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History of the Ashtabula Rod and Gun Club
History shows that our organization began on April 12, 1940. A group met at Paynes's Hardware in Ashtabula for the purpose of discussing the organization of a conservation club for Ashtabula city and township.
Kenneth Miller acted as the first chairman and appointed a committee to draw up a constitution and by-laws embodying the name and purpose for the conservation club. This committee consisted of three members: William Martin, Earl Richmond and Earl Means..
A second meeting was held on April 19, 1940. At this meeting, the proposed constitution and by-laws were accepted and the approved name was The Conservation Club of Ashtabula. On May 15, 1940, H.S. Payne, Jr. was named the first president of the new organization. Meetings were held in office buildings, member's homes and, for a long time, at the Y.M.C.A. During war time in the 1940's the club was not able to accomplish much due to members being off to war. The spirit of the sportsmen kept the club intact through these hard times. Sometime between 1943 and 1947, the name of the organization was changed to Ashtabula Conservation Club. In the late 1940's the club began expanding it's activities and membership. By 1950 the club had made arrangements to lease an old farm on Ninevah Road in Saybrook Twp. Here they would hold meetings and shooting events and put to use the many planned conservation projects. The property was leased from H.W. Tracy of Douglaston, NY for the sum of $25.00 per year.
