76 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



1867, and constituted themselves the National Grange of the Patrons 

 of Husbandry, with William Saunders as master, J. R. Thompson, 

 lecturer, William M. Ireland, treasurer and O. H. Kelley, secretary. 

 The remaining offices, for obvious reasons, were left vacant. 



The little brown building in which the organization was effected 

 was at that time the otlice of Mr, Saunders, and stood embowered 

 with the trees in the gardens of the Agricultural Department on the 

 corner of Four-and-half street and Missouri avenue. Later, the late 

 Colonel Aiken, of South Carolina, and other interested members of 

 the Order made vigorous efforts to have the government preserve 

 this historic building, but they were unsuccessful in their efforts. 



The first Subordinate Grange was organized in Washington, D. C, 

 the 8th day of January, 18G8, as a school of instruction, with William 

 M. Ireland as master. 



The first dispensation for a Grange was granted at Harrisburg, 

 Pa., the 4th day of April, 1868, but the first regular Subordinate 

 Grange to which a charter was issued was organized at Fredonia, 

 N. Y., the 16th day of April, 1868. 



The first State Grange, that of Minnesota, was organized the 22d 

 day of Februar3', 1869. The new Order made slow progress up to 

 1872, only 257 Granges having been organized in the entire country. 

 During the year 1872, 1,105 were organized and the Order had an 

 (existence in twenty-two States. 



The first meeting of the National Grange, as a delegate body, was 

 held at Georgetown, D. C, the 8th day of January, 1873, with six of 

 the founders of the Order and seventeen delegates present, repre- 

 senting eleven States; six of the delegates were masters of State 

 Granges, and the remainder were deputies in the Order. In addi- 

 tion to thse, four women were present, viz: Miss Carrie A. Hall, 

 Mrs. O. H. Kelley, Mrs. I). ^^'. Adauis and Mrs. J. C. Abbott. The 

 total number of Granges organized previous to this meeting was 

 1,362. Nearly 30,000 charters have been issued to January 1, 1900. 



DECLARATION OF PURPOSES OF THE PATRONS OF HUS- 

 BANDRY. 



PREAMBLE. 



Profoundly impressed with the truth that the National Grnnge of 

 the United States should definitely proclaim to the world its general 

 objects, we hereby unanimously make this Declaration of Purposes 

 of the Patrons of ITusbandrv: 



