The Conklin Grange #1419
was formed on November 16, 1909. John Wilde, a member of the Ottawa
County Grange, from Herrington presided over the installation. The meetings were held on Saturdays at 1:00 p.m.
Initially, the members met
in the IOOF hall. During the winter of 1916, the members busily cut trees and
hauled logs to the mill to be sawn into lumber. In the spring of that year, construction
of a new Grange Hall on the northeast corner of Sehler and Maple Streets began. Members
completed construction in time to hold a dance on July 4th. John Ketcham,
State Master of the Grange, gave the dedicatory address. 25 years later, John Ketcham, then a Congressman, also attended and spoke at the Conklin Grange’s
Silver Anniversary celebration.
The first officers were:
Master: Horace Merrick
Secretary:
Kate T Kelly
Treasurer: Olen
Devenport
“The local unit of
the organization is built around the community. Men, women and youth are admitted on equal terms. Those who are 14 years of
age are eligible for full membership. Each member has one vote. The local Grange elects its own officers and controls its
own affairs in community matters.”*
On April 15, 1955, the Conklin
Grange #1419 submitted an application to the State of Michigan to become a Michigan Corporation. The members who signed
the application were: Clara Aulm, Margaret Bussis, Myrtle Devenport, Blanche
Fromholz, James Halpin, Lovina Jablonski, Esme Kelly, James A. McCuaig, Eveleen McNitt, Richard McNitt, William Rogers, Alice Rosel, Dale Rosel, and Helen
Rosel.
The Conklin Grange Hall was
used for many community events, such as dances, stage plays, and roller skating. It
was also rented for showers, wedding receptions, and family reunions.
The Conklin Grange surrendered
its Charter in 1984. The Conklin Grange Hall was purchased by Dale Rosel and
used for storage. It was later sold to the Conklin Reformed Church and the building
was later burned by the fire department for practice.
*From
the National Grange web site: http://www.nationalgrange.org.
