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Chase County Kansas Historical Sketches

1863 - 2003 



UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Cottonwood Falls, Kansas

Over a century ago - 113 years - Rev. J.C. Fraker, a Methodist minister, and six members organized the First Methodist Church in Cottonwood Falls. This was completed January 12, 1859 - before Chase County was a county or Kansas was a state.

Mr. and Mrs. A.D. Finley and Mr. and Mrs. A.P. Gandy were four of the six members. Mrs. Arabella Moore is a grandaughter of the Gandy's; her mother was organist for the Church and services were often held in the Gandy home before the building of the first church. Mrs. Blanche Finley's husband, Hugh Finley, was a grandson of the A.D. Finley's.

Church services were often held out of doors, in homes, and in 1862 the County built the first Courthouse - a log building 16' x 24', on Lot 3, Block 20 - south of the high school campus, and the Methodists, as well as many other churches and organizations held services there.

In 1870-71, the Methodist Episcopal Church erected a frame building at a cost of $2,500.00, the Building Committee being Brothers Oles, Finley, and Cuthbert. In 1911, it was replaced by the present stone building, both being on the present site. A small parsonage was replaced by the one we have today in 1902.

As the years have passed, changes have been made, keeping the building and its equipment up- to-date. Membership is around 300, and the United Methodist Women have a membership of around 85. The Methodist Youth Fellowship and the Presbyterian Youth Fellowship meet jointly, and the Vacation Church School is a project of the two churches, working together.

The Rev. Robert S. Craig is pastor of the Church, and is now is his fifth year here.(1972)

Chase County Centennial, 1872 - 1972




Chase County Submitted Historical Sketches
compiled and abstracted from the Chase County Courant, Chase County Leader, other sources and newspapers
by Lorna Marvin
Please submit your historical sketches.


Return to Chase County Submitted Historical Sketches


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