How it all started. Union Center Grange #229, was organized at Porter, County of Chehalis, April 14, 1908. There were thirty five members on the Charter list – Master: J. C. Olsan, Secretary – Edgar A Ridings, Lecturer – Zetta Eaton.
The Grange met at the Odd Fellows Hall at Porter, which had burned in 1923.
Porter Grange #800, was organized August 3, 1923, at the old Porter School with 22 charter members as follows: Alonzo Baldwin, Emma Baldwin, Earl Boyer, Frances Boyer, Harvey Boyer, Ida Boyer, Leslie Boyer, Maurice Boyer, Merl Boyer, Mamie Eycleshymer, Frank Fitzgerald, Leona Kinnaman, Will Kinnaman, John M. Olsan, H. J. Osborne, Carrie Ray, Grace Ray, N. W. Ray, Emma Rooks, J. W. Rooks, C. C. Watkins. (my apologies for any misspellings of any names).
After the Odd Fellows hall was rebuilt, the Grange me there. According to some of our older members, meetings were held at various homes and also in the gym of the Fords Prairie School House. Which is now the Grange Hall.
In the year 1948, the name Porter Grange #800 was change to the Sharon Grange #800 as the Grange has moved in to Fords Prairie school house in the Sharon area. On October 18, 1949, the Sharon Grange hall was dedicated. Master T. F. Scheelke, introduce the State Grange Master, Henry P. Carstensen. Who gave a brief dedicatory talk on the significance of the occasion. Congratulating the Grange on becoming one of the 376 Granges in the State of Washington, to own their own meeting places. Program chairman, Harry Swenson, introduced Attorney John Miller and publicly conveyed to him the thanks of the Sharon Grange for the work entailed in getting a title to the property.
The original grant of one acre of ground was made to what was then School District #7, Chehalis County in 1887. With the provision that when no longer used for school purposes the land would revert to the donor, Sydney Ford, a pioneer homesteader or his heirs. Ford’s heirs, when traced, numbered about thirty people and all signed over their interest in the property in favor of the Grange. Others to whom the Grange professed itself indebted were Paul B. Davis for the donation of electrical work on the building, Walter Heisel for a pump for the water system. Fred Cotey, building committee chairman, Virgil Badgett, Richard Doherty, Walter Massey, Herman Sund and George Koch, members who were praised as having borne the burden of remodeling and redecorating work.
At the meeting of Sharon Grange. October 26, 1949, the members voted to assume the responsibility for the maintenance and management of Sharon Cemetery. The stone and wood markers of the little country graveyard on the Victor Erickson farm ream like an index of east county history; Ford, Hall, Williams, Roderick, Gibson, Finney, Infield, Ray, Lemmon, Couch and many others. The oldest recorded date there is June 14, 1814, birthday of Abner Sumner, who died January 31, 1905. The earliest recorded dedication of ground for a cemetery was in 1888, when Tomas J. and Mary S. Hall, holders by government patent of the southwest quarter of section 11, deeded approximately one-half acre to the “Citizens of Sharon” for that purpose. This was subsequently increased by eleven-hundredths of an acre by a deed from Mary E. and Sidney S. Ford. Owners of the northwest quarter of the section. Both Fords and Halls are buried there. The Halls in the southwest quarter and the Fords in the northwest quarter of section 11. In the year1918, Harry and Anna Finney, owners of land adjoining the cemetery to its present size about two and one half acres.
February 28, 1957 Virgil Badgett, Chairman of the remodeling and building project of the new kitchen and dining hall. Ceilingtile was put on and sheet rock was put on the walls and painted. Ezelle Bosler, Mary Rupe and Lorine Seifert, selected and purchased the new curtains for the dining hall. Gladys Gadgett and Damitio selected the light fixtures.
In 1947, we served our first Oyster dinner and since it was such a successful venture, we have made it an annual affair, this year making it our 20th one. Another annual project we participate in is cooperating with the Grays Harbor District Fair. Held in August each year at Elma. Besides having a Grange exhibit, we also have a food concession where the best hamburgers on the fair ground can be had for a nominal fee. The ladies of the Grange add the home touch by furnishing cakes and pies for this 4 day event. We have won our share of blue ribbons on our Grange Booth as well as some red and a few white ribbons, due to the fine cooperation of our members.
on Sunday, December 8. 1963, our dining room and kitchen was badly damaged by fire, caused by a faulty motor in the refrigerator. The fire was discovered by Arthur Erickson, small son of the Worthy Master, Albert Erickson. Due to quick action on their part and the Elma Fire Department, no damage was done to the main hall or storage area. With the insurance money, the dining room and kitchen was completely remodeled and another refrigerator purchased.
In 1966, a new hardwood floor was installed in the man hall and entrance area.
Our most recently completed project has been the Grounds Beautification project which included installing curbing, side walks, water piped and faucets in for watering the shrubbery when needed, dirt hauled in, as well as a number of large rocks, which were placed in the planters to add to the attractiveness of the plantings. Some trees were planted at the side and back of the Grange hall. This project was co-sponsored by the Sharon home Economics Club, composed of Grange members, which always takes an active part in all the Grange activities, besides their numerous projects they carry out under their club work.
On the following pages you will find a list of the Masters, Lecturers, and Secretaries of the Grange from 1923 to 1967.
We thought it might be interesting to those who read our history, regarding the seal of the Union Center Grange. The seal was sent to the Washington State Grange for their historical collection on the Granges history. Our lecturer, Irene Thompson, found it in some of her collection of items from our Grange.
We are also enclosing several pictures connected with the history of Sharon Grange, with information under each on. (to be added).
At the beginning of 1967. Sharon Grange has a membership of 128. Two of these are Charter members, Maurice Boyer ans W. D. Olsan. There are 15 silver Star members with many more soon to be eligible for that honor. We meet the second and fourth Monday’s of each month at 8 P.M.
Committee for writing the History of Sharon Grange: Irene Thompson, Ezelle Bosler, Harry Swenson. Dated: March 31, 1967
Sharon Grange #800 Past Masters – 1923-1924 Ear Boyer, 1925 Clark Ridings, 1926-1928 John Olsan, 1929 A. A. Seifert, 1930 Harry Swenson, 1931 W. D. Olsan, 1932 Fred Poyns, 1933 W. H. Large, 1934 W. D. Olsan, 1935 Einar Sund, 1936 Joe Brown, 1937 Leslie Boyer, 1938 Oliver Heintzelman 1939Francis Dougherty, M. Joel T. Campbell, 1940 Edward Svinth, Ruth Boyer, 1941-1942 Ruth Boyer, 1943 Harry Swenson,1944-1945 O. G. Swenson, 1946-1947 Bernice Cotey, 1948-1949 T. F. Scheelke, 1950-1952 Virgil Badgett, 1953 Fred Cotey 1954-1955 S. L. Whiteside, 1956-1958 Raymond Bosler, 1959 Virgil Badgett 1960-1961 W. C. Gordon, 1962-1963 Albert Erickson, 1964-1967 Tony Zuvich.