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Elm Valley Church

Taken from Town and Village Sesquicentennial  book

Of Andover , New York 1974

Submitted by William A. Greene

In 1903, there were plans begun to build a Chapel at Elm Valley .  The site was donated, and a large number of subscriptions pledged.  Corwin Hill residents produce a comedy play, entitled, “A Country Kid”, at the Elm Valley School .  Proceeds were donated toward the erection of the Chapel.  By August, carpenters were at work and in 1904, the completed Chapel stood as a fitting monument to the faithfulness and persistency of the past and present resident of Elm Valley .

Dedication ceremony was held September 23-24, 1904 .  Among the speakers were Hon. Jesse S. Phillips, Rev. H. D. Bacon, Rev. George W. Adams, Rev. E. D. VanHorn of Andover and Rev. W. C. Adams of Wellsville and Rev. A. E. Waffle of Albion.  Of  course, also on hand to help with the celebration, was Rev. Charles H. Harrington.  Music was furnished by Miss Fanny Burdick, Miss Minnie Clair and Mr. Jason Hunt.

Credit was also given to L. S. Burdick, Prentis Burdick and Byron Howland, as well as the Ladies Aid for all their active cooperation.  Everyone was especially pleased that the accomplishment of the new Chapel left no indebtedness to the community.  Building cost was about $2,000.

In May, 1943, a brief hurricane-type windstorm nearly pushed the little Chapel from its foundation.  Later it was razed by C. Baldwin of Wellsville, the land purchased by Mrs. J. Clair and a store was built there. Mrs. Clair and daughter lived in the upstairs apartment.  Today Curt VanPelt lives there.