Parma Grange would have their meetings there until it disbanded in 1974 . There were from time to time, several public meeting notices in the local Parma Post paper concerning the Parma Grange meetings. On April 15, 1948, the Parma Grange had a pubic notice that a card party and bake sale was to be held Saturday, April 17 at 8 p.m. in the Parma Community Hall. On January 4, 1952 there was another public notice For Parma Grange members to attend a pot luck supper at 6:30 p.m. before the annual officers installation meeting. at the community hall. Another example, on September 2, 1954 the Parma Grange members were encourage to bring any Sales Tax Receipt Stamps they had been given, in normal purchases to the next meeting so they could be collected. The Sales Tax Stamps were to be collected and returned to the State of Ohio, who them printed them, so they could be redeemed at three percent of their value. This Parma Grange meeting was scheduled for Friday, September 3, 1954 at 8:15 p.m. in the Memorial building on Ridge Road. In the 1950’s, the Parma Grange meetings were held on the first Friday of each month. In 1974, they met on the 1st Monday of each month. 02/29/12 Page 4
  • 5. The normal practice of giving a consumer a paper sales tax receipt stamp when purchasing a taxable items in Ohio was common from 1935 to 1961 at the point of sale. Ohio retailers had paid sales tax to the State of Ohio before any goods were sold. The sales tax receipt stamps could be purchased a local bank by business owners. In 1962, receiving paper sales tax receipt stamps were eliminated. The amount of sales tax paid was indicated on a printed receipt to be given to a consumer at a store. This a very common practice today in 2002. Very few consumers living today remember the paper tax receipt stamps that were collected by the Parma Grange and other nonprofit, charitable organizations such as schools to be returned to the State of Ohio, Department of Taxation for a monetary reimbursement of three percent of their value. There were very few public notices mentioned of the Parma Grange in the local newspapers in the latter years of its existence. The Parma Grange disbanded in 1974 due to a lack of the required minimum number of 12 ‘active’ members to fill officer positions as mandated in the Grange bylaws. Active membership was low by 1974. There were only thirteen to fifteen persons who were still active members. Only the fifteen officers showed up for the monthly meetings. Non-farmers could not be members. Land development in Parma by 1974 had ended local farming as it was once known . The Gibbs farm along Ridge Road was the last operating farm in Parma, Ohio in 1975. In 1980, it became a working farm museum with animals, known as the Stearns Homestead operated by the Parma Area Historical Society. It was founded in 1972. The author presented this paper there at the Stearns Homestead on May 21, 2002. Source of Article : Parma Sun Post October 4, 2001. Page A3 02/29/12 Page 5
  • 6. This author never saw any of the Parma Grange meeting minutes to mention any more highlights of the family farm organization. It was no longer an active existing organization. He began to research the Parma Grange in 1983. A detailed paper was written in 1998. However, he was able to locate a list of elected officers of the Parma Grange. This list obtained from the Ohio State Grange in Columbus, Ohio maybe of some interest to the reader. It does provide a partial list of the active members in the Parma Grange over the years. The Parma Grange was established in the Township of Parma, Ohio ; Cuyahoga County, on December 1, 1909. It was organized by Burton F. White, Grange Deputy. It had some thirty-four charter members. There were only three officers mentioned amongst the names provided by the Ohio State Grange to the author. The elected officers were as follows: 1st Master Russell J. Goss 2nd Master R.N. Hodgman 1st Secretary George J. Heffner The list of Charter Members were as follows: Russell J. Goss Alfred Glebb Werner Kobelt Albert W. Stevens E.W. Hutchinson Henry C. Wetsel William C. Strund Irma W. Stevens J.E. Hoffman Mrs. John Hoffman John Hoffman M.D. Killmer E.R.. Radway K.K. Hodgman Mrs. W. Kobelt O.S. Emerson Mrs. R. J. Goss Charles W. Hutchiinson Edward O. Nicholas John B. Hobart George Kitzel Miss E. Radcliffe S.H. Stumphf Miss Haxel Hodgman George J. Heffner Mrs. May Hobart G.S. Hutchinson Oswalt Kobelt J.M. Ackley Mary Akers James Helen C. E. Ackley For a grange to exist, there had to be a minimum of twelve members. Any lower than that number, the grange disbanded. Normally, there were sixteen elected positions in a local grange. Over time, it was evident in the later years, only a few persons were running the Parma Grange as the membership became less active. In the book, Knights Of The Plow , Chapter 10 on page 172 described the Grange as follows: “The Grange borrowed much of its rituals from the techniques of the primary religions. Grange rituals were heavily influenced by Greek, Roman mythology and the Christian religion. Members at the beginning of each meeting implored God bless their efforts, then called on pagan deities, present in their symbolic form as officers and teachers in the subordinate grange, for knowledge and guidance”. Specific messages and themes of each degree was detailed on pages 173-175. In the 1860s and 1870s, there seemed to be separate forms of the first four degrees for men and women. This author was not certain if these separate forms were still commonly used when the Parma Grange was formed in 1909. However, reading these pages will give the reader the basic ideas what the grange members were taught. The Grange had songs that were sung at each meeting to reinforce fraternal bonds and specific goals. The Grange seemed to promote American Republican political ideals of public and individual virtue. Community service projects were common. The Grange Aim was `To help rural life; to strengthen the rural community; and to give to agriculture the power and influence that can come only through community organization’. Many positive rural life improvements were made over the years for members by the Grange. 02/29/12 Page 6
  • 7. 02/29/12 Page 7
  • 8. Source: Manual Of Subordinate Granges Of The Parrons of Husbandry. Adopted and Issued By The National Grange. Thirty-First Edition Revised 1956. Copyright by The National Granage, P. of H. 02/29/12 Page 8
  • 9. The 1956 Manual Of Subordinate Granges mentions the following officers and their specific duties: Officer Title Initials Duties Performed Worthy Master (M) President and Chief Executive of Local Grange. Worthy Overseer (O) Vice-President of the local Grange. Duty to see that the orders of the Master are transmitted to Laborers and in absence of the Master, take his or her place. Lecturer (L) Leading the literary program and the educational work of the Grange. Encourage the young to become writers, readers, and speakers in the Grange. Steward (S) Post is at the Inter Gate, which you are to guard, and to report all signals to the Overseer. Learn the qualifications of new laborers, then assign them their proper places, and set them at work. You will some to the library to improve their minds and incite them to attain the highest rank. It also your duty to keep safety and in proper order the property of the Grange. Your assistants will aid you in the care of the wardrobe, and in arranging the decorations and of the Grange Rooms. Accountable for Grange Manuals. Assistant Steward (AS) Men To guide men in the opening ceremonies in the field. (LAS) Women To assist the Steward in his or her duties, examine the members at the opening of the Grange. To guide those assigned over the field of the hall from stumbling and guard their hearts, minds from misconceptions. (LAS) Women Aid the Steward in keeping the wardrobe and the the decorations of the Grange Rooms. Guide women in the opening ceremonies in the field. Chaplain (Chap) Provide insight into God’s word for the Laborers and Maids. Treasurer (T) Keeper of the keys to the Treasury. Gate Keeper (GK) Your position is between the Outer and Inter Gates. Allow none to enter the field (Hall) except authorized Persons, in proper attire. Ceres * (C) Women Encourage the laborers to labor with diligence and prudence. Goddness of cereals. Pomona * (P) Women Department of Fruits. Urge cultivation and improvement upon your associates. Flora * (F) Women Selected to personate Flora in sacred rites. Prompt assoicates to adorn their homes with flowers. Executive Committee (EXCOM) Those members are responsible for the custody of the invested Grange funds, for advice and counsel of your fellow officers. Members are authorized to act in the name of the Grange between meetings in times of need or emergency. 02/29/12 Page 9
  • 10. * Positions of Patrons of The Grange The Ante Room was used for an brief waiting area when candidates were planned to enter the hall., by the Steward, before receiving advance degrees in the Grange. Officer’s regalia , member badges were kept in closets in the Ante Room. Each officer had a sash. Several officers had a symbol of their office: a ‘Spud’ for the Steward, a ‘Pruning Hook’ for the Assistant Steward, a ‘Shepherd’s Hook’ for the Lady Assistant Steward, a ‘Owl’ for the Gate Keeper, ‘Grain’ for Ceres, ‘Fruit’ for Pomona, and ‘Flowers’ for Flora. Each lesson and degree in the Grange had a specific ‘Court Robe’. The robe ‘regalia’ was simple . Lesson Degree Preparation Faith 1st. White with proper colored trimmings: Yellow for Ceres, Green for Pomona, and Pick for Flora. The use of different colored robe was optional . Hope 2nd Pink, made of suitable material trimmings: Ceres, Yellow; Pomona, Green; Flora, White. Garden Hats maybe worn. Charity 3rd Buff Trimmings: Ceres, Yellow; Pomona, Green; Flora, Pink. Tam O’Shanter Caps with russet Trimmings, are appropriate. Fidelity 4th Light Blue, Ceres Trimmed with Yellow; Pomona, White; Flora, Pink. Headdresses: Ceres - Wheat Heads, Pomona - Fruit Buds, Flora - carries a bouquet of flowers. An order within the seventh degree, the Order of Demeter or the Priests of Demeter controlled the rituals of the organization (1). Each degree had an emblem: 1st - Ax, Plow, Harrow, and a Spade. 2nd - Hoe and Pruning Knife. rd - The Sickles. 3 4th - The Agate The Preparation Room was used for preparing candidates for receiving their degrees and testing them on each degree. For example, the candidates are kept in the room until guided into the hall by the Assistant Stewards (Men) and the Lady Assistant Steward (Women). Men were called ‘Laborers’ and Women were called ‘Maids’ in the Grange. Each was given hoodwinks as well as cloaks to wear as they were guided into the Hall for the first degree. It was only when the hoodwinks were removed that the successful candidates saw the membership of the Grange, whose members had voted individually on his/her application to join that Grange (2). Current Members voted on new members in this manner: each one placed either a white ball for acceptance or black cubes in a box as they marched around inside the hall . The ballot was favorable for the candidate, if there were less than three black balls in the ballot box. If more than three black balls appeared, instructions in The Digest (Chapter IX, Sec. 57, page 64) were followed. The Preparation Room was also used for an area where candidates were examined by the Steward with the help of the Assistant Steward and the Lady Assistance Steward, before receiving their advanced degrees in the Grange . For example, candidates for the 3rd degree were tested on their knowledge of the Declaration of Purposes. This was stressed in the 2nd degree and verified before receiving the 3rd degree. Grange members were not considered to be ‘Patrons’ until they had earned the fourth degree. Then, one could vote on Grange business matters and sit in the hall. Members had to be in regulation regalia to enter the inter gate. When members left the hall, they had to salute the Overseer. The Steward collected their badges as the members walked by . Officers were to leave their sash at their ‘station’ in the hall when they left the hall. 02/29/12 Page 10
  • 11. Ohio State Grange 1873-1973. By The Ohio State Grange. 1973. 4th Degree Photos page 98. 02/29/12 Page 11
  • 12. 02/29/12 Page 12
  • 13. 1967 Stamps Each Grange degree had a emblem:. 1st - Ax, plow, Harrow, and a Spade. 2nd - Hoe and Pruning Knife. The Sickles 3rd - Cover of The Histories of The Lorain County Granges 1891-1991. 02/29/12 Page 13
  • 14. 02/29/12 Page 14
  • 15. When a member of a Grange died, a ceremony called ‘Draping the Charter’ was done by a march inside the hall. “Stations” refer to the location of the chairs used by the Master and other officers (2). 02/29/12 Page 15
  • 16. 02/29/12 Page 16
  • 17. Annual Dues in the Parma Grange according to the 1909 Charter were “ $1.00 for Men, $.50 for women, and $.10 a month payable in advance”. Grange members seemed to have a ‘traveling card’ to carry with them, if they ever traveled . When a member visited another Grange Hall, the card was presented to the Gate Keeper. That member waited in the Ante Room before entering the Hall. The Steward would announce his/her to all present in the hall. This card was inside the Grange Manual book Mr. Wengatz loanded me after my grange talk was completed 02/29/12 Page 17
  • 18. The usual meeting Order of Business The Parma Grange followed. Source: Manual Of Subordinate Granges Of The Parrons of Husbandry. Adopted and Issued By The National Grange. Thirty-First Edition Revised 1956. Copyright by The National Granage, P. of H. Page 5. 02/29/12 Page 18
  • 19. Official Roster of Subordinate Granges, Cuyahoga County, Ohio 1925. 02/29/12 Page 19
  • 20. 02/29/12 Page 20
  • 21. Official Roster of Subordinate Granges, Cuyahoga County, Ohio 1925 02/29/12 Page 21
  • 22. Sources: M.E. Gustin. An expose’ of the Grangers: Containing the opening and closing ceremonies of a Grangers’ lodge; the ceremony of initation, and the eight degrees of the order… 1875. Pulilisher: Dayton, Ohio: Christian Publishing Association. Cleveland Public Library. Reference. Microfiche. Call Number Z1236.L5. Constitution of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry with By-Laws of the National Grange, and Declaration of Principles, also, By-Laws of the State Grange of Ohio. Published by The Register Press, Sandusky, Ohio, 1896. Includes rules for conducting secret trials of members in subordinate granges. National Grange. Digest of the laws and enactments of the National Grange. 1900. Publisher: G.S. Ferguson: Phlaadelphia. Cleveland Public Library. Reference. Microfiche. Call Number Z1236.L5. Availability: Non Circulating. Footnote number 3 reference pages 12-13. Grange Melodies. Published by National Grange of Patrons of Husbandry for use in the Granges of the United States, edited and compiled by James L. Orr and printed by Ferguson of Philadelphia in 1904. 200 pages composed almost entirely of musical scores of songs sung at the grange. Official Roster of Subordinate Granges, Cuyahoga County, Ohio 1925. Page 69. Photos Parma South Church and Temperance Hall . The Cleveland News, August 29, 1926. Page 1. The Patron; The Official Song Book of the Grange; words and music; (many patriotic); Hard cloth Cover. Published by authority of the National Grange, April, 1926. Published by Hall-Mack Company; Philadelphia, PA, USA. Book is 8 1/2 by 6 inches in size with 150 songs. 64 pages. The Secret Empire - A handbook of Lodges by Theo. Graebner Concordia Publishing House St Louis, MO 1927. 5 x 7 1/2 inches. Hardcover good condition 243 pages. Contains references to fraternal systems. Pages 128 and 129. Manual Of Subordinate Granges Of The Parrons of Husbandry. Adopted and Issued By The National Grange. 1907, 1910, 1916 and the Thirty-First Edition Revised 1956. Copyright by The National Granage, P. of H. Diagrams on pages 2, 65, 68, and 99. Note: Grange Manuals were sold only to Grange Units themselves and never to individuals. They remain property of the Subordinate Grange. The manuals should be accounted for by The Worthy Steward of said Grange. In 2003, it was possible to purchase them on-line at ebay.com . “Parma Grange To Have “Night” Saturday Eve.” The Brooklyn News-Times. September 28, 1938. Page 4. They held a ‘Booster Night’. Public was invited. Part of program was a flower show. Twenty-three members went to Streetsboro, Ohio to present a program. Parma Grange Inspection was held October 10, 1938. “Community Calendar”. The Brooklyn News. May 26, 1960. Page 10. Parma Savings located at 5839 Ridge Road. Third meeting place of the Parma Grange. Ridgewood Savings was nearby at 5950 Ridge Rd. Ohio State Grange 1873-1973. By The Ohio State Grange. 1973. 4th Degree Photos page 98. The History of Parma: A Township, A Village, and A City by Ernest R. Kubasek. 1975. Pages 93-94. Brief mention is made of the local temperance society hall in Parma Township. Correspondence with Howard Caldwell, Master. The Ohio State Grange dated May 2, 1983. Parma Heights, Ohio Historical Society. Toll Roads in Southwestern Cuyahoga County, Ohio by Kenneth J. Lavelle. 1985. Mention is made of ‘Temperance Hall’ and ‘Mr. Tauber’ in footnotes. A living Christian hertiage: a history of the first 150 years of the Parma-South Presbyternian Church by Barbara E. Horrigan. 1985. 02/29/12 Page 22
  • 23. The History of Parma Township, Ohio by Dewitt Cogswell. Edited and compiled from his diaries by Mr. And Mrs. Haren. 1990. A Brief History Of The Lorain County Granges Compiled For The 100th Anniversity Of Pomona Grange No. 79 1891 – 1991. Front Cover Page. Interview with Mr. Wright of the Olmsted Grange No. 1619. Cuyahoga County Grange Deputy. Interview with Mr and Mrs. Wengatz. and Telephone interview with Mrs. Medved. Correspondence with Mrs. Street, Mrs. Scott, Mrs. Medved, and Mr. Wengztz. A Brief History of the Parma Grange by Kenneth J. Lavelle. 1998. Mention is made of ‘Temperance Hall’ , Parma Heights Village Halls, and ‘Mr. Tauber’ in footnotes. Shorter version was written for talk at Parma Area Historical Society given May 21, 2002. Footnotes: (1) Gustin, M.E. An expose’ of the Grangers microform: Containing the opening and closing Ceremonies of a Grangers’ lodge; the ceremonies of initiation, and the eight degrees of the order … Publisher: Christian Publishing Assocaiton, Dayton, Ohio 1875. CPL Microfiche Call Number Z1236.L5 Stanley J. Bransgrove, P.M., M.R.S., F.G.C.R Toward a Fraternal History of Marin County: A Survey of Secret Societies beng a General History of Various Fraternities and Their Specific Impact in Marin County, Califormia. Publication date: Copyrighted ©1996-2002 Stanley J. Bransgrove All rights reserved. Must not be copied or reproduced without prior written permission of the author. Found on internet June 29, 2002. www.abaris.net (2) C. Bruce Hunter’s Masonic Dictionary. Third Edition Published by Macoy Publishing & Masonic Supply Co., Inc.: Richmond, Virginia 1996. “Stations” mentioned on Page 85. “Hoodwink” - A blindfold. A symbol of the absence of knowledge, mentioned on page 45. Sidney Schwartz and John R. O’Connor. The New Exploring Our Nation’s History. 1979. Globe Book Company, Inc.: New York. “Granges” were defined as old English term meaning ‘farmhouses’ on page 385. (3) There seemed to be ‘eight’ degrees of the Grange in 1875. However, all material viewed by the author, in the 1990’s did not mention this higher 8th degree. Only seven degrees seemed to be public knowledge. The eight degrees mentioned by Mr. Gustin seemed to refer to the first four degrees for men and women. 1st Degree candidates were clothed in long , dark robe, and blindfolded. Led by the Assistant Warden into the hall, where one was met by the Warden, (who represented Ignorance), Pomona (who represented the fruits of nature), etc. in the ceremony. The basic idea was that the candidate was in search of light and knowledge when joining the Grange.Their rituals were thought to be less painful compared to those of the Freemasons. 1st Degree: Men: Laborer Women: Maid 2nd Degree: Men: Cultivator Women: Shepherdess 3rd Degree: Men: Harvester Women: Gleaner 4th Degree: Men: Husbandman Women: Maatron The 5th Degree was possible to be established for the District or County Grange Level. In most situations , in 1900, the 5th degree (state level) was Pomona (Faith). The 6th degree was Flora (Hope) for the national level. The 7th degree was given to those who were in charge of the secret work of the order. They were in charge of the rituals, honorary members of the National Grange, but not entitled to vote. (4) Independent Order of Odd-Fellows. Proceedings at Annual Session. 1899. CPL. Reference. Social Science Storage. Call Number 366.3 Od16p . There was no listing for Parma Twp. in Districts C-E of County County in 1899. The author believed that no I.O.O.F. Lodge ever existed in Parma Twp. and ever met in Temperance Hall. North Royalton was ‘Empire Lodge’ no. 346. Brooklyn was ‘Glenn Lodge’ no. 236. They met in Glenn Hall. (5) Charles M. Gardner, “The Grange – Friend Of The Farmer”. 1947. Third Printing. The National Grange: Washington, D.C. Pages 481 and 506. The controlling degree was Ceres or Demeter that became the seventh degree. All those who received the 7th degree were members of the Assemably of Demeter: Men: Priests of Demeter Women: Priestesses of Demeter. The presiding officer was the High Priest. The ranking officer was called Priest Archon. The keeper of the records was called the Priest Annalist. 02/29/12 Page 23
  • 24. The Parma Grange met in the Temperance Hall bulding owned by the Parma Protective Society indicated here. Cuyahoga County Land Parcel No. 472-5-44 located in Parma Heights Village Plat Book 1912-1930, No. 293 on page 23. Located in Cuyahoga County Archives, Cleveland, Ohio on September 13, 2002. No specific details of building listed on County Tax Exempt Card and Real Estate Appraisal Cards. Map indicated the 2/3 of an acre owned by the Parma Protective Society on 1-20-1900 and sold to Parma Heights Village on 6-30-1915. It is possible that the Village of Parma Heights and the Parma Grange paid rent to use Temperance Hall between 1912 and June, 1915. 02/29/12 Page 24
  • 25. 1901 CLEVELAND, OHIO QUADRANGLE TOPO MAP Source: ebay Item number: 2563540753 October 16, 2003 Measuring 22" x 14" inches -- This is an OHIO CLEVELAND QUADRANGLE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MAP --- STATE OF OHIO REPRESENTED BY THE GOVERNOR H. M. Wilson, Geographer in charge. Control by U.S. Lake Survey and E. L. McNair. Topography by Robt. D. Cummin. -- Surveyed in 1901 in cooperation with the State of Ohio. --- CLEVELAND, OHIO Edition of Oct. 1903, reprinted 1950. 02/29/12 Page 25
  • 26. "This is to Certify that William S. Throne was duly invested with the Degree of Ceres and enrolled as a Seventh Degree member of the ORDER OF THE PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY at an Assembly of the Priests of Demeter held at Syracuse, New York during the 74th Annual Session of the National Grange and the date and number of this Certificate are recorded in the office of the Priest Annalist. No. 114641 Chas. M. Gardner - High Priest; Thos Roy Brookes - Priest Annalist SIZE: 8.75"x10.7" CONDITION: Certificate is in quite good condition - sharp colors and lettering. COMMENT: Comes in original mailing envelop postmarked BEL AIR MD 1941 Source: ebay 10/15/2003 Item number: 3631650447 02/29/12 Page 26
  • 27. National GRANGE Patrons of Husbandry Manual 1907 Ebay Item number: 3559531489 October 17, 2003 "Manual of Subordinate Granges of the Patrons of Husbandry," adopted and issued by The National Grange. Published by George S. Ferguson Co., Philadelphia, 1907. Plain brown cloth covered boards with "Manual" blind stamped on the front cover. A great little manual on the Grange, America’s Foremost Volunteer & Grassroots Organization, who, according to pg. 134 should, "Attend to every duty promptly, and keep constantly before the minds of the members the important fact that the great and grand object, and the crowning glory of our organization is to Educate and Elevate the American Farmer." The book is small, measuring 5 5/8" X 3 7/8" with 134pp. 02/29/12 Page 27
  • 28. 1912 Degree of Flora National Grange framed ebay number: 3632776129 October 21, 2003 From the old grange hall in Charleston Twsp. located near Wellsboro Pa. 1916 Grange Hall Diagram 02/29/12 Page 28
  • 29. Source: ebay October 25, 2003 This is a neat award given to the Charleston Twsp. Grange hall in 1948. It reads " Award of Merit In recognition of outstanding service to this community National Grange Community Service Contest 1948" Source: ebay October 25, 2003 Source: ebay October 25, 2003 Grange Poster Up for auction is a 16-1/2" by 21-1/2" poster for a Community Service Project sponsored jointly by The National Grange and The Sears Roebuck Foundation. 02/29/12 Page 29
  • 30. This is a 64-page booklet entitled "Launching the Grange into the 80's" and distributed by the National Grange to its subordinate chapters. It contains a guide to contests, projects and programs sponsored by the national organization during the years 1980-82. National Grange Membership Card Booklet Up for auction is an old partially used membership card booklet for The National Grange Order of Patrons of Husbandry. There are 20 unused cards in the booklet and the used receipts are dated 1945 - 1947. Condition is very good. Source: ebay October 29, 2003 Item number: 3634579431 02/29/12 Page 30
  • 31. 1927 CLEVELAND P OF H GRANGE PINBACK BUTTON THIS IS A GREAT ANTIQUE 61ST ANNUAL SESSION NATIONAL GRANGE P. OF H. CLEVELAND 1927 CELLULOID PINBACK BUTTON AND CELLULOID RIBBON. THE PIECE IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION WITH NO DAMAGE AND MEASURES 4" LONG BY 1 1/4'' IN DIAMETER. THE PIECE IS MADE BY THE WHITEHEAD AND HOAG COMPANY. Ebay Item number: 3267409813 January 16, 2004. 02/29/12 Page 31
  • 32. Headline: Rain Halts Races At Chagrin Fair Full Card With Othe Events Scheduled for Throng Expected; Article Type: News/Opinion Paper: Plain Dealer; Date: 09-06-1911; Issue: 249; Page: [7]; Location: Cleveland, Ohio This entire product and/or portions thereof are copyrighted by NewsBank and/or the American Antiquarian Society. 2004. 02/29/12 Page 32
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