It may be difficult for newer residents to realize, but the housing developments that have transformed the south half of New Hanover Township have been built in less than one lifetime. Before, say, 1960, tract housing developments simply did not exist. New Hanover then was rural with small farms and open country.
As noted last week in part one, after the Civil War, depressed farm commodity prices and high charges from railroad monopolies caused farmers to form cooperatives in a nationwide grass roots political organization called the Farmers’ Grange. This nationwide movement “led to cooperative efforts among farmers as a class of producers having for its object the expulsion of all middlemen between them and the consumers, the purchase in bulk of their own supplies, and the cheapening of freights by antagonizing corrupt [railroad] monopolies.” A few years saw thousands of local chapters spring up. In addition to the business aspect, the grange served a needed social function of bringing community and a sense of belonging to isolated rural families.
Organized at the community, county, state and national level, the grange has from the start lobbied successfully for legislation that benefited the farmer. It remains one of America’s best examples of democratic grass-roots activism. Their efforts improved rural schools and helped create the Extension Service, Rural Free Delivery (of mail) and the Farm Credit System, as well as numerous pieces of legislation that helped farmers. Politically conservative, the grange supports issues not candidates.
Here in New Hanover, according to “Montgomery County the Second Hundred Years,” “Local Grange No. 1712 Community Grange was organized in 1917 at the Gilbertsville Fire Hall. That would have been the one thousand seven hundred and twelfth grange organized in the nation! It moved to quarters above the livery stables in New Hanover village next to the Swamp Hotel and later across Swamp Pike to the second floor of a store built by Frank Kulp in 1921. This store had been built [on the site of] Washington Leidy’s general store which had burned down earlier. Later the Grange operated a store on the first floor of Kulp’s building and continued to use the second floor hall until 1953. That year the Grange bought the Fagleysvile school house, renovated it and occupied it until 1983.”
A four-page typescript document titled “A Brief History of Community Grange #1712” has recently been found in the collection of the New Hanover Township Historical Society. Dated Oct. 1, 1948, it is otherwise unattributed but is believed to have been prepared by J. Roger Moyer. Selections from that document describe the founding of the New Hanover Grange.
“About the first week in January, 1917 farmers within a three mile radius of Gilbertsville noticed posters calling for a meeting at Gerhart’s Hotel, Gilbertsville. Pa. January 12, 1917, for the purpose of organizing a Grange.
“On the above date twenty-six farmers met at the appointed place and listened to the workings and benefits of the grange as explained by organizers.” About fifteen person responded by signing their names and pledging to organize. It was agreed to meet again in one week.
“The evening of January 19, 1917, found about forty persons present consisting of Farmers, laborers and their wives. …They listened to various speakers and at the end H. D. Allebach asked the persons present to organize. Twenty-five pledged themselves to membership of what was afterward known as Community Grange #1712.
“Records indicate one of the first achievements of community grange was to get better prices for the milk which was sold to one of the nearby creameries that was not paying in line with other creameries.
“Almost from the beginning there were young members in the group which led to better relations between young and old.
“The grange store was formed shortly after its organization and trading immediately became very active. The store is still in existence today [1948], however trading is no longer very active.
“The first years found the group highly active in the form of presenting plays, holding socials and festivals, and in this manner raised money to pay for properties in the grange.
“During the twenties the village of New Hanover made a drive to try and get a better road serving the community. [Up until then the Swamp Pike had been a dirt road.] This seemed to be a long drawn out affair until someone got the idea that if the grange backed up the community’s request that perhaps quicker action might be obtained. It was not long afterward that progress was being made in building a new concrete highway through the village and nearby communities. The highway was considered the most modern and best constructed of its time and the grange has since been proud of having the pressure brought on that brought about the final definite action.
“During the Second World War Community saw three of its men go into the service of the armed forces and is exceedingly happy that all have returned safely.”
The Historian is produced by the New Hanover Township Historical Society. Call Robert Wood at 610-326-4165 with comments.
