Boone County Pomona Grange Records, 1897-1982 | Northern Illinois University

The Boone County Pomona Grange first organized on March 20, 1897.  Eighty-two charter members elected C. E. Chena, Worthy Master, Florence Merchant, Lecturer, A. S. Cohoon, Secretary, and E. K. Barrenger, Treasurer.  The group organized for social, educational, and fraternal fellowship and meetings revolved around discussions on agriculture, good roads, rural free delivery, the profits of sheep raising, and should women smoke.  The meeting minutes indicate that the group might have disbanded in 1903 since members from three subordinate Granges reorganized the Pomona Grange on September 2, 1911.  Discussions and programs continued to educate the members on agricultural matters and support programs of benefit to the community.  

Throughout its history, the Pomona Grange passed various resolutions supporting or opposing legislative measures.  In 1911 the group favored liberal government aid for the improvement of public roads, extension of a parcels post system, the enactment of a U. S. pure seed law, direct election of U.S. senators, and teaching agriculture and domestic science in rural schools.  In 1934 Grange members approved government ownership of munitions plants, resolved that all schools furnish books that can be rented by pupils for use during the school term, and asked that a law be passed favoring the use of uniform text books throughout Illinois.  A resolution passed in 1943 requesting that a particular member be removed from the draft board because he would not exempt “farm lads” needed on the farm.  The group opposed a law to ban motortrucks from state highways on Sundays and legal holidays and favored a graded egg law in 1957.  Other resolutions included protesting proposals to cut the amount of government spending for soil conservation (1965), asking for higher dairy product prices (1969), and limiting the hours per rock festival to not more than a consecutive 12 hour period and modifying drug laws allowing the judicial system to penalize juvenile first offenders (1970).  

In addition to their legislative concerns, the Pomona Grange members sponsored fairs and educational programs.  They had cooking and canning demonstrations, corn husking contests, and plowing contests.  In 1952 the group held a Polio Benefit night and in 1954 they donated money to the March of Dimes and the National Youth Leadership Training Program and sent Christmas boxes to Korea.  They also had pancake suppers, sewing contests, card parties, dances, essay contests, picnics and a bowling league.  Today, these programs and more continue to fulfill the Pomona Grange’s purpose of providing social, educational, and fraternal fellowship to it’s members.