Collective bargaining arrived a little late in Fremont County. Before the arrival of the Chicago North Western Railroad in 1906, there wasn’t much need for it. Markets were local, shipping was expensive, and markets were distant. That all changed in 1906 when the first locomotive pulled into Lander.
The world was suddenly open to farmers around Lander, ranchers throughout the county, and soon the homesteaders from Riverton to Crowheart who now had Eastern markets for their hay, oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, and sugar beets.
Sheepmen stopped driving herds to Casper or Rawlins and instead drove them to Moneta, Shoshoni, Arapahoe or Hudson to eastern processors.
The easing of transport didn’t mean instant profits. The Chicago North Western, like every other railroad in America, charged exorbitant rates, rates just low enough to keep a farmer or rancher in business, but high enough to keep him and his family on the verge of collapse from year to year.
Soon after livestock and freight cars reached Fremont County, Lander farmers and ranchers began to unite with an organization that had already challenged and won against the usury of the railroads, eastern packing houses, and grain merchants: the Grange.
Four Grange Halls sprang up around Lander, with the Lyons Valley and Milford locations the most active.
The Grange provided a meeting place for farmers and ranchers, a place for dances, dinners, fairs and socializing, and served as a political meeting place to help with local decisions that sometimes had nationwide consequences; at other times, it was just fun.
As the Great Depression and World War II passed, markets improved with better highways, and rail transport wasn’t as important in Fremont County. The Chicago North Western shut down completely in the 1980s.
The Grange became more of a social organization as time passed, taking part in parades, the county fair, fundraisers, and less involved with national politics.
We held meetings on Wednesday evenings. Then on Friday evening we hosted a pinochle party for the community. There was lots of fun,” Patti D. Leake-Fazendin said. “Dad was the Master of the local Grange. I was the insurance agent for Grange Insurance, and Mom was Ceres. Wonderful memories.”
Wind River Mountaineer – March 7, 1919
Milford Grange Meeting a Lively One
Visitors Present from Dallas
“The meeting of Milford Grange last Saturday evening was a lively one from every standpoint. A large crowd assembled at an early hour, several visiting members being present from Dallas Grange. Four new members were taken into the order, and after the initiation ceremonies were over and the business had all been attended to, the hour was getting close onto midnight.
However, midnight is not the stopping point, but in Milford Grange it most always marks the commencement of real merriment. The ladies had prepared their usual midnight feed, and no one is ever discovered among the band without a rousing appetite. In fact, many believe the good times they have at Milford Grange is a sure cure for loss of appetite, family ills, blues, and grouches, which the members have failed to detect among the grange of that community during the last year.
At any rate, more refreshments were carried back home in the lunch baskets than at any previous meeting, and all were prepared to begin the festivities at the moment of the early evening hours with the best of spirits. At the first sound of music, the members lined up for the dance, which was carried out without a hitch.
A splendid literary program was then presented. Lev Andrews sang, “Make Me a Cowboy Again Tonight,” and as he waded through the verses depicting the wild, woolly cowboy of days gone by—“smokin’ ’em up,” “makin’ ’em dance to the tune of the six-shooter,” “rustlin’ the long horns,” etc.—one thought it would be ideal to have been a boy with bow and instinct, riding with those real bad men. At any rate, Jim Harris could not restrain himself and burst out with, “When once in my saddle I used to go dashing, when once in my saddle I used to go gay. I first went to drinking and then to card playing, and then I got shot,” but being out of order, was promptly checked.
Miss Vera Pulaski then gave an excellent recitation. Mrs. Henry Lockard followed with a paper on “The Old-Fashioned Hospitality.” Mrs. Lockard is a pleasing writer and mingled humor with hard facts in showing that there is an abundance of real hospitality among the farmers of yesterday.
Mrs. Lloyd Iams of Dallas read an instructive paper on “Why the Farmers Should Organize.” M. Boissevain gave an instructive talk on sheep feeding, telling of the success of those who were experimenting with it, pointing out the advantages and profits, and making it clear that a new and profitable industry was awaiting development by the farmers.
Henry Lockard, Frank McDowell, Boissevain, and Mr. Chen sang the quartet, “My Aunt Lizzie’s Got the Flu,” which made the hit of the evening. The members tried long and hard to get an encore, but Henry informed them that Lizzie had died.
Mrs. William Steers, Mrs. Ruby Steers, and others entertained the crowd with readings and recitations, when along toward morning someone heard the rooster crow, and all knew it was about time to get up, so all got up and went home. Before leaving, however, plans were made for the next meeting, and unless all signs fail it will be a hummer. The ladies will serve a real oyster supper, with doughnuts, pies, and cakes for side dishes.”
When not holding meetings or events, many Grange Halls served as local schoolhouses.
In many small towns, the Grange Hall doubled as one of the few public gathering spaces. The Grange arrived in Wyoming in the 1880s, primarily in Platte and Goshen Counties. These were the first large farming areas of the state and getting the product to market was a big concern.
The first item of business for a local Grange was to get as many members as possible to join. They had no restrictions, aside from not allowing members of the Masonic Lodge to join.
The target was the railroad and lower shipping rates. They also concentrated on joint efforts for irrigation projects, water rights and agricultural education.
The Grange grew so popular that it began having weekly stories printed about Grange activities, both local and nationwide in local newspapers.
Hudson Miner – April 13, 1914
“The Grange throughout the country is in better condition than at any time in our history. More is being undertaken and accomplished along the various lines of Grange endeavor than ever before; more care is taken by the lecturers to prepare and have carried out practical programs which interest and instruct members of all ages; more attention is given to ritualistic work, thereby bringing out more clearly the beautiful and instructive lessons of our Order.
The question of extending the Order is of vital importance. New states should be added, but it is of far greater importance to strengthen the states which are now weak, thereby enabling them to accomplish more effective work and exert a greater influence than can be done in their present condition.
The total assets of the National Grange October 1, 1912, were $99,390.35, and the total assets October 1, 1913, were $95,923.04. The total expense during the fiscal year was $46,545.34, of which $14,500 was used directly for extension work.
From the earliest history of the Grange, cooperation has been advocated. In fact, the entire structure of the Order rests upon this one principle. Our members generally have learned its value and it is usually practiced in every phase except in selling. There has been much financial cooperation practiced in the purchasing of supplies, but little has been done in the disposing of products. There is more benefit to be derived today from cooperation in disposing of the products of the farm than in the buying of supplies.
I desire to call attention to the fact that after a quarter of a century of agitation and education, another victory has been secured for the Grange—United States senators are now directly amenable to the people. It must be remembered that the Grange was in the forefront of this battle and practically stood alone for years during the time when this measure was most unpopular.”
A few years later the Grange was a driving force in rural electrification and phone service. They eventually added farm, home, life, and automobile insurance for their members. Though they were labeled “populists” by eastern corporations, they were non-partisan. They concentrated on issues directly affecting agriculture regardless of political affiliation.
In 1914, the four Grange Halls near Lander formed a ‘Pomona” meaning a unified body that represented all the Lander are Grange members on a state and nationwide basis.
Lander Eagle, December 25, 1914
Fremont Granges Organize Pomona
At a meeting of the subordinate Granges of Fremont County, held in Odd Fellows Hall here on last Friday afternoon, a Pomona, or county Grange—a central body of all the Granges in the county—was organized with the following officers:
Master — Frank C. McDowell of Milford Grange
Overseer — Glen Steers of Milford Grange
Steward — Frank Snavely of Lyons Grange
Assistant Steward — Leslie Lamberson of Borner Grange
Chaplain — V. V. Scoggan of Dutch Flat Grange
Treasurer — J. C. York of Dutch Flat Grange
Lecturer — John J. Spriggs of Milford Grange
Gatekeeper — Charles Oldham of Lyons Grange
Lady Assistant Steward — Ruth McDowell of Milford Grange
Pomona — Mrs. Lottie Steers of Milford Grange
Ceres — Mrs. M. B. Rhoads of Borner Grange
Flora — Mrs. Ted Bulson of Milford Grange
A class of twenty was initiated. Milford, Borner, Dutch Flat, and Lyons Granges were all represented at the meeting.
The Kinnear Grange 48 was indicative of “Granger” activity in Fremont County. It was located just east of the old Gardner’s Market between Morton and Kinnear. It had roots with the Morton School. The building was originally the music room at the old Morton School before a new building was constructed.
“The Grange used to meet in the music room basement,” Linda (Gustin) Richendifer said. “When they built the new school, they offered it to the Grange on the condition that they move it somewhere else.”
George and Ethel Griebel owned land on the north side of the highway between Kinnear and Morton and donated a section to place the building on, to be used as a Grange Hall.
It was her generosity that allowed the Kinnear Grange to thrive.
It was the local hub for dances, weddings, and other social events. Many familiar names were active members of the Kinnear Grange.
John and Betty Lye, Doris Johnson, Ray and Katherine Gustin, Mrs. Griebel, her children Darwin and Georgia, Ron and Dennis Gustin, Bob and Carol Westlake, and Jerry Yennie Sr.
The Twin Bridges 4H met in Grange Hall.
“It burned down two years ago,” Linda said. “Chris and Bob Defoya own the old Grange lot now. They purchased it from Gary Adels. He bought it from the Grange when they closed.
The Grange Hall was converted into a Mexican restaurant, La Cantina, for a few years, but it too closed.
“We still had some money left when it closed. Doris Johnson checked in to see if the money went to the state. Cindy Gustin was working through the state with grants; we turned it over to her. They said it was ours to do with what we wanted. We used it for grants for kids who were majoring in ag or teaching to promote farming and ranching.”
Insurance through the Grange was an important benefit of membership.
“Grange farm and auto insurance was inexpensive,” Linda said. “It was the cheapest place around. A lot went on with the Grange. It was like the Odd Fellows Hall and Free Masons. If you were late for a meeting, you were met at the door. If you knew the password, they let you in; if not, the members had to vote to allow you inside.”
There were officers for each Grange: a gatekeeper, secretary, president, and vice-president. Each meeting began with this group creed, written in 1877 and titled ‘Grange Ode.’
We have come to the Grange, where ’tis joyful to meet.
Our friends and companions in unity sweet;
Then Patrons, in joy, come gather around.
Concord and harmony with us be found!
Down with the spite and the hate that estrange.
And long live the peace that we find at the Grange.
Things were similar at Pavillion, where Becky (Schmuck) Bappe attended meetings with her parents as a child.
“The kids played in a separate room while the very formal, structured meeting took place in the main hall,” Becky said. “I didn’t know or care what took place or even what the purpose of Grange was. I remember all members had assigned seating and there were a lot of flags in the room.”
The Delfelder School was used as a Grange Hall with a large membership, as was the Riverview School just west of the cutoff to the Dubois Highway. There were four active Grange Halls, with two near Riverton, one at Kinnear, and the other at Pavillion. Lander had the same number.
The Grange remains in some areas of the state, but it has lost its place among the farmers and ranchers of Fremont County. The same problems remain in agriculture: fluctuating markets, conspired buyers who shortchange the producer, unnecessarily expensive inputs, and the isolation of Wyoming, even in the digital age.
Remnants of the Grange’s influence on agriculture remain. Farmer’s cooperatives, grazing associations, irrigation districts and in some areas, unified marketing can all be traced to the Grange.