by Taylor C. Woodward
FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS
MASONS -
F. and A.M. Blue Lodge No. 504 was organized at Augusta Oct. 21,
1875. The officers and charter members were:
G. P. Davis,
J. B. Roach,
J. A. Crook,
T. B. Culp,
Jonathan Woodward,
H. A. Iden,
Andrew Kennedy, and
O. P. Deford.
EASTERN STARS - Eastern Star Chapter Order No. 412 of
Augusta was organized March 15, 1919. The charter members
were: Mabel Leyda, Elizabeth Dixon, Carrie Dager, Vesta Brice,
Mary Manfull, J. F. Brice,
Carrie Mills, Alvada Guthrie, A. M. Grimes,
Ina Crawford, Laura Guthrie, Sanford Leyda, George Guthrie,
D. V. Manfull, John Guthrie, Anna Hole, Ina Milner, L. M. Hole,
Leona Brice, Edith Hannum,
Martha Edgar, Dr. W. A. Leiper,
Sam Leiper.
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I.O.O.F. - The Independent Order of Odd Fellows had an active order in Augusta in the early 1880's. The following officers were installed in 1884 for Lodge No. 499: Homer Stockman N.G., A. L. Wyand V.G., Jno. McBane R.S., T. Cunningham W.D., L. Moncrief I.S.G., A. G. Ray R.S.-N.G., W. Myers R.S.-V.G. They and the Masons each erected new brick buildings in the early 1870's, on the lot and just west of Nick's store at the present time. These buildings were both destroyed in the first large fire they had in Augusta Feb. 12, 1888.
MACCABEES - The Maccabees had an active order in Augusta about the year 1900 and held their meetings in the building where the J. W. Brice Garage is now located.
WOODMEN - The Modern Woodmen of America had an active Lodge or Camp in Augusta about 1903 and held their meetings on the second floor of the building now owned by the Masons.
GRANGES - Augusta Township has had two Granges in its history, Augusta Grange No. 941 in Augusta Township, was organized June 5, 1874 with W. B. Deford as master and John S. Pottorf as secretary. Their Grange Hall was located in the northwest 1/4 of Sec. 26 near Twp. Rd. 269, where meetings were held for an unknown number of years. A picnic was held annually in Pottorf's grove nearby for several years. This Grange was discontinued at the end of 1905 for reasons unknown.
Stillfork Grange No. 1370 was organized Dec. 4, 1890 by County Deputy Frank Clark with S. H. Ellis as master, A. K. Akins as secretary and Ithamer Mills, James Dager and M. O. Leyda as trustees, with 24 charter members. A plot of land near the railroad, in the village of Pattersonville was leased from John D. Patterson, and stated in this lease no liquor neither spirituous, vinous or fermented ever be sold on this lot. And on this lot they built a two story, two room Grange hall, with donation labor, in which they held Grange meetings for sixty years. During most of that period an annual festival was held the Saturday evening before the fourth of July, which was well attended by young and old, and looked forward to by many, in the horse and buggy days.
By the late 1940's, the old Grange hall was not large enough to accommodate the growing membership, and a decision was made that a new Grange hall be built, Frank Mills donating the land on which to build. A new Grange hall was started on the land donated, and with the generous contributions of all and the great amount of labor donated by so many, with a large amount of hired labor, a new Grange hall was built. The Grange moved in and held their first regular meeting in the new Grange hall Sept. 12, 1951.