Salem Township Agriculture Society

A meeting in the Adamsville school house on April 16th, 1859 was the foundation for the organization of the Salem Township Agricultural Society. It was probably an organization which sought to benefit the local farmers and agricultural merchants but included members who were not farmers such as Henry Decker the town's doctor.

Some of the members were as follows:

George Adams Peter Bainter P. A. Baker Gilbert Beatty Edward Bell John Bell John Bratton T. Cochran E. J. Crane Henry Decker Wm. S. Denison M. Edwards John Elsea Joseph Fisher John M. Garrett H. N. Gore Joseph Gore Townsend Gore Cephas Hanks J. S. Hanks M. J. Hanks

Stiles Hanks Samuel Hardy Samuel Harress H. F. Honnold James C. Jones James King Patrick King Dutton Lane C. Meisner Daniel Mock Asa Nims Thomas Pharris Thomas Pilcher Phillip Rechel David Richardson M. B. Robinson Thomas Roe H. S Roff W. T. Rollings Wm. B. Scott Henry C. Shirer

James M. Shirer Samuel Shrigley, Jr. Adam Shroyer Christian Shroyer S. H. Shroyer G. W. Slater John Spragg Thomas Sprague John W. Stiers Sutherland Stiers James Strong Wm. Sturtz George Thomas W. J. Tingle A. C. Tomlinson Jacob Werts Henry Wheeler John G. Williams John V. Wine Michael H. Wine John Wymer

The first officers elected were:
	President: John Fisher Vice President: John Gore Secretary: H. S. Roff Treasurer: Townsend Gore

Elected as managers to oversee the society were:
	J. M. Garrett, Madison Twp. H. N. Gore, Washington Twp. Cephas Hanks, Highland Twp. M. J. Hanks, Salem Twp.	James Jones, Perry Twp. Joseph Long, Union Thomas Pilcher, Adams Twp. Dr. E.L. Wortman, Monroe Twp.

A Committee was appointed to solicit new membership which consisted of:
	John Aiken T. S. Hagden J. J. Hanks S. Hardy S. Harress S. Hurdle, Esq. James King Peter Marquand	Charles Miller Wm. Winn T. Roberts M. Robinson John Spragg Hugh Stewart A. C. Tomlinson

Knights of Pythias

In the 1890's a chapter of the fraternal and benevolant society known as the Knights of Pythias was organized in Adamsville. The meetings were held over the old Moser grocery building on the east side of East Street, north of Dresdan Stret. Meetings were held there until about 1930 when the building was solt to the Eureka Grange.

Eureka Grange

The Eureka Grange was organized in April of 1889. Meetings were held at the Town Hall on Hall Avenue. They bought the old Moser Grocery building located on East Street north of Dresden and moved the meetings there around 1933.

The first officers were:
    Master: H. H. Garrett
    Overseer: Joseph Young
    Secretary: P. W. Sturtz
    Treasurer: J. W. Slater
    Lecturer: J. C. Bell
    Chaplain: John Fitz

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This picture and story appeared in The Zanesville News Friday 11 October 1940, by Leonard White News Staff Correspondent

GRANGE AT ADAMSVILLE NEARS SIXTY-FITH YEAR A group of farm folks met at the residence of C C Minner in Madison Township, 5 April, 1876 for the purpose of organizing a grange. This organization was affected nine years after the first grange was started in Washington DC, B F Swingle then deputy master of Muskingum County was present and helped them with organization duties. Henry H Garrett was chosen as the first master and Charles Minner the first secretary. There were elven charter members: Messrs and Mesdames, John M Garrett, George B King, W M Dickerson, Isaac Huh, C C Minner, J P King, James King, W B Carter, H H Garrett, Mrs Illa Dickerson and H Shimer. This group of grange people met at the home of Charles Minner for about four years, until the grange became inactive. Garrett again aroused the grange spirit after a laspe of about ten years. B F Swingle again helped to organize Eureka Grange. The members of this renewed organization were Messrs and Medames John Vernon, Samuel Beers, Solomon Gaumer, P W Sturtz, J C Bell, H V Slater, G R Vinsel, H H Garrett, Isaac Huhn, O C Steel, G W Bell, Joseph Young, M Sauer, G W Slater and J W Vinsel Sr. For a number of years the grange met in the town hall, but now own their own hall located in the village of Adamsville. They purchased this hal recently and remodled the interior. For a number of years the grange members consisted of the heads of families, who were interested in securing grange insurance, purchasing of fertilizers, twine and other farm commodities. After a short time the enthusiasm began to decrease, but about this time time many young people of this community began to take an interest in grange work. A large class of young persons were taken in by conferring the degrees, the first time grange ritualistic work had been used. During the past fifteen years Eureka Grange has participated in all county Pomona projects including: "Fraternal Chain Programs," Traveling Gavel," Little Theater." "Candle Lighting Service," Friendly Chain and group degree work. During this past year they gave finicial aid in helping to erect the shelter house at the county fairgrounds. Eureka is the home grange of J A Littick deputy master of Muskingum County and past master of the Muskingum County Pomona Grange. Littick has served as county deputy and Mrs Littick has served as county Juvenile Deputy for the past twelve years. Other members of Eureka Grange having served in connection with the county Pomona Grange are as follows: Miss Mildred Bell, Mrs Bert Honnold, Mrs Rose Keims, Mrs J A Littick, Herman Vernon and Mrs Sam Shepfer. Eureka Grange held their annual inspection last Saturday evening with a large attendance. At present time it has a membership of 196. It also has a live Juvenile group. Miss Mildred Bell was chosen as the first Matron and Mrs Ethel Houge and Mrs Herman Vernon are the present Matrons. During the lastmeeting the Juvenile group held their graduation exercises and five young people were given degree work in the subordinate grange. They now have 46 members enrolled in Juvenile grange work. Robert Young is the present master of the Eureka subordinate grange. Other masters who have served since its organization are as follows: Henry H Garrett, Isaac Huhn, P W Sturtz, J H Bainter, C B Bell, William Aler, C W Sarbaugh, J A Littick, L B Arnold and H R Vernon, C C Taylor, Donald Knicely, Walter Studor, Howard Knicely, Ward Studor and Ernest Jackson

Hubbard Lodge No. 220, F. & A. M.

In 1852 the first Masonic Lodge was organized in Adamsville. The Hubbard Lodge, No. 220, Free and Accepted Masons built their lodge on Back Street on lot #19 of the original Adams Plat. The lodge is one of the oldest in the State of Ohio and is still active, although it's membership had grown considerably.

The first officers elected were:
    Worshipful Master: H. H. Garrett
    Senior Warden: F. P. Winn
    Junior Warden: G. E. Honnold
    Secretary: George V. Vern
    Treasurer: H. L. Cogsil
    Senior Deacon: Dr. W. R. Hosick
    Junior Deacon: Peter C. Shroyer
    Tyler: M. Bowers

Many of the charter members were also members of Malta Lodge, No. 118, at Norwich, Muskingum Co., Ohio which was established before Hubbard Lodge. One member who also was a charter member of Hubbard was Evan J. Crane, a resident of Salem Township. It is also claimed that he was the first Senior Warden of Hubbard.

Eastern Star of Adamsville

The sister lodge to the Masons, The Eastern Star of Adamsville, was first chartered in 1923. The meetings are held in the same hall as the Masons on Back Street. There membership has grown greatly over the years. The chapter is no longer active. It is assumed that members transferred to the Laura Chapter in Norwich.

The first officers elected were:
    Worthy Matron: Lillie Kern (Mrs. George Kern)
    Worthy Patron: Bruce Doughty

Fred Aler Post No. 412 of the Grand Army of the Republic

After the Civil War, Salem's Union veterans, who numbered 133, organized the Fred Aler Post of the Grand Army of the Republic. The post continued until all members were deceased.

Officers as of 1890 were:
    Commander: George V. Kern
    Senior Vice Commander: H. H. Garrett
    Junior Vice Commander: J. Rachel
    Quarter Master: J. W. Garrett

George Kerns retained the office of Commander until his death at which point the Post was disbanded. George was a distinguished veteran and had been a confederate prisoner at the time sotilities ceased and he was given an honorable discharge. Before the war, George had witnessed the hanging death of abolitionist, John Brown at Harper's Ferry. He joined the army at fifteen and served with Co. A 3rd Virginia Calvary. He learned the trade of wagon making during the war and came to Adamsville in 1868 where he established a business and his home. He also served as Mayor of Adamsville for many years starting in 1888. He died Febuary 18, 1939 and is buried with his first wife in Fairview Church Cemetery in Adams Township.

Appeared in the Adamsville Register Wednesday 6 August 1930

List of Charter Members
Fred Aler Post, G A R

The Charter of Fred Aler Post, Grand Army of the Republic has been removed from the post headquarters, to the home of the only surviving member, George V Kearn of Adamsville for preservation.

It may be of interest to Register readers to know that the post was chartered February 25, 1884, with 45 members signing the roll, which was utlimately increased to 72. Following is the list of initial members of the post.

C F Aler, Wm Armstrong, Wm Bagent, Martin Bowers, Caleb Buker, H L Cogsil, James Crabtree, B F Davis, T J Erwine, Wm Edwards, John Fitz, John Foster, J W Garrett, H H Garrett, Henry Gaumer, James Harvey, G E Honnold, James Hunter, Calvin James, G V Kern, John L Matchett, John H Mangold, John Norman, James M Prince, Wm H Ruse, , H H Ross, John Roberts, John Rechel, Oliver Ross, Geo Ripple, J A Snoots, Ephraim Stotts, P W Sturtz, Joseph Stiner, O M Trittipo, Luther Timberlake, A C Tomlinson, Levi Voorhees, Henry F Wisecarver, Newton Wheeler, John V Zimmer