Living History at Akwesasne

When:    Saturday and Sunday, February 27-28, 2010; 9am-4pm
Where:  Senior Center on Rt 37 in Hogansburg
What:     Living History Demonstrations; lectures, presentations, slide shows on Mohawk involvement in American Revolution, French and Indian War and War of 1812; hands-on workshop making traditional costumes;
Cost:     FREE and open to the public

Brushton Literary Association

From the collection of the Franklin County Historical & Museum Society (1971.183):

click on image to enlarge

The Brushton Literary Association was founded in May 1882.   Its members planned programs for each meeting which included music, debate, essay, oratory, dramatic tableau and formal dialogue. 

First Baptist Church Sunday School Records

Recently donated to the Franklin County Historical and Museum Society:

Two Sunday School record books from First Baptist Church of Malone covering the years 1917-1929. 

The First Baptist Church Sunday School was begun in 1833.  (Click here and here for an article on the 100th anniversary celebrations in 1933.)  The Sunday School movement in America was well-organized and by the turn of the 20th century, many local churches - including the Malone First Baptist Church - made use of ledgers and materials in accordance with the inter-denominational International Sunday School Convention guidelines. 

The 1918-19 Sunday School year was rough for First Baptist, in which they had to briefly close Sunday School for both a fire and the great 'flu epidemic:

and, of course, when one of the towers collapsed:

Article from May or June 1918 Malone Farmer. Click on images to enlarge

The Franklin County Sunday School Association met annually during the first half of the 20th century at churches around the county and drew its officers from the county's Methodist, Baptist, Congregational, and Presbyterian churches.  According to articles in the Malone Farmer, the association met in Moira in 1900 and reported 60 Sunday Schools in the county, with a total membership of 5640; in Ft. Covington in 1901; in Malone in 1911 at which Dr. Harwood gave an address "Alcohol of little or no value as a medicinal remedy"; in North Bangor in 1914 and reported 61 Sunday Schools in the county, with a total membership of 5493 and the Methodist churches in the county taking the top three spots for attendance; in Chateaugay in 1920; in Brushton in 1923; and in Bombay in 1927.

Additional Resources:
1918 Report of the International Sunday School Association Convention
1911 Report of the International Sunday School Association Convention  (Includes section on movement history)
The Sunday School movement 1780-1917

Columbian Fire Insurance Company

The Franklin County Historical and Museum Society has in its collection (1975.72.1) a ledger of the O'Neil and Hale Insurance Agents, Malone, NY who were local agents for the Louisville, KY Columbian Fire Insurance Company.  This ledger from 1893-4 includes the policies of individuals and businesses from every corner of Franklin County.  From the Town of Bombay's policy insuring their covered bridge at Hogansburg

To the Tupper Lake Village school district #1 (formerly the town of Altamont) two-story school building:

Both structures were insured for $1250.00 with a November 14, 1893-November 14, 1894 policy.  The premiums on these policies were $18.75

O'Neil and Hale did a good business with the hotels in the county, selling policies to Loon Lake House:

the Berkley Hotel in Saranac Lake:

and Paul Smith's Hotel in the town of Brighton:

...among others.

Click on images to enlarge