By Muriel Bristol |December 22, 2024
The National Grange (or the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry) “is a social organization in the United States that encourages families to band together to promote the economic and political well-being of the community and agriculture” (Wikipedia, 2024).
Milton had three subordinate or community Granges – the Lewis W. Nute Grange, No. 193, at Milton; the Pleasant Valley Grange, No. 272, at Milton Mills; and the Nute Ridge Grange, No. 316, at West Milton. These local community granges, and others, such as Rochester’s Rochester Grange, No. 86, Wakefield’s Lovell Union Grange, No. 178, Farmington’s Henry W. Wilson Grange, No. 205, and Middleton’s Reunion Grange, No. 303, were subordinates to (or parts of) the Eastern N.H. Pomona (or regional) grange. The various regional Pomona granges were parts of the NH State Grange.
Certain Grange offices, such as the “Three Graces,” i.e., the Ceres (representing grain), the Pomona (representing fruit), and the Flora (representing flowers), as well as the Lady Assistant Steward, were reserved for female Grange members. (See also Milton Delegate Bard B. Plummer (1846-1919) for a description of these Grange offices).
The Pleasant Valley Grange was formed in Milton Mills, on Wednesday, February 1, 1899, with twenty-two charter members. Its sequence number in the formation of local subordinate Granges was #272 (NH State Grange, 1899).
The Nute Ridge Grange was formed in West Milton, on Friday, October 13, 1911, with thirty charter members. Its sequence number in the formation of local subordinate Granges was #316. Its initial Grange Master was Edwin P. Tripp, its Lecturer was Mrs. Annie B. Gale, and its Secretary was Samuel Gale (NH State Grange, 1911).
West Milton. The Nute Ridge grange was organized last Friday evening by Mr. Drake, state lecturer, assisted by Mr. Weeks of Dover and Mrs. Colomy and Mr. Tetherly of Farmington. A good number of grangers were present from Milton and Farmington (Farmington News, October 20, 1911).
Grange at Nute Ridge. Last Friday State Secretary George R. Drake of Manchester and Deputy Albion G. Weeks of Rochester organized a grange with 30 members on Nute ridge, to be known as Nute Ridge grange. The following were elected as officers: Master, Edwin Tripp; overseer, Henry B. Hayes; lecturer, Mrs. Annie B Gale; steward, Charles T. Hayes; assistant steward, Roy Tripp; treasurer, Mrs. Mary Hayes; secretary, Samuel Gale; chaplain, Rev. E.T. Eastman; gatekeeper, Myron Wentworth; Ceres, Mrs. Edwin Tripp; Pomona, Mary W. Hayes; Flora, Flora McGregor; lady assistant steward, Mary E. Longley. They will meet the second and fourth Saturdays, the next meeting being Oct. 28 (Farmington News, October 20, 1911).
West Milton. Nute Ridge grange held it regular meeting last Saturday evening (Farmington News, December 11, 1911).
West Milton. Miss Abbie Howe took the first degree in the Nute Ridge grange last Saturday evening. Miss Nellie Hayes was at home over Sunday and attended the grange meeting last Saturday (Farmington News, May 17, 1912).
West Milton. Mrs. E.P. Tripp, who has been ill since October, has so far recovered that she was able to attend the installation of officers at Nute Ridge Grange Saturday evening (Farmington News, January 28, 1916).
West Milton. At the regular meeting of Nute Ridge Grange last Saturday evening, officers for the ensuing term were ably installed by past deputy of E.N.H. Pomona Grange, George Tasker of Strafford, assisted by Mrs. Lillian Foss Cooper of Rochester, lady assistant steward of the State Grange. Seven different Granges were represented by delegations and the attendance was unusually large. Officers to receive promotion were as follows: Charles Hayes, master; Russell Wentworth, overseer; Henry Hayes, lecturer; Henry Swinerton, steward; Mrs. Agnes Goodwin, assistant steward; Mrs. Lena Perkins, chaplain; Mrs. Nellie Hayes, treasurer; Samuel Gale, secretary; Herbert Wentworth, gatekeeper; Margaret Swinerton, Ceres; Vivian McGregor, Pomona; Eva McGregor, Flora; Hazel Perkins, lady assistant steward. Remarks were heard from grand officers and visiting members and light refreshments were served at the close (Farmington News, January 28, 1916).
LIST OF DECEASED MEMBERS. NELLIE TRIPP, Wife of Roy Tripp, Master of the Nute Ridge Grange of West Milton, Died March 10, 1918 (NH State Grange, 1918).
MILTON. Nute Ridge Grange held its spring inspection on Thursday evening of last week. Deputy Harold Hayes of Dover was the inspecting officer and the work was exemplified in a splendid manner before a large attendance, which included delegations from Rochester, Farmington, and Milton. Following the work a fine baked bean supper was served under the direction of Mrs. Lola Hyland. About fifty people sat down to the feast (Farmington News, May 7, 1920).
WEST MILTON. Inspection of Nute Ridge Grange was held at the regular meeting lost Saturday night by D.D. Harmon of Portsmouth. The working of the fourth degree was praised by the deputy all having their parts perfectly. After the exercises a fine supper was served in the dining room below stairs and consisted of cold meats, salads, cake, pies, fruit and hot coffee (Farmington News, May 20, 1921).
POMONA GRANGE MEETS AT WEST MILTON. WEST MILTON, N.H., April 28. – Eastern New Hampshire Pomona Grange met today with Nute Ridge Grange with a large attendance. At a closed session in the morning, the fifth degree was conferred on a class of candidates, and at 1:30 p.m. Mrs. Annette Smith of Strafford Center, member of the home economics committee of the State Grange, held a conference. A public meeting followed. The invocation was by Rev. Franklin Parker, pastor of the Community Church, the address of welcome by Edwin Henderson, master of Nute Ridge Grange, and the response by Archie Emerson of Somersworth, steward of Eastern New Hampshire Pomona Grange. There were vocal solos by Mrs. Grace Mooney Stevens of Rochester, readings by Mrs. Annette Smith of Strafford Center and an essay by Mrs. Sadie Ham of Rochester. The “Cornucopia,” Pomona Grange paper, was written by Mrs. Grace Hurd of East Rochester, lecturer of Eastern New Hampshire Pomona Grange (Boston Globe, April 29, 1927).
WEST MILTON. Friday evening, January 11, the officers elect of Nute Ridge Grange were installed by Edgar Ham of Rochester, assisted by Mrs. Ham, Mrs. Wiggin and Mrs. Lamb. The installation was public, in order that a number of young people who contemplate joining the Grange might attend. The officers installed were Irving Gray, master; Charles Hayes, overseer; Mrs. B.H. Kelley, lecturer; Russell Wentworth, steward; Charles Currier, assistant steward; Leroy Tripp, chaplain; Henry Hayes, treasurer; Mrs. Georgia Wentworth, gatekeeper; Mrs. Nellie Hayes, Ceres; Mrs. H. Swinerton, Pomona; Miss Evelyn Swinerton, Flora; Elizabeth Gray, lady assistant (Farmington News, January 25, 1929).
Rochester, N.H. New Hampshire Pomona Grange met Thursday afternoon and evening with Nute Ridge Grange at Milton. Taking part in the afternoon were; Mrs. Fred Legro, Somersworth; Deputy Albert H. Brown of Strafford Bow Lake; and Dr. George F. Foster of the Lucy Hastings Hospital, Manchester (Portland Evening Express (Portland, ME), May 20, 1938).
Girl Of 17 Heads Nute Ridge Grange. ROCHESTER, NH., Jan. 10 (Special) -Believed to be the youngest master of a Grange in the Country, Miss Elsie May Bigelow, 17, daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. E. Lincoln Bigelow of West Milton. was Friday night installed.as master of Nute Ridge Grange by J. Thornton Tripp of Rochester, steward of the State Grange. Miss Bigelow, A senior at the Nute High School at Milton, succeeds her mother, the Rev. Marion S. Bigelow, who served as master for two years. Six members of the Bigelow family are Grangers; five sixth degree members, and two, including Miss Bigelow, hold the seventh degree (Portland Evening Express (Portland, ME), January 10, 1942).
CLAIM YOUNGEST GRANGE MASTER. WEST MILTON, N.H. (AP) – The Nute Ridge grange claims to have the youngest grange master in the nation. She is Elsie May Bigelow, 17, installed last night. A high school senior, she succeeded her mother, the Rev. Marian Bigelow (Lewiston Sun-Journal (Lewiston, ME), January 10, 1942).
Rochester Briefs. Miss Grace H. Smith, Strafford county home demonstration agent, returned Monday to her duties at the office of the Strafford county farm bureau, after a week’s vacation. Friday night she will speak on “Nutrition” at a meeting of Nute’s Ridge Grange in West Milton (Portsmouth Herald, October 7, 1942).
Milton Mills. By MRS. ALFRED LEWIS. Frank Hayes made his official visit to Pleasant Valley Grange on Wednesday evening last week and worked the third degree for two candidates. Visitors attended from Rochester and Nute Ridge Granges. Dorothy Miller and Harold Roberts served refreshments. Mrs. Helen T. Grant of Shapleigh visited at Brightlook last Thursday afternoon (Sanford Journal-Tribune (Biddeford, ME), February 5, 1960).
Milton Mills. By MRS. ALFRED LEWIS. Grange. Pleasant Valley Grange met last week Wednesday evening when first and second degrees were conferred on Karen Ham. On Mar. 14, Karen will go to Nute Ridge Grange and receive the third and fourth degrees. The Home Economics Committee will have charge of a penny sale at the next regular meeting on Mar. 16 (Sanford Journal-Tribune (Biddeford, ME), March 10, 1966).
The proportion of people engaged or employed largely in agriculture has declined nationally over time, from about one-third of the population at the start of the Twentieth Century to less than 2% today. National Grange membership and activity has declined also over that time. Ending the Grange’s insurance benefit society functions in or around 1992 seems to have accelerated the decline (Wikipedia, 2024).
It is difficult to say exactly how long the Nute Ridge Grange persisted. Newspapers made fewer and fewer reports of its meetings and activities, either because there were fewer of them or because there was less newspaper interest in them.
The last newspaper mentions found of active Nute Ridge Grange members had Worthy Master Betty Lacoutere presiding over a meeting.
Thereafter, newspaper mentions of the Nute Ridge Grange occur largely in obituaries, in which the recently deceased were said to have been members during their lifetime.
References:
NH State Grange. (1892). Journal of Proceedings of the New Hampshire State Grange. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=nmkkAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA5-PA34
NH State Grange. (1899). Journal of Proceedings of the New Hampshire State Grange. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=rRY1AQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA35
NH State Grange. (1911). Journal of Proceedings of the New Hampshire State Grange. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=NxQ1AQAAMAAJ&pg=RA4-PA39
Wikipedia. (2024, April 2). National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Grange_of_the_Order_of_Patrons_of_Husbandry
Milton Observer 