Sammamish Valley Grange History

Appendix - Biographies of Members

Below is a biography of members of our Grange who made a mark in one way or another, either in the history books, or took up positions in the State Grange, or other illustrious personalities. I have gone thru the Secretary’s books and written down all names. The members, no matter the level of activity in the Grange, who made a mark in one way or another are noted below. I also note those members who were State Officers, Pomona masters, or deputies.
Walton Nimms. He was one of the masters of this Grange. He arrived in 1907. He was manager of the Grange Cooperative Store, and active in the Methodist Church.
Elmer Ross. He was the first overseer of our Grange. He came to the area in 1883, and was a homesteader, and also worked as a carpenter. He also was a president of the Washington State Dairyman’s Association This man also owned the first car in the valley. His wife was the first chaplain of our Grange.
Mr. Simons. A past master, and first treasurer. His profession was a teacher. He planned to open a chicken farm, but gave up after two years. He was Bothell’s first high school teacher, later becoming a superintendent in Snohomish County. He had originally been a professor of greek and latin, but came west to retire.
A major road between Bothell and Juanita, on Finn Hill, was named after him. Both he and his wife managed to leave in the middle of 1918, cursiously, at the same time that the State Grange’s convention got expelled from Walla Walla. It was noted in the minutes that his sudden departure was announced by “the regret of the Lecturer.” He certainly did not demit. Could he have been disgusted with what was going on at State Grange?
F.H. Rice. A prominent member of this Grange, was a member from 1917 – 1922. Was a member during Bouck’s tenure, both he and his wife withdrew in February 1922. May have been one of the several members to secede when Bouck had his fit.
Brother Rice was the person who also joined apparently after we agreed to start a warehouse in 1916. He also was the one who said it was “no one’s business” when it was announced at a meeting in 1919 that it had failed. So maybe he was driven more than by ideology?
Charles Beardslee. He came from New York and appears to have been a teacher, also. He also founded a bank, the Commercial Club, and was a justice of the peace. He let kids go fishing at recess. He ran to become the first mayor of Bothell, but he lost to a member of the Bothell family. His son, W. Beardslee, a later master of our Grange, became a school superintendent. I was told by one member that he was not a very nice man.
William Guernsey. Our first steward. Was publisher of the Bothell Sentinel. Apparently, had a propensity toward eccentricity, violence, and “pretty girls,” according to my sources. Sold out in the fall of 1909 and left to edit a paper in Renton. He shows what happens when the Grange is so anxious for members it admits anyone.
Alex Orlob. He attempted to join our Grange, but was prevented by State Master Bouck. Bouck in his letter asked whether he intended to go into farming, or if that was merely a hobby and he intended to stay in dentistry. Concluded with the latter. Apparently, he made Dr. Orlob so mad, that Dr. Orlob closed up shop in Bothell one year later and moved to Seattle, setting up shop there. He was prominent enough in the Bothell community to have an article written in a book on the early history of the Bothell area.
Gladys Myers. For the majority of her life, Gladys Myers was a member of Cherry Valley Grange. When it folded, she demitted to Sammamish Valley Grange, and was an affiliate of South Camano Grange. She was State Flora in the early 1980’s, and was very active in ritualistic work at the state and pomoma levels.
Gary Reid. Gary Reid joined our Grange because he was Executive VP of GIA. I was told that the State office told him to join our Grange (which was near his house) due to the activities we were doing. He was basically an “insurance member,” although I was told that he did show up for one-two meetings, including a potluck, which is more than most “insurance members” show up for. He left GIA in 1998 to farm in Oregon, from where he originated. What makes him of import is not only the fact he was VP of GIA, but that he also played for the Green Bay Packers under Vince Lombardi in the early 1960’s, the only member of our Grange to play on a major league sports team.
Earl Jones. He was one of the most dedicated Grangers around. He was the person who made the motion to start up the Sammamish Valley Credit Union (now Eastside Credit Union). In charge of Convention in 1957 when King County had it.
Wilma Baker. A past master of this Grange, a King County Deputy, and State Lecturer.

posted by EricMatthew @ 10:55 PM