Hall of Fame

This Hall of Fame is to honor Granger members who have been instrumental in the Grange or have shown outstanding leadership in furthering Grange principles and goals. There are too many members to mention all who deserve recognition, so we are selecting those who are representative of so many.

If you have additional information or corrections about the individuals listed here, please contact the Grange webmaster.

1867-1879

Damascus Grange #41 was organized by Edward Forbes on October 25, 1873 with 24 Charter members. This was the first Grange in the Damascus community.

Stephen Paul Lee

Stephen was born in June 1835 in Indiana to Henry Perrine Lee and Mary Judith Reed. He grew up in Saluda, Jefferson County, Indiana.

He enlisted in Company E, Indiana 3rd Cavalry Regiment on 22 Aug 1861 with rank of Corporal during the Civil war. In 1899 he was listed as an invalid in veteran records.

Stephen married Mary Virginia in 1865 and the couple had six children: Beulah A. Lee Holman, Henry Paul Lee, Mary Lee, Howard “Harry” D. Lee, Gracie Lee, and Virginia Lee Tuttle.

He is listed as a storekeeper in 1870 in White River, Indiana, having no business in 1880 in Portland, Oregon, and a watchman in 1900 in Portland, Oregon.

Stephen died October 3, 1907 in Multnomah County, Oregon and is buried in Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery, Multnomah County, Oregon.

Stephen is honored as he was a Charter member of Damascus Grange #41 and was listed as Master in 1873. He was elected Treasurer of the Oregon State Grange in 1874 at the second Session and served two terms ending in 1878.

 

1890-99

Damascus Grange #260 was Chartered on February 16, 1893 by Joseph Casto

David Vinzant

David was born Dec 5, 1833 in Highland County, Ohio.  His parents were James Jefferson Vinzant and Deborah B. Wright.

In 1855 he married Sarah Garen in Putnam County, Indiana. In 1856 he is farming in Grand River, Wayne, Iowa. About 1874 he married Phebe R. Weed in Clackamas, OR. In the 1900 Census it shows 2 living children and May L. Vinzant is listed as a step-daughter.

David died January 18, 1922 in Clackamas county, OR.

David Vinzant is honored as he was the only Charter member who had also been a Charter member of Damascus #41.

 

Thomas Feathers

Thomas was born in April 1848 in England. He immigrated in 1868. In 1880 he lived in Cooke, Texas working as a boot and shoe maker. In 1900 he was living in Damascus and was working as a farmer.

He married Hannah Mary “Mattie” in 1866. They had at least four children: George H Feathers, Katie Feathers, Harry J. Feathers, and Rosa “Rosy” Feathers.

Thomas Feathers is honored as he was a Charter member and served as Secretary in 1894 and Master in 1896. His sons George (1898-99) and Harry (1903) both served as Secretary of the Grange and his daughter Rosa served as Lecturer (1906) and Secretary (1901). The family’s involvement in the Grange continued from its Chartering to after its brief dormancy in 1900.

 

Seth C. Young

Seth was born May 1863 in Oregon. He was the son of Josiah Young and Julia Grimm of Milwaukie, Oregon.

He married Clarissa Irene Crees in Benton County, Oregon in 1886. They had three children: Ruth J. Young, Faith I. Young Underwood, and Curtis C. Young.

Seth died October 11, 1832 in Clackamas County, OR. He is buried in Damascus Pioneer Cemetery.

Seth C. Young is honored as he was a Charter member and served as Master in 1894, 1895 1925, 1926, 1927 and as Secretary in 1931. When he died in 1932 he had been a member of the Grange for 39 years.

 

Clarissa Irene Crees Young

Irene was born in April 1862 in Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of William Crees and Catherine Trinmer.

She married Seth C. Young in Benton County, Oregon in 1886. They had three children: Ruth J. Young, Faith I. Young Underwood, and Curtis C. Young.

Irene died October 20, 1912 in Clackamas County, OR. She is buried in Damascus Pioneer Cemetery.

Clarissa Irene Crees Young is honored as she was a Charter member and served as Secretary in 1893, 1895, and 1896. When she died in 1912 she had been a member of the Grange for 19 years.

 

1900-09

Electric Grange #336 organized in Boring on May 8, 1903

John David Chitwood

John was born August 23, 1853 near Burnt river, as his parents were crossing the plains by wagon train from Iowa.. He was the son of James Thompson Chitwood and Margaret Lentz.

He married Emma Viola Deardorff August 23, 1876 in Clackamas County, Oregon. They had eight children: Lulu Ellen Chitwood Herren, Harry Monroe Chitwood, Mary Ilene Chitwood Eckert, Dolly Brown Chitwood Greenwell, Emma Viola Chitwood Rodlun, John Solomon Chitwood, David Lyon Chitwood, and Hazel Mercedis Chitwood Bliss.

The couple moved to Polk County the day after their marriage and then after 1890 moved to near Neskowin, Tillamook County. While there Mr. Chitwood helped establish a school district and a postoffice. He served both as school clerk and director as well as postmaster until 1900 when he moved back to Damascus.

Active in Damascus community affairs, he was director of the Damascus school board five years and served 30 years on the election board, retiring from the latter at the age of 87.

He was also active in the Oregon Pioneer association, of which he was a past president. He was crowned king of the Sandy pioneers at the group’s 1942 meeting.

John died March 21, 1943 in Damascus. He is buried in Damascus Pioneer Cemetery.

John David Chitwood is honored as he first joined Dallas Grange No. 61 in 1884, and was one of the organizers of Salt Creek No. 197, Oak Grove No. 198 and Pleasant Valley No. 201, being Master of the latter for four years. He served as a deputy for the Oregon State Grange in both Polk and Clackamas Counties. He was the official organizer of Dallas Grange #247 in Polk County on April 26, 1890. Later he organized The Sandy #392 in Clackamas County on March 27, 1909.  He served as Oregon State Grange Steward from 1890-94. When he moved back to Damascus in 1900 he was responsible for revitalizing the Damascus Grange which had gone dormant just prior to his return. He served as Oregon State Grange Chaplain following the death of Thomas R. A. Sellwood in December of 1923. He was elected Chaplain in 1924 and served until 1934. John served the Damascus Grange as Master for five terms: 1901, 1905, 1918, and 1921-22.  In addition, he was the Master of Clackamas Pomona Grange. His family followed his example with his wife Emma serving 5 terms (1907-11) as Secretary, Hazel as Master (1906) and Secretary (1919, 1921), Lulu as Lecturer (1905), his daughter Emma as Lecturer (1912-14, 1920). When the current hall was built in 1937, he was given the honor of breaking ground with the first shovel of soil. When John died in 1943 he had been a member of the Grange for at least 57 years and a member of Damascus Grange for about 43 years.

 

1910-19

Balese’s Bridge #552 in Damascus was organized on July 12, 1916 by Sarah Dallas (a member of Damascus Grange).