THE F. M. 'B. ASSOCIATION. 22 7 



This the farmers were kindly given the refusal of. Returning 

 to the buyers, the farmers again offered to sell their wheat at 

 the price that had been paid the day before, and were again 

 refused. They then told the buyers that if they (the buyers) 

 would not take it, the farmers would ship it themselves. 



This incident, of course, became the talk of the neighborhood, 

 and set all the farmers to thinking of shipping their own prod- 

 uce. It was at once seen that, in order to do so, co-opera- 

 tion was necessary, as different persons must necessarily ship 

 together. This led to the formation of clubs. Five such clubs 

 were organized during the winter, very much on the style of the 

 ordinary neighborhood debating society. It very soon became 

 apparent that, if they devised any plans for their mutual benefit, 

 secrecy was an absolute necessity, as they found themselves at 

 once surrounded by prying enemies of their plans. A meeting 

 of the five clubs, or lodges, was called at New Burnside, John- 

 son County, Illinois. At this meeting a constitution and by- 

 laws were adopted, a secret work formulated, the meeting was 

 termed a General Assembly, and the name Farmers' Mutual 

 Benefit Association was chosen for the organization. The five 

 lodges then organized drew lots for the numbers they should 

 bear, from one to five. The General Assembly was to meet 

 every three months, and each lodge was made an organizer to 

 organize other lodges, on petition from a sufficient number to 

 form a new lodge. These new lodges were to be branches 

 of the lodges organizing them, until the General Assembly 

 should meet, when they could send their representatives and be 

 admitted as regular lodges. The branch lodges, however, as 

 soon as organized, could proceed to organize new lodges. No 

 other method of organization was provided for. 



July 4, 1887, tne General Assembly met at Mt. Vernon, Illi- 

 nois. This may be set down as the turning-point in the success 

 and growth of the organization. A committee was appointed 

 to secure a legal incorporation, to revise the constitution and 

 laws, and otherwise place the order on a firm basis, and give 

 it a legal standing and rights in the courts. 



In October, 1887, tne General Assembly met at DuQuoin, 

 Illinois. The Committee on Incorporation reported a general 

 charter, granted under the corporation laws of Illinois, with 



