History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people, Volume I, Part 86

Author: Downs, John Phillips, 1853- ed. [from old catalog]; Hedley, Fenwick, Y., joint ed. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Boston, New York [etc.] American historical society, inc.
Number of Pages: 649

USA > New York > Chautauqua County > History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people, Volume I > Part 86

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Miss Morgan furnished in all 92 nurses, of which 14 were at the hospital, 74 in families, and four at the Swedish Orphanage. Fourteen of the nurses were grad- uate, 18 practical, and 60 were lay helpers. She also furnished 60 quarts of soup, 10 dozen eggs, bedding, towels, nightgowns, and shirts in the early days of the epidemic.

During the year from March 18, 1918, to March 31, 1919, three campaigns, for the purpose of obtaining refugee clothing for Europe, were conducted by the American Red Cross. The week of March 18-25, 1918, was set aside for the first of these campaigns. Clothing, bedding, and shoes to the amount of 5,162 pounds were contributed by Chautauqua County Chapter. This ma- terial was packed in 43 cases and shipped to the Belgian Relief Committee in New York on April 6.

In September, 1918, came the second and even more urgent call for used clothing to supply the ten million destitute people in Belgium and Northern France. The minimum allotment for this Chapter was 8,000 pounds, and the time set aside for the campaign the week of September 23-30. During this period and the week following, 16,581 pounds of clothing, bedding, and shoes were received and packed. Of this amount, one large case was filled entirely with new articles, some of which were given by merchants and other individuals, and the remainder purchased with $44.82 donated for the pur- pose. Shipment was made in carload lot of 76 cases and barrels to the American Red Cross, Newark, N. J., the middle of October.

During the last week of March. 1919, the American people were asked for a third time to donate used clothing for the destitute refugees of devastated coun- tries. This time no quotas were given, the need being unlimited and the field of relief widened to include Italy, Poland, Czecho-Slovakia, Juga-Slavia, Serbia, Roumania, Greece, Macedonia, Albania, and Palestine. Clothing amounting to 11,500 pounds was received dur- ing the two weeks from March 24 to April 7. A third week was required to finish packing, and on April 15 a carload, consisting of 185 bags and 11 barrels, was shipped to the American Red Cross, Baltic Terminal, New York Dock Company, Brooklyn. In this lot there

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were about 200 pounds of new goods, furnished, as be- fore, by merchants and others or purchased with money contributions, which this time amounted to $61.32.

The organization and plan of work for the three cam- paigns were the same. The Executive Committee of the Chapter appointed as chairman Miss Gertrude E. Clement. In the third campaign Mrs. H. W. Bloomquist was made vice-chairman. One receiving station was established for the entire Chapter community, the store at 314 North Main street being secured each time for that purpose. Circular letters were sent to all auxiliaries of the Chapter, those outside the city being asked to organize and send in their contributions collectively. The Junior Red Cross was also organized, each school bringing in its donations as a unit. All other city con- tributions were made individually. Posters, photographs, and slides were received from New York headquarters for the third campaign. The most important means of publicity, however, was through the columns of the daily papers and this work was entirely in charge of W. S. Bailey.

Summing up the three campaigns, a total of sixteen and one-half tons of clothing, bedding and shoes were shipped in one year from Chautauqua Chapter, James- town, N. Y., to the Atlantic Division of the American Red Cross.

In response to the appeal of the Atlantic Division that Chautauqua County Chapter should provide 1,000 bath towels, 2,000 hand towels, 1,400 handkerchiefs and 100 napkins, the Chapter auxiliaries, numerous societies and the general public responded during the first week of October, 1918, with 1,366 bath towels, 2,233 hand towels, 1,897 handkerchiefs, 277 napkins and $32.82 in cash.

The Christmas Parcels Campaign for the year 1919 resulted in the packing, inspecting and mailing of 1,200 packages to "the boys" overseas. A canteen service was organized in May, 1918, to serve soldiers on troop trains passing through the city, but Salamanca being the end of the railroad division was chosen, the Jamestown can- teen performing local service during the five war drives and in other ways.

From the reorganization of the Chapter in April, 1917,

until this time, the publicity work, including the public meetings held under the auspices of the Chapter, was under the direction of William S. Bailey. During this time both the Jamestown "Evening Journal" and the Jamestown "Morning Post" gave the publicity depart- ment of the Chapter the use of space in their news columns without limitation, and in addition each paper placed a large amount of their advertising space at the Chapter's disposal without remuneration. During this period a number of notable public meetings were held

under the auspices of the Chapter, addressed by such well known speakers as Consul Wesley Frost, Rev. Dr. Alan McRossie, Colonel Williams of the Canadian Expe- ditionary Forces, Chaplain David Hughes of the British Army, Mrs. Marguerite Fairfax Clendenin, and Howard R. Heydon. In addition to these, the Chapter received the assistance of inany ministers and laymen who liave spoken upon its behalf. There have also been a num- ber of conferences held in the city of Jamestown.

Officers, 1918-1919: Chairman, Col. William F. Endress ; vice-chairman, J. Alden Osmer ; secretary, G. R. Broadberry, resigned Nov. 20, 1918; E. D. Bevitt, re- signed May 20, 1919; Major A. Bartholdi Peterson, elected May 20, 1919; treasurer, Brewer D. Phillips. Executive Committee : Chairman, Mrs. Frank E. Gif- ford; Miss Carrie E. Aiken, Miss Nettie J. Armstrong, Mrs. E. J. Ashwell, Mrs. Clayton E. Bailey, William S. Bailey, Mrs. Elizabeth Barrett, R. Jay Barrows, Major Wm. M. Bemus, M. D., E. D. Bevitt, Mrs. H. W. Bloomquist, G. R. Broadberry, Miss S. Flora Broadhead, Mrs. Glenn K. Brown, Mrs. R. E. Caskey, Miss Gertrude E. Clement, Mrs. George W. Cottis, M. D., Mrs. Emily Crane, Hon. Charles M. Dow, Mrs. C. L. Eckman, Col. William F. Endress, Mrs. Harry Fenton, Mrs. Fletcher Goodwill, E. Snell Hall, Rev. Felix V. Hanson, Mrs. Fred E. Hatch, Charles W. Herrick, Mrs. J. Ernest Johnson, Cyrus E. Jones, George L. Maltby, Hon. Frank H. Mott, Mrs. J. Alden Osmer, J. Alden Osmer, Brewer D. Phillips, Henry H. Roberts, Mrs. Harry P. Sheldon, Mrs. Ralph C. Sheldon, Samuel B. Shields, Mrs. Walter C. Sunderland, Mrs. Walter A. Taylor, Mrs. Cora Sheldon Tew, Nathan M. Willson.

WOMEN'S CLUBS.

In addition to the Women's organizations which have wrought so marvelously for right and progress in Chau- tauqua county-notably the Women's Christian Tem- perance Union, the Political Equality County Club, the Young Women's and Women's Christian Associations, the Church Societies, Woman's Relief Corps, the ladies orders of the fraternal bodies, and the Patriotic So- ciety of Daughters of the American Revolution-there remains another class of women's clubs, literary mainly. and mostly affiliated with the New York State Federa- tion of Clubs. While Jamestown is the club center of Chautauqua county, about twenty clubs being in success- ful existence there, the club spirit is strong all over the county, and women's clubs-literary, social and musical-are formed in many towns.

The Mozart Club of Jamestown is the oldest woman's club in the county, as well as the largest, dating from 1879, and as an incorporated body from 1894. It has higli reputation as a musical organization, and will be more fully dealt with under music.

The Chautauqua Woman's Club was organized in 1888 with a membership composed of residents from nearly every State of the Union.

The Shakespeare Club of Westfield, organized in 1883, became in 1885 the Monday Evening Club. Travel, his-

tory, literature and the arts have had especial promin- ence in the life of this club, and its place in the cultured life of the village is secure.

Jamestown also has its Fortnightly Club, organized in 1805: its New Century Art Club, founded in 1897, with a limited membership pledged to "cultivate a bet- ter knowledge and appreciation of art." There is also in that city the First Shakespeare Club, which meets at the homes of its members; Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circles ; and a Browning Society which meets during the winter months at members' homes.

Dunkirk has a Woman's Literary Club, organized in 1895, and a Woman's Educational and Industrial Union, the latter, however, a practical helpful organization not properly to be classed as a club within the usual mean- ing. The Dunkirk Music Club is a live organization of music lovers.

The Tuesday Club of Mayville, organized in 1895, "with the object of attaining a higher, broader and truer culture," is the mother of Mayville's Free Library and now an incorporated body with a good library con- ducted under the name, The Tuesday Club Library of Mayville. The Critical Club of Mayville was organized by Miss Aimee Tourgee, its membership mostly teach- ers and literary young ladies.

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CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE

The Minerva Club of Sherman, organized in 1896, for "mutual improvement," has proved a most useful body, with high aims which mean improvement in Sher- man's social and civic life.

The Ripley Literary Club was founded in 1893, mainly through the influence of Mrs. Mary E. Wethy, who was its first president. The object of the club was to keep the women and girls beyond school age in touch with the events of the day, and also to develop the study of history, art and literature. The club started with a membership of thirty-five, with the active membership limited to forty, but as the associate membership is unlimited there are now sixty members. Every year a new program of work and study is arranged by a committee of four or five members, and by this method

a great many in the village have received educational benefit. The club has presented pictures to the school, adopted a French orphan, prepared and sent out Christ- mas gifts to the needy, and taken full charge of the Memorial Day services in Ripley for a number of years. The club is affiliated with the Western New York Federation of Woman's Clubs, and two members of the club have held the office of treasurer of the Federation.

Fredonia, a school center, has Art and Shakespeare Clubs; Cherry Creek, a Woman's Club; Sheridan, a Saturday Study Club; Silver Creek, a Shakespeare and a Current Event Club ; and all over the county are these centers of literary activity, all striving toward higher expression and better living.

PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY.

Fredonia Grange, No. I, Patrons of Husbandry, was the first grange of the order ever organized, and to Chautauqua county belongs the honor not of giving birth to the Grange idea, but of giving to the idea form and being. The founder of the Order was Oliver Hud- son Kelley, known by Grangers throughout the United States as "Father Kelley."

He was born in Boston, January 7, 1826, receiving his education in the public schools of that city. He left Boston when he was twenty-one years old, and for a time was a reporter on the "Chicago Tribune." For some time thereafter he was a telegrapher, later going to Minnesota, where he traded with the Indians. While living on his farm there, he operated the first reaping machine ever used in that State. In 1864 he was ap- pointed a clerk in the Department of Agriculture at Washington and when the close of the War between the States created conditions little understood at Washing- ton, Mr. Kelley was chosen by Isaac Newton, U. S. Com- missioner of Agriculture, in January, 1866, to travel through the Southern States and from actual contact with the people and through personal acquaintance with them gain a true knowledge of conditions and furnish the government with needed statistics. There was con- siderable danger attached to such a mission, but Mr. Kelley's personality, his high character and his fraternal affiliations, enabled him to gain a close view of the needs of the people. While on this mission the "Grange" idea was born in his brain-that "idea" comprehending an organization of agriculturists, non-partisan, non-sec- tarian, an organization national in scope, "united by the strong and faithful tie of agriculture," a band of brethren among whom no dissension could arise. This idea conceived in 1866 was perfected after Mr. Kelley's return to Washington, and on December 4, 1867, the National Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, was organized as a temporary head. A school of instruction was also instituted in the District of Columbia. The personal enthusiasm of Mr. Kelley carried conviction, and six men became imbued with the faith and courage of the founder. All men chosen for some particular trait, but all men of strong character. These seven men are entitled to be considered the founders of the Order: Oliver H. Kelley, William M. Ireland, Rev. John Trim- ble, Rev. A. B. Grosh, F. M. McDowell, J. R. Thompson, William Saunders. all residents of Washington, D. C., and all except F. M. McDowell, who was a pomologist of Wayne county, New York, being in government employ. A constant co-worker with these men was Mr. Kelley's niece, Miss Caroline A. Hall, who advocated and finally secured the admission of women to the Order upon terms of perfect equality. In its early years

Miss Hall did an immense amount of clerical, publicity and detail work which contributed largely to its very existence. While Mr. Kelley must always be regarded as the founder of the Grange idea, Miss Hall's mother- ing in those early days enabled the infant to survive childhood.

These founders of the Order for nearly two years labored with great energy and with a faith and zeal amounting almost to inspiration, until, with the assist- ance of friends who became interested, they completed a well-devised scheme of organization, based upon a ritual of four degrees for men and four for women, which is unsurpassed in the English language for or- iginality of thought, purity of sentiment, and beauty of diction. Having formed a constitution to govern the Order, these men met on December 4, 1867, and constituted themselves the National Grange of the Pa- trons of Husbandry, with William Saunders as master ; J. R. Thompson, lecturer ; William M. Ireland, treasurer, and O. H. Kelley, secretary. The remaining offices for obvious reasons were left vacant. The first Subordinate Grange was organized in Washington, D. C., January 8, 1868, as a school of instruction, with William M. Ire- land as master.

The little brown building in which the organization was effected was at that time the office of Mr. Saunders, and stood embowered with the trees in the gardens of the Agricultural Department on the corner of 412 street and Missouri avenue. Later the late Colonel Aiken, of South Carolina, and other members of the Order, made vigorous efforts to have the government preserve this historic building, but they were unsuccessful.

In February, 1868, Mr. Bartlett, of Madison, Ohio, wrote: "In the organization of this Order we will be expected to initiate mighty reforms, and the world will be disappointed if we do not. Here may be inaugurated the idea of equality between the sexes by simply remov- ing the disabilities," and in this, as all else, they were fully a quarter of a century ahead of their time. Early in 1868 Mr. Kelley decided to give up all other business and devote his entire time to the establishment of the Order, and April 3rd he left Washington for Harris- burg, Pennsylvania, for that purpose. This measure was strongly opposed by his more conservative asso- ciates, but with supreme faith in the ultimate success of his plan, and little dreaming of the years of hard work before him, he left Washington with only two dollars and a half of Grange funds and a ticket for Harrisburg. Failing in his effort to establish a Grange there, but obtaining some financial aid, and granting a dispensation for a Grange, he came on to Penn Yan, New York, where another effort was made which also

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failed. From there he went to Wayne, Steuben county, the home of F. M. McDowell, who was the representa- tive of New York among the founders, and ever a staunch supporter of the cause. Here he received a warm welcome and many cheering words which helped him to endure the dark hours of the struggle, for as he tersely expresses it, "the Order of Patrons of Hus- bandry ought to endure, for it was founded upon the solid rock of poverty, than which there can be nothing harder."

A. S. Moss, of Fredonia, had become greatly interest- ed in the plan and succeeded in interesting many other Chautauqua people, so to him Mr. Kelley next appealed. He arrived in Fredonia on April 15 and the next day, April 16, 1868, having at last found broad and liberal minded men ready to back their faith with their money and their influence, he organized Fredonia Grange.

The first State Grange, that of Minnesota, was or- ganized February 22, 1869, but the new Order grew slowly until 1872, when it had an existence in twenty-two States. 1873 and 1874 were years of wonderful growth, and in 1875, at the annual meeting held in Louisville, Kentucky, Secretary Kelley reported that the Order had issued in the United States alone 24,200 charters to sub- ordinate bodies. fowa led all other States in 1873, with 754 Granges. New York is now the banner State with (January I, 1920) 915 subordinate granges, and a total membership of 127,966, a net gain for the year 1919 of 6,377 members.

In 1875 the Order was stronger in the Southern States ; later, New England was the leading section, then the Middle States stronger than elsewhere, but now it is strong everywhere in the Union, and the dream of the founder has come true, and Granges with the "tie that binds" are scattered from Maine to California and from Washington to Texas, teaching the value of organiza- tion and fraternity.

At the Pan-American Exposition the New York State Grange, assisted by the National Grange, established a "headquarters" which proved very successful. It was under the management of a Chautauqua county woman (Mrs. B. B. Lord), and was one of the most popular resting places on the grounds. More than 36,000 names were registered of those who accepted the courtesies of Grange hospitality, and that was only a small portion of those who came to the building and were in some way reminded that the Patrons of Husbandry were keeping "open house" for the "good of the order" and of mankind.

Oliver H. Kelley, the founder, after serving the Na- tional Grange as secretary several years, about 1878 in- terested himself in building a town named Carabelle, in honor of his niece, on the Gulf Coast of Florida. He commenced there in a Sibley tent in the forest eighteen miles from a neighbor. Fifteen years later there was a town of about 1,000 inhabitants, with churches, schools, sawmills, hotels, daily mail, in fact most modern improvements. The tract contained several thousand acres of land and not a dollar debt on it. Later he removed to Washington, D. C., Kalorama Road, where he was called to "Cross the Bar," after eighty-seven years of tossing on life's changing seas.

Under call of the National Grange Secretary, twenty masters of subordinate granges in the State of New York met in Syracuse, November 6, 1873, to form a State organization. A constitution and by-laws were adopted, and George Dexter Hinckley, second master of Fredonia Grange No. I, was chosen worthy master. The first regular session of the New York State Grange was held in Albany, March 18, 1874, continuing four

days, 165 granges being represented by their masters. Walter C. Gifford and Sherman J. Lowell, Chautauqua county men, have also served as masters of the State Grange, and at the last meeting of the National Grange, Sherman J. Lowell was called to the high office of worthy master of the National Grange, an office he is now filling ( 1920).

In the year 1875, seven years after the establishment of Fredonia Grange No. I, a meeting was held at Broc- ton, September 24. At that meeting Chautauqua County Pomona Grange was formed by the members present, representing the subordinate granges at Fredonia, Sher- man, Stockton, Ross Mills, Westfield, Sheridan and Portland. George D. Hinckley of Fredonia Grange and then worthy master of the New York State Grange, was elected chairman, and George E. Ryckman secre- tary. The fifth degree was conferred on the delegates present by Worthy Master Hinckley. The delegates then preceeded to the election of officers: J. E. Otta- way, worthy master ; A. P. Phillips, worthy overseer ; E. S. McCollough, worthy lecturer; E. S. Crossgrove, worthy steward; E. A. Ross, worthy assistant steward ; H. C. Van Schoonhoven, worthy chaplain ; C. W. Bur- ton, worthy treasurer; G. E. Ryckman, worthy secre- tary; George E. Bates, worthy gatekeeper; C. W. Bur- ton, Worthy Pomona; D. Convis, Worthy Flora; E. S. Mccullough, Worthy Ceres ; Mrs. Charles Hall, worthy assistant steward.

The Order has prospered in the county, and from the Journal of Proceedings of the New York State Grange held in Rochester, February 3, 4, 5, 6, 1920, it is gather- ed that Chautauqua county with 34 granges and 8,830 members, is the banner county of the State. The gain in membership for the Grange year ending September 30, 1919, was 242. Chautauqua county, the home of the first grange, got a start in the race for membership, which she now retains, although she has not always led.

At the annual meeting of Pomona Grange held at Cherry Creek, January 15-16, 1891, Albert A. Van Vleck was elected secretary, and at each annual meeting since that time he has been reelected, his last election in 1920.

At the annual meeting held in Ashville, January 14-15, 1892, Mrs. Albert A. Van Vleck, wife of the secretary, was elected assistant secretary, and she too has been annually reelected until the present (1920). The sub- ordinate granges of the county here follow in the order of their establishment; the membership figures are for the grange year, ending September 30, 1919:

Fredonia Grange, No 1, holds the enviahle distinc- tion of being the first regularly chartered subordinate grange in the world. Since its organization by Oliver H. Kelley, April 16, 1868, the grange has had a won- derful growth, and at the last official report, Septem- ber 30, 1919, was still the banner grange of Chautau- qua county, having 735 members. Union Grange, Jamestown, the nearest competitor having 732. When O. H. Kelley, "the founder," paid Fredonia Grange a visit, April 2, 1869, he was met by a grange one hun- dred strong, and was tendered a hanquet in a beauti- ful hall, and sent on his way rejoicing. The grange celebrated its twenty-fifth birthday, one of the fea- tures of the celebration being the presence of "Foun- der" Kelley, who had been brought from his Florida home through the efforts of Mrs. Bela B. Lord, a lead- ing member, State lecturer, and indefatigable work- er for the good of the order.

The golden anniversary was also celebrated in a fitting manner, and the "mother grange" is now enjoy- ing middle-age prosperity, having passed her fifty- second birthday, with 735 members. As this is the "mother grange" a list of charter members enrolled at the second meeting held April 21, 1868, will be of inter- est: A. S. Moss, U. E. Dodge, T. S. Hubbard, Louis Mckinstry, J. J. Parker, D. Fairbanks, M. S. Wood- ford, Willard Mckinstry, H. Stiles, William H. Stevens,

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CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE

J. Wellman, N. G. Butts, N. L. Payne, and Ira Porter. To this list there were added G. D. Hinckley, A. F. Taylor, R W. Gardner, Erastus Bartholomew, Lewis T. Parker and K. W. Forbes.

At the second meeting, officers were elected: U. E. Dodge was elected the first master of Fredonia Grange No. 1, and up to his death, at the age of 86 years, on January 5, 1909, Mr. Dodge took an active part in the affairs of the grange.

Portland Grange, No. 2, organized by Ira Porter, with 30 charter inembers, Feb. 7, 1874; reorganized Feb. 23, 1888, by Walter C. Gifford; now has a membership of 287.

Sherman Grange, No. 36, 327 members.

Ripley Grange, No. 65, 309 members.

Westfield Grange, No. 109, 440 members.

Clymer Grange, No. 169, organized 1874, with 15 char- ter members; now has membership of 350.

Sheridan Grange, No. 235, organized Sept. 10, 1874: reorganized June 22, 1889; has 312 members.

Stedman Grange, No. 241, organized Oct. 9. 1874; won Pomona Grange banner for the largest increase in membership in 1912; has 196 members.

Union Grange (Jamestown), No. 244; organized Oct. 19, 1874, with 32 members; present membership, 732, three less than Fredonia.

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History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people, Volume I, Part 86

Author: Downs, John Phillips, 1853- ed. [from old catalog]; Hedley, Fenwick, Y., joint ed. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1921 Publisher: Boston, New York [etc.] American historical society, inc. Number of Pages: 649

Author: Downs, John Phillips, 1853- ed. [from old catalog]; Hedley, Fenwick, Y., joint ed. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Boston, New York [etc.] American historical society, inc.
Number of Pages: 649