Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book
Nichols - Our Town - 1984
Articles on Lodges Odd Fellows * I.O.O.F. and Rebekah Lodges * Pike Grange No. 2218
ODD FELLOWS TALK NEW BUILDING
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, pages 83-84The Nichols Courier, Volume 1, Number 1, dated Thursday, 25 February 1915:
Would be Good for the Town - Such a Building with Modern Lodge Rooms Upstairs - and Good Store Below Would be Profitable.--- Nichols may have another new building on Main Street. It might be premature in mentioning it, but the fact is that the Odd Fellows are thinking very seriously of erecting a new lodge home. A committee, we understand, has been appointed whose business it is to sound the various members upon the proposition and see if it is feasible to proceed with such a project. So far as we have heard, every member of the local lodge is favorable to the plan, and it is not at all doubtful but that something may come of it later on.
The new building, if erected, will be strictly modern in its appointments and be an ideal lode room upstairs with a good big store room underneath, which would be rented for merchandise of some kind; the whole to be very creditable to the town of Nichols.
Many towns, not nearly so large as Nichols, have one or more societies owning their own lodge hall and there is no reason why the local Odd Fellows should not have theirs. We are living in one of the richest farming areas, and the Nichols lodge has a number of members who are not only able but willing to assist in putting up the new building.
I.O.O.F. AND REBEKAH LODGES
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 83~ Photo: Honor Lodge Members, 19 November 1960
Bridgeman Rebekah Lodge No. 14 honored long time members at a regular meeting held Friday evening. The Nichols lodge was chartered in 1900. Mrs. Emma Rice, the only charter member still living, was ill and unable to attend the meeting. Among members honored were, seated from left, Mrs. Anna Meyers, 40 years; Mrs. Lillian Richter and W. R. Schmidt, 60 years; and Albert Chown, 25 years; standing from left, Mrs. Elsie Swanson, Mrs. Edna Kirchner and Mrs. Felicitas Braun, 25 years. (Journal photo)
Nichols Lodge to Give Annual Play
This is an example of the homemade entertainment.
Nichols, Ia., March 28 (year not known)– The I.O.O.F. and Rebekahs will present their home talent play Saturday evening at the Nichols opera house. The play is “An Old Fashioned Mother.” The cast of characters includes:
Deborah Underhill, a mother in Israel, Mrs. Fred Hummel.
Widder Bell Pindle, leader of the choir, Mary Stevens.
Isabel Simpson, the village belle, Nellie Ramsey.
Glorina Perkins (as good as gold), Mildred Hummel.
Sukey Pindle, the widder’s wife, Mrs. Lloyd Ramsey.
John Underhill, the prodigal son, W. R. Schmitt.
Charley Underhill, the elder brother, Walter Elder.
Brother Jonah Quackenbush (a white sepulcher), Ernest Kirchner.
Jeremiah Goslin, a merry heart, Glen Hummel.
Enoch Crone, an outcast and wanderer, Jim Poole.
Quintus Todd, county sheriff, O. G. Meisky.
PIKE GRANGE NO. 2218
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, pages 82-83
By Mildred GeertzThree active Grange members from neighboring Granges helped organize he Pike Grange in 1944. The three were Tony Oostendorp and Ed Hadley of Penn Avenue Grange and Harold Pace of the Sweetland Grange.
Officers of the newly organized Pike Grange were installed 1 March 19144 under the direction of W. W. Sheets of Washington, D.C. The ceremony was held at the Youth Recreation Center in Nichols. The public was invited to attend. Fifty charter members made up the new organization. The charter was received by Master William Peterson and it was known as Pike Grange No. 2218.
The officers installed that day were Master, William Peterson; Overseer, Hubert Elder; Lecturer, Mrs. Burton Mills; Lady Steward, Mrs. L. A. Newton; Steward, L. A. Newton; Steward, Harold Carter; Chaplain, Mrs. Elmer Rathjen; Treasurer, Leonard Adams; Secretary, Mrs. Wanda Elder; Gatekeeper, Burton Mills; Ceres, Blanche Carter; Pomona, Mrs. Leonard Adams; Flora, Mrs. Lottie Porter. The executive board members were Louis Chown, three years; Elmer Rathjen, two years, and Robert James Elder, one year.
Charter members were Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Adams, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Carter, Murna Carter and Odetta Carter, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Chown, Mr. and Mrs. George Conklin, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Coss, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Dickey, Hubert Elder, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Elder, Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Fridley, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Gerischer, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Grim, Mrs. Vesta Hadley, Mr. and Mrs. William Hines, Mr. and Mrs. Ray McCullough, Mr. and Mrs. Gus Meyers, Mr. and Mrs. Burton Mills. Also, Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Newton, Mrs. Lottie Porter, Raymond Porter, Mr. and Mrs. William Peterson, Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn Phillips, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Rathjen, Mr. and Mrs. F. F. Stalkfleet, Mrs. Jessie Ulch, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Walker, Mr. and Mrs. Vere M. Walker, Louis Peterson. Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Hillyer were the next members who joined after the charter was written.
The meetings were held at the Youth Recreation Center in Nichols. The key to the Center was left at Rice’s Café for the convenience of members. Meetings were first held on Thursday night, but this was changed to the first and third Wednesdays of the month, and it continues to meet on that day.
Dues were ten cents a month. One of the first purchases made was a piano for five dollars.
Eventually the Pike Grange No. 2218 purchased the unused rural schoolhouse known as Lacy School for their meeting hall. The purchase price was $1,000.
The Grange programs promoted patriotism and educational topics, especially those of interest to farmers in their farming endeavors. They often had guest speakers. These could be local people; for example, the local postmaster, Charles Howe, presented a program; Mary Carter spoke on nursing. There were programs about income tax, talks given by 4-H leaders, and many others.
One year the lecturer of Pike Grange decided to give an attendance gift at each meeting, and soon after other area Granges adopted the same idea.
The women’s activity committee planned many activities, such as quilting; potluck suppers were held in the winter, picnics in the summer, and clean up days were held. The Grange remembered those who were ill. Mrs. Lottie Porter, Flora, was the first Pike Grange member appointed to get flowers for the ill.
A dues paying supper was held at the beginning of each year. This helped the lecturer with her/his report, which was sent or taken to the state meeting.
The State Lecturer set up the program, and the local Lecturer was expected to follow through on the plans.
The Grange is the oldest fraternal farm group. First known as the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry, it was organized in 1867 in Washington, D. C. Oliver Hudson Kelly, once a Muscatine resident, was instrumental in organizing this group for the betterment of rural America.
There are seven degrees in the Grange; the first four are based on the four seasons of the year and events occurring in the farmer’s life, given in the local (Subordinate) Grange. The fifth degree is given by the County Grange or Pomona; the sixth degree is given by the annual state sessions, and the seventh degree is given by the National Grange annual session.
Bill and Elsie Poole and Bill and Mildred Porter were the first members of Pike Grange No. 2218 to take the seventh degree in November of 1952. Several members have held state offices. Helen Grim was State Lecturer; Gertrude Black, State Women’s Activities; Mildred Geertz held the state office of Flora, and Art Black was Youth Director at the state level.
Ed Hadley, who assisted with the organizing of the Pike Grange No. 2218 has held the office of State Master and has served on the Executive Board at the State level. When Mildred Geertz was the lecturer, she invited Rep. Fred Schwengle to attend. He was unable to do so, but he did send a flag that had flown over the White House. This flag was presented to the Boy Scouts to Lynn Pruitt, who was the Boy Scout leader at the time.
During the late 1800s there were over 1900 Granges in Iowa. The legislative branch of the Grange has had many accomplishments, such as rural free mail delivery, control of freight rates, Secretary of Agriculture post formed in the cabinet, and land grant colleges formed.
The Grange is the only farm organization which has its own national headquarters building in Washington, D. C. It is a family organization where all members participate. Junior Grange is for youth 8 through 14 years of age. At one time there were cooperative-owned Grange stores in Wilton, West Liberty and Letts. There was a Grange implement factory at the corner of Third Street and Mulberry Avenue in Muscatine. The order-buyer for the Grange stores throughout the United States was Montgomery Ward, who later started his mail order stores.
The Grange played a very important part in shaping rural Iowa, and the local Pike Grange No. 2218 was very active for a number of years. At the present time [1984] the enrollment has declined drastically, but a small group of faithful still carry on.
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