Long a fixture in Warren's agricultural life, the Mount Bethel Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, Chapter No. 201, was organized on June 30, 1913, at a meeting held in the Mountain House (later the King George Inn). F. T. Horton and Edward E. Cooper were among the organizers. "More than forty farmers of Warren township met at the Mt. Bethel hotel last night to take steps toward forming a township grange," reported The Daily Press on January 31, 1913. 'All were enthusiastic over the proposition and it is predicted that the grange will be one of the strongest in the State…. Addresses were made by former Sheriff Edward E. Cooper and William Hoppheimer [possibly Arthur Hofheimer?] and others present, along the lines of the advantages to be gained by organizing a grange. It was explained that members would be able to buy their feed, farming implements, etc., at wholesale prices and be able to dispose of their products in the best markets. An additional advantage is to be found in the social features." Chapter 201 was officially organized in June with Horton as Master. Following election of officers, the new members were "instructed…regarding different signs and passwords used in a grange meeting." Organizing members were: F. T., Anna and Grace Horton; Mr. & Mrs. J. Raymond Adams, E.E. Cooper, Augustus Schoemacher, I. V. Adams, Wallace McMonies, H.C. and Fannie Zaiser, Mr. & Mrs. Max Levitz, P. J. Cooper, Sophia and Sol Arons, Arthur Hofheimer, A.E. Binz, M. Stoltz, Ed. H. Cooper and Mrs. Elizabeth Cooper, Juliette Liebenguth, Peter Williams, George, Mary and K. Duderstadt, John and Ida May Cooper, Frank E. Winn, Eugene Bowers, Oswald Carliss, Charles A. Ballweg, A.L. Ortman and George Heidt. One of the grange's first projects was to set up a cooperative market in Plainfield. "For some time there has been an agitation on foot here for a city market at which farmers from the Watchung Mountain district can trade," reported The Daily Press on October 8, 1915. The object, said the paper, was to "do away with the middleman's profits." Masters of the chapter were: Horton, 1913-18; Andrew Haye, 1919; Eugene Bowers, 1920-25; Charles E. Ballweg, 1926-27; George House, 1928-29; Edward E. Cooper, 1930-32; Walter Meyers, 1933-34; Harry C. Hayes, 1935; Harry Gaddes, 1936-39; William B. Reitze, Sr., 1940-42; George Freiday, 1943-45; and William B. Reitze, Jr., 1946-48. The grange passed from the scene sometime after 1951. According to Arline Freehauf's Reminiscences, "Finally different things cased the Mt. Bethel Grange to quit altogether," but she offers no dates or what those "things" were. In its heydey, the grange met above the old Mt. Bethel grocery store. "They held card parties once a month," wrote Mrs. Freehauf, "and at Hallowe'en a masked dance." © Warren Township Historical Society |