Grange Organized in New Sweden, ME 1893

Reported in the Bangor Daily News, April 21, 1893 (from Charlotte Lenentine Melvin’s files):

New Sweden Grange organized with 17 charter members. First master was F. O. Landgren. First secretary Solomon Johnson. First chaplain J. O. Wickstrom. (All three deceased by 1966). Later grange records note that some of the regular grange sessions which were then held on Saturday afternoons, drew an attendance of 77 members compared to the final year’s attendance which was not sufficient to fill the 13 officer’s chairs. Also noted in one of the earliest of secretaries reports was the purchase price of half a cord of kindling wood which was 50 cents and a half cord of hard wood which was $1.25.
A large pencentage of members have been awarded the Silver Star certificate for 25 years of consecutive grange membership and 12 or more members have received the coveted Golden Sheaf Award for 50 or more years of membership.

Grange unit dissolved at New Sweden 1966

Reported on March 4, 1966 by the Bangor Daily News (from the archived files of Charlotte Lenentine Melvin):

Grange met for the final session on Saturday night at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Forrest Nelson. Unanimous vote was recorded for the dissolvement of New Sweden Grange No. 315 and surrender of the grange charter due to lack of member attendance.
Approximately 100 members from Stockholm, Woodland, Westmanland and New Sweden are on the Grange roster with a high of 150 members, registered in previous years.
Youngest master to serve was Forrest Nelson at age 16.
Only three women served as Master’s: Alice Nelson, Mrs. Madge Nelson, Mrs. Beatrice Farrington
Any granger in good standing and on the grange membership may apply to the secretary, Mrs. Charles Hicks for a demit, to join another grange. The Grange Hall, located on a town lot which was formerly the Capitol School has automatically reverted to the town, an agreement at the time of purchase.