Editor’s Note: This story originally published on Richland Source in 2015.
BELLVILLE — The Jefferson Grange 251 of the Patrons of Husbandry built this hall on Church Street for their meetings in 1907. But they had organized as far back as 1874 in order to promote the economic and political well being of the community and local agriculture.
Back then the fraternal organization was more formal than you might expect of a gathering of farmers, with secret passwords and rituals, and ranking degrees of membership.
My great grandfather actually left this world from his seat at the Bellville Grangers Hall — the meeting that night was droning on and he fell asleep on the shoulder of the man sitting next to him.
When the talking was done, his neighbor gave a nudge to wake him up but old George had already departed the meeting and his earthly being, and was waking up in his afterlife.
For years afterward the farmers chuckled about the Grange master who could literally bore you to death.
The Grange Hall in Bellville has served as a residential building for the last generation or so.
Historic images of Bellville come from the collection of Phil Stoodt.
