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Introduction
Early History
Death Records 1860-1894

Pioneers
Early Settlers
Joseph McClure
Pardon T Jewell
Marvin Older
Delos E Lyon
Curtis Brothers
Searl and Storrs
Doctors
William McNall

Park Square and Fairs
The Story
The Trial
The Wedding
Franklinville Fair
Bands

Postal History
Introduction
Post Office
Postmasters

Hotels and Inns
Globe Hotel
Hotel Lester
Bard Hotel
Brown Eagle Hotel

Businesses and Industry
Bartholomew's Pharmacy
West Park Square Drug Store
Quality Bakery
Cutlery Industry
Mercantile
Dairy Industry
Firehouse Liquors
Blount Plow

Churches and Buildings
Baptist
Other Churches
Presbyterian
Methodist Episcopal
Amusement Hall
The Miners Cabin

In the Public Trust
Newspapers
Chronicle-Journal
Fire Department
Mt Prospect Cemetery
Public Works

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Methodist Episcopal Church

In 1878 a Methodist Episcopal Church was organized. Lewis Clarke Riggs
then donated land on the northwest corner of what is now Elm and
Church Streets on which the congregation could build. Before that was
done, however, a tent was erected and used for services for a short
time. A dedication service was held on September 4, 1879 after the
first church structure had been completed.

Through the hard and consistent work of the congregation, as well
as that of a succession of pastors who served the church, the
congregation grew. As a result, plans for a new building were perfected,
and the house of worship was completed (at a cost of $7,000) and
dedicated on March 14, 1895. Several years later they were able to have
a pipe organ installed.

The congregation continued their consistent labors and were
rewarded with the ability to have a mortgage burning ceremony in the
church parlors at 9:30 p.m., June 10, 1927.

On November 7, 1930 the church burned in a spectacular fire which
threatened to consume other buildings nearby. At that time the Adelphi
Theatre was located across the street on the northeast corner of Elm and
Church, and the showing of a film was in progress. I spoke with a woman
who was a child in the theatre at the time of the fire and asked if she
remembered it. Here is her reply: "I certainly do! I was about six years old
at the time and my brother and I were attending the movie. All of a
sudden my father appeared and took both of us out. I was wearing a little coat
with a littlle fur collar and I can remember embers coming down on that.

When we arrived home my mother had all the family's important papers
by the front door. My parents were afraid the fire was going to get out of
control and take out our Church Street home, along with our neighbors' homes."

The congregation saw all of their hard work literally go up in smoke.
After the loss of their church edifice by fire it seemed out of question for the congregation to rebuild. It is necessary here to remember that the great depression was well under way.

The following information comes from an unidentified newspaper;
however, it was surrounded by clippings marked 1931:

"Transfer of Franklinville Methodist Episcopal Church assets to the
Trinity Church" (N.B. Olean NY) "took place at a banquet held Friday
night here. The president of the Board of Trustees of the Franklinville
Church gave papers transferring $15,000 to the Olean institution.
The assets include approximately $10,000 in cash and $5,000 in real
estate, and are to be used for the liquidation of the bonded
indebtedness of the Trinity Church."

There has never been another Methodist Episcopal Church here.