The long, shingled building was originally built as a public hall in the late 1860’s by A.P. White, known as White’s Hall. It was later used as a grange hall after Nonquit Grange was organized in 1893. The building is now used for housing the Mill Pond Shops at Tiverton Four Corners.
The Grange, officially named The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, is a social organization in the United States that encourages families to band together to promote the economic and political well-being of the community and agriculture. Founded after the Civil War in 1867, it is the oldest American agricultural advocacy group with a national scope. The Grange actively lobbied state legislatures and Congress for political goals, such as the Granger Laws to lower rates charged by railroads, and rural free mail delivery by the Post Office. With a strong history in grassroots activism, family values, and community service, the Grange has been America’s premier nonprofit, nonpartisan, fraternal organization that advocates for rural America and agriculture and brings rural communities together.
There were actually two grange halls in Tiverton used in the late 1800’s to mid 1900’s: Nanaquaket and Nonquit. Both buildings are still standing on Main Road, built in the 1860’s-70’s. The Nanaquaket Grange Hall building is located at the corner of Main Road and Quaker Avenue, and was originally the Quaker Friends Meeting House. It is now used for Conmar Sales. Nanaquaket Grange No. 49 still exists; their headquarters is now in Warren. Nonquit Grange No. 31 disbanded in the late 1970’s, and its building sold in 1981.
Among the papers donated to the Tiverton Historical Society by the family of former Town Clerk Job Wordell is the published 1916 Program from Nonquit Grange, listing its officers, committees, and program for that year. This month’s Tale of Tiverton shares this 1916 program with you, as well as some excerpts from local newspapers around the same time period.
Nonquit Grange No. 31 held meetings on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 7:30 PM from November to April, and at 8 PM from April to November. (Obviously, these farmer members took advantage of the Daylight Savings Time schedule.)
The installation of officers took place in their first meeting in January. In 1916, the officers were: Lester W. Cory, Master; Henry C. Durfee, Overseer; Grace B. Durfee, Lecturer; W. Frank Lewis, Assistant Steward; Mrs. Horace L. Almy, Chaplain; Mrs. Sidney Almy, Secretary; Harold B. Wordell, Gate Keeper; Sarah Wordell, Ceres; Jesse Brown, Pomona; Lillian Almy, Flora; Mrs. Asa Gray, L.A. Steward.
Members of the 1916 Committees were:
- EXECUTIVE: Mrs. John A. Hathaway, E.F. Hambly, Jacob Schlegel.
- RECEPTION: Mrs. Franklin E. Brow, Mrs. Jacob Schlegel, Mrs. John A. Hathaway, Mrs. Edith Chase.
- ENTERTAINMENT: Grace Durfee, Henry C. Durfee, Viola Snell, Lester W. Cory, Gladys Gray, Asa Gray, Mrs. Gertrude Cory, W. Frank Lewis.
- MUSICAL: Mrs. Asa W. Hathaway, Franklin E. Brow, Mrs. Jesse Brown, Myron Cory.
- PIANIST: Nellie Allen, Charlotte Manchester.
- FEAST (January, February, March): Mrs. Annie Gray, Mrs. John A. Hathaway, Mrs. Herbert Barker, Herbert Barker.
- FEAST (April, May, June): Mrs. Lester Chase, Lester Chase, Etta Schlegel, John A. Hathaway.
- FEAST (July, August, September): Mrs. Sidney Almy, Fred Almy, Mrs. Clara Manchester, Frank Lewin.
- FEAST (October, November, December): Mrs. Horace Almy, Horace Almy, Mrs. Jacob Schlegel, Jacob Schlegel.
Past Masters of the Nonquit Grange listed in the 1916 Program were: Charles H. Potter, Samuel E. Almy, John A. Hathawy, Ralph B. Wilcox, A. Richmond Hambly, Mrs. Helen A. Wilcox, Mrs. Jessie M. Hathaway.
The Program lists two events per month. The following events were scheduled for 1916:
- January 12: Installation of Officers.
- January 26: TOPIC – “What offers the best opportunity for our children: Agriculture, a trade, or a profession?” Horace Almy and John A. Hathaway.
- February 9: Spelling Match – Neighboring Granges to participate. Valentine Party.
- February 23: “What do we learn from the life of Washington?” General discussion. Peanut Hunt.
- March 8: TOPIC – “Women’s Legal Rights in this State.” One act farce, “Women’s Rights” in charge of Grace Durfee.
- March 22: TOPIC – “Possibilities of the Poultry Business.” Alton Baker and Adelbert Martin. Popcorn Social.
- April 12: TOPIC – “What crops can we best grow for forage?” Lester W. Cory and Jacob Schlegel. Sisters to contribute recipes and candy. Lester W. Cory, auctioneer.
- April 26: Roll Call – Each member to furnish three minutes entertainment.
- May 10: May Basket Social – In charge of Ceres, Pomona, and Flora.
- May 24: Open Date.
- June 14: Children’s Night – For Grange children, in charge of Viola Snell and May Howarth.
- June 28: Patriotic Selections – In charge of the entertainment committee.
- July 12: Temperance Night – James Wordell and William H. Potter.
- July 26: Pound Party – Each member to bring a pound package. John A. Hathaway, auctioneer.
- August 9: TOPIC – “Canning and preserving, what when, and how done.” Mrs. Horace Almy and Mrs. Hannah Schlegel.
- August 23: Subject to be announced by the Lecturer.
- September 13: TOPIC – “What percentage of the house-wives today are good cooks?” To be proven by basket lunch furnished by the Sisters.
- September 27: Married Members Night – Chairman, Mrs. John A. Hathaway.
- October 11: Halloween Party – In charge of Mrs. M. A. Stafford and Mrs. Gertrude Cory.
- October 25: Neighbors’ Night.
- November 8: Unmarried Members Night – Chairman, W. Frank Lewis.
- November 22: Election of Officers.
- December 13: In charge of the entertainment committee.
- December 27: Christmas Tree.
Some events reported in the local papers about happenings at or by Nonquit Grange members follow.
The Fall River Daily Evening News of November 11, 1904 reported under the Pottersville heading that members of the Somerset Grange visited the Nonquit Grange for Neighbors’ Night: During the ride the chorus of mixed voices rendered several selections, and on arrival at the hall, a heavy volley of sound broke forth from the curtained barge. The evening’s entertainment was greatly enjoyed, and after a bountiful supper served by the Tiverton people, the party started back for Somerset, and reached home in the “wee sma” hours. Nonquit Grange will take that long tedious ride on Nov. 21 and visit Somerset Grange. Under the Tiverton heading, the paper reported that Nonquit Grange hosted 23 from Somerset, 6 from Westport, 17 from Little Compton, and one each from Aquidneck and Kickemuit Granges. This article also gave the details of the entertainment that Wednesday eve: Piano solo, “Only a Dream,” with encore, “Colonial Two-Step,” Mrs. Arthur Sias, Somerset; reading, “Esau saw the buck saw,” with encore, Miss Mary Marble, Somerset; solo, “Sylvie,” with encore, Mrs. Lester Cory; reading, “How Four Cows Disgraced Themselves by Eating Fermented Apples,” Walter Calder, Somerset; duet, “I’m Always in the Way,” Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Sias; dialogue, “Spoons as an Intercession,” Little Compton Grange: characters, Mrs. Jenkins, Mrs. Lysander W. Manchester; Amanda Poole, Miss Bessie Hunt; Prudence North, Miss Ethel Snell; tableau, “When the Minister Calls,” several members of Little Compton Grange; recitation, Miss May Eddy, Somerset.
The same newspaper wrote another article in its February 23, 1923 edition about the Newport County Pomona Grange members visiting Nonquit Grange and having a similar grand time: After the business meeting, the lecturer’s hour was held in charge of the lecturer, Mrs. William B. Spooner, who presented the following program: Song by all; roll call, responded to by every member; reading a poem or quotation by Margaret E. Sangster, whose birthday occurred this month. A very interesting paper was read on Thomas A. Edison, his life and work, by Mrs. Charlotte M. Lawton, lecturer of Nonquit Grange. An address of welcome was given by the Master of Nonquit Grange, Mrs. Lester W. Cory, which included the reading of a poem composed for the occasion by the Overseer of Nonquit Grange, Mrs. Alton E. Barker. This was responded to in a fitting manner by the Chaplain of Pomona Grange, Mrs. Elisha Peckham. Fifteen minutes with the Master, Mrs. Florence M. Sutcliffe, was enjoyed by all, consisting of humorous readings. The afternoon session ended with a song by all. The article goes on to describe the dinner served by the Grange: roast pork, dressing, mashed potatoes and turnips, rolls, coffee, and pie. After the dinner, there was another meeting, and then the article concludes: The meeting was closed and a surprise feature for the brothers was held, in charge of Mrs. Lester W. Cory, which began by the men singing a song. A needle threading contest was held and Fred Nickerson won a spool of thread for threading his needle the quickest. Then socks were given out to be darned and Roy Grinnell won a ball of darning cotton for his work. The judges were Mrs. Florence M. Sutcliffe and Mrs. Elisha Peckham. A spelling bee was held and Past Master of the State Grange, Joseph A. Peckham, won a pencil. Mrs. William Spooner acted as teacher. This ended a meeting enjoyed by all.
The Fall River Globe reported a joint meeting between the Newport County Pomona Grange and the Portsmouth Grange in its December 18, 1907 issue. Members of the Nonquit Grange were appointed as some of the officers of Pomona. After the election of officers, the paper described the remaining part of the meeting: The lecturer’s hour followed the election of officers, which was opened with the roll call, responded to with literary selections of wit and wisdom; song, by the Grange, “My Childhood’s Home.” As yesterday was the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Poet Whittier, selections were read from the life of Whittier by Joseph A. Peckham, and his poem, “The Barefoot Boy,” read by Mrs. C.H. Potter. The topic assigned for the afternoon, “What Shall Be Done with the Farmer’s Boy? Is It Always Wise To Make Farmers of Them?” was discussed by several people, and the article summed up their discussion: The general opinion seemed to be that the farmer’s boy, under the guidance of his parents or guardians, should follow the bent of his inclination for his future life work.
But happenings at Nonquit Grange weren’t all meetings as conveyed above in the newspapers. The July 13, 1923 edition of the Fall River Daily Evening News reported: Nonquit Grange held a beach party on Wednesday evening at Fogland Beach. Nanaquaket Grange was invited to be present and a large truck conveyed most of them to the beach, about 40 members of Nanaquaket Grange being present. Five from Portsmouth Grange, one from Watuppa Grange, and three from Little Compton. The beach was brilliantly illuminated with two large bonfires and numerous lanterns. Numerous sports were enjoyed, including a tug-of-war between the ladies of Nanaquaket Grange and the ladies of Nonquit Grange, Nanaquaket winning the prize. The men of Nanaquaket lost out to the men of Nonquit Grange in a tug-of-war, Nonquit being awarded a prize. Three-legged races were held, Nanaquaket winning both races for the ladies and men, the men’s first race ending in a tie; Nanaquaket winning the relay. Toasted frankfurts and rolls, marshmallows and coffee were the refreshments served, each one toasting his own around the large bonfires. A spelling match was held between ten Nanaquaket members and ten Nonquit members, Nonquit Grange winning, Mrs. William B. Dennis giving the words. The members of the Nanaquaket Grange left at a late hour, first giving Nonquit three cheers for their hospitality.
One can see by reading the program schedule and these highlights of happenings at Nonquit Grange, that grange members not only were hard workers, but had some fun as well at their meetings!
[history of the Grange from Wikipedia and www.nationalgrange.org]