| APRIL 21, 2016 -- For many of us, attaining just one of the many remarkable achievements J.H. Hale did would be a milestone in our lives. To J.H. Hale every task, every endeavor was an opportunity to do it in a way never done before – creating the J.H. Hale Peach, organizing dozens of Granges, helping to found the University of Connecticut, and more. This month we look at the life of the second Master of the Connecticut State Grange, an overachiever that many of us owe a great deal of thanks for helping found our Granges and providing delicious fruit for generations of people around the world.
John Howard Hale was born on November 2, 1853 in Glastonbury, Connecticut. He was the son of John A. Hale and Henrietta (Moseley) Hale.
He received his education in the local school which he was forced to give up at the age of fourteen due to the death of his father. It could be truly said that he was a self made man, for later in life he was a proficient lecturer and writer of no little note. He had an acquiring mind and readily absorbed everything he saw and read and was considered one of the most able men of his times. He was particularly successful as a fruit farmer. His peach orchards were known throughout the world. He propagated many new varieties of peaches, the famous “Hale Peach” being of superior quality and marketability for shipping was perhaps the best known even to this day. A quick Google search of the J.H. Hale Peach reveals hundreds of entries/references.
He was always interested in fruits of every kind and what climates were the best adapted for their growth. His wife while serving as State Pomona carried on an interesting correspondence with the Subordinate and Pomona Pomonas sending them several kinds of fruit trees and berries and encouraged the raising of more such products upon each farm plot.
On October 31, 1877, he married Addie Stancliff of Brooklyn, NY. She was the daughter of Harry Stancliffe.
The following children were born to them: Stancliffe, Moseley, Emily, Marian, and Laura Hale.
He was a Protestant and a staunch Republican.
Brother Hale was a Charter member of Glastonbury Grange and held the position of Charter Steward. He held numerous other Subordinate Offices from time to time. He was the second Master of the present State Grange and served in that office from 1885-1889. He was also a regular Deputy and General Deputy at various times. He served as a member of the Executive Committee for 1885 and 1894-1908. During 1887-1889 he served as Assistant Steward of the National Grange and was Priest Herald of the Assembly of Demeter of the National Grange in 1889. Sister Hale served as Priestess Flora during 1889 of the Assembly of Demeter of the National Grange.
Brother Hale’s youth, strong executive ability, his broad acquaintances, and his well versed knowledge of the agricultural needs of the State, the ripeness of thehour and his firm and enthusiastic faith in the principles of the purposes and aims of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry combined, resulted in phenomenal Grange growth. Although this growth was rapid it was mostly successfully hardy.
In later life Brother Hale traveled extensively. One Patron from Glastonbury Grange had said, “Brother Hale told me that he had traveled in every country in every State within the Nation.”
His worldly labors came to an end on October 12th, 1917, having served theGrange long and faithfully, he passed to his award Above and was buried in the old Church Cemetery at South Glastonbury, Connecticut.
The bulk of this account was re-printed from Lida Ives’ “The Grange in Connecticut” with editorial embellishment.
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Granges Organized by J.H. Hale:
Central Pomona #1
Quinebaug Pomona #2
Mountain County Pomona #4
East Hartford Grange #37
New Canaan Grange #38
Burritt Grange #39
Brooklyn Grange #43
Newington Grange #44
Bolton Grange #47
Whigville Grange #48
Farmington Grange #49
Westfield Grange #50
Tolland Grange #51
Vernon Grange #52
Poquonock Grange #53
Plainville Grange #54
East Haddam Grange #56
West Hartford Grange #58
Mansfield Grange #64
Indian River Grange #73
Coventry Grange #75
Andover Grange #76
Clinton Grange #77
Granges Organized by the Hale Administration
East Central Pomona #3
New Haven County Pomona #5
New London County Pomona #6
Stafford Grange #55 (2nd Org.)
Colebrook Grange #82 (2nd Org.)
North Haven Grange #35
Little River Grange #36
Senexet Grange #40
Konomoc Grange #41
Mattabessett Grange #42
Harwinton Grange #45
Ellington Grange #46
Durham Grange #57
Saybrook Grange #59
Crystal Lake Grange #60
Wolf Den Grange #61
Eureka Grange #62
Cromwell Grange #67
Natchaug Grange #68
Shetucket Grange #69
Canterbury Grange #70
Mad River Grange #71
Plymouth Grange #72
Winchester Grange #74
Colchester Grange #78
Housatonic Grange #80
Guilford Grange #81
Colebrook Grange #2
Totoket Grange #83
Foxon Grange #84
Wangumbaug Grange #85
Webetuck Grange #86
Hillstown Grange #87
Still River Grange #88
Ekonk Grange #89
Ashford Grange #90
Seymour Grange #91
Harmony Grange #92
Border Grange #93
East Windsor Grange #94
Percival Grange #95
Jewett City Grange #96
Putnam Grange #97
Barkhamsted Grange #98
Hamden Grange #99
Taghhannuck Grange #100
Mashapaug Lake Grange #101
Oxford Grange #102
Beacon Valley Grange #103
North Guilford Grange #104
Somers Grange #105
East Haven Grange #106
Litchfield Grange #107
Woodbridge Grange #108
East Hampton Grange #109
Preston City Grange #110
Hebron Grange #111
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