Several weeks ago, in November, the National Grange organization celebrated its 155th anniversary. In view of that, I thought it would be appropriate to write about a local grange with a historical distinction, Eagle Grange No. 1, located right here in Lycoming County, was the first Grange founded in the state of Pennsylvania.
A little background about the organization: the national Grange organization was founded on November 15, 1867, by Oliver H. Kelley and a group of six other concerned farmers. They were interested in setting up a nationwide organization that would serve the interests of farmers and agriculture-related issues and would promote fellowship. It would also educate farmers on new improvements in farming methods through the dissemination of written materials. It was patterned after a secret society like the Masonic Order and would have four degrees representing the four seasons of the year and would utilize ritual much like the Masons. The founders thought that it was important to have women, as well as young people, be an important part of the organization. They determined that the best way to promote the new organization was to send a “lecturer” or “deputy” into farming areas to tell the story of the Grange and to create interest in launching the movement into new areas. The new organization was dubbed the “Order of the Patrons of Husbandry” or the “Grange,” which means a house with a farm attached.
The Grange movement was also formed as a reaction to the economic realities of the late 1860s and 1870s in which monopoly capitalists such as J.P. Morgan and others who controlled banking and railroad interests squeezed small farmers with high-interest rates, high rail shipping costs and high storage fees for their crops, causing great economic hardship for farmers. Grangers united to put political pressure on state legislatures and the U. S. Congress to regulate large economic interests. The Grangers also put up candidates for various political offices that would better serve the interests of the small farmer. The economic “fat cats” fought back hard, legally challenging much of the reform legislation, and the U.S. Supreme Court, which contained members who had previously served as attorneys for these interests, struck down many of these laws in some notable decisions in the late 1870s and early 1880s.
Against this backdrop, Luke Eger, a Montgomery area farmer, enters the picture. Eger subscribed to several farm magazines, including “The Prairie Farmer.” It was in this magazine that Eger found out about the Grange movement. He wrote to Grange founder Oliver Kelley for further information on the movement. Eger then promoted the movement among his neighbors and friends. At first, he made little progress with them, but he persisted in persuading them with his enthusiasm. Finally, enough interested people were persuaded to organize a grange. He then sent a letter, along with membership fees from the interested people, to Oliver Kelley in February of 1871. In March, Col. D.D. Curtiss, representing the National Grange, came to Montgomery to preside over the chartering of Pennsylvania’s first Grange, named Eagle Grange No. 1.
The Eagle Grange has called several locations as its home. Its early meetings were held at a schoolhouse near the current location, along the Montgomery Pike. It also met in Montgomery’s Town Hall. It later met for about two years at the home of Eagle Grange founder Luke Eger and the home of Frank Porter. Finally, in 1888 the Eagle Grange bought ¼ of an acre of land from Eger for $20, and on this land, adjoining the Pine Street School, a two-story grange hall was erected. It was dedicated on February 22, 1888. In 1940 the Grange hall was moved across the highway because the highway was being widened. It remains in that location today.
Luke Eger’s Grange vision remains healthy today through the efforts of the dedicated members of Eagle Grange No. 1, who give the organization their time, talent, and support, .and look forward to the Eagle Grange legacy continuing for many years to come. There are several other Granges still in existence in Lycoming County, as well.
