Search
Cranston, Rhode Island. Knightsville-Franklin Congregational Church records; 1807, 1863-2008
- Collection information
- Organizational history
- List of ministers
- Scope and content
- Box and folder list
| Title |
Cranston, Rhode Island. Knightsville-Franklin Congregational Church records |
| Creator |
Knightsville-Franklin Congregational Church (Cranston, R.I.) |
| Dates |
1807, 1863-2008 |
| Physical description |
11 boxes; 4.67 linear feet |
| Collection number |
RG.4936 |
| Access restrictions |
No access restrictions |
| Copyright |
Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be |
| Language |
Material entirely in English |
| Repository |
Congregational Library and Archive |
| Collection processed by Abraham Miller, July 2010 | |
Abstract
This collection consists of the records of the Knightsville-Franklin Congregational Church. Materials include records about church governance and organization, financial records, membership documents, Sunday School and auxiliary records, church publications, historical notes, and audiovisual material.
Acquisition Information
Donated by the Knightsville-Franklin Congregational Church of Cranston, R.I., April 2010.
Organizational History
The Knightsville Meetinghouse was constructed in 1807 for the Benevolent Baptist Society in Cranston, Rhode Island. This society and other churches used the building, which also served as the town meeting center, intermittently until 1864, when the Knightsville Mission Sabbath School was organized. Soon after inception, the Sunday School grew considerably in size, where by the members desired to organize a church as well.
In 1878, in lieu of organizing a separate church, members of the Sunday School organized as a branch of the Union Congregational Church of Providence, Rhode Island, until the Union-Plymouth merger in 1928. Following this merger, the Knightsville Congregational Church was organized and incorporated as a separate church. In this time, the church developed a strong membership base, with active auxiliary groups and an active Sunday School. In 1967, the Franklin Congregational Church merged with Knightsville Congregational Church. Franklin Congregation Church was founded in 1873 with nine members. By the 1960s, Franklin Congregational Church saw declining membership and was sharing a minister with Knightsville Congregational Church.
By the 1990s, the Knightsville-Franklin Congregational Church was dealing with declining membership, with roughly twenty regular attendees at services. In 2006, the members voted to leave the United Church of Christ and join the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches. By the beginning of 2009, it was clear to the community that the Knightsville-Franklin Congregational Church lacked the funding and membership to continue activity, and ceased operation in October, 2009.
Ministers
| Franklin Congregational Church | Knightsville Congregational Church | ||
| James P. Root | 1876-1879 | ||
| Jeremiah Taylor | 1883-1887 | ||
| Hiram E. Johnson | 1887-1892 | ||
| Richard H. Wickett | 1892-1911 | ||
| C. Fremont Roper | 1911-1921 | ||
| Henry H. Guernsey | 1921-1929 | Wilfred E. Stone | 1928-1957 |
| Orville O. Lozier | 1929-1944 | ||
| Walter Main Stone | 1944-1949 | ||
| Thomas K. Thompson | 1950-1951 | ||
| Lawrence W. Fairchild | 1951-1953 | ||
| Lloyd Marble | 1954-1956 | ||
| Oscar W. Arell | 1956-1962 | Deene Clark | 1957-1958 |
| Donald W. Biggs (Student pastor) | 1956-1962 | John Wright |
1958-1962 |
| Paul E. Duhamel | 1964-1967 | Paul E. Duhamel | 1962-1967 |
| Knightsville-Franklin Congregational Church | |||
| Paul E. Duhamel | 1967 | ||
| J. R. Beasley | 1969-1973 | ||
| W. E. Renfree | 1976 | ||
| Marsha L. Goldstein | 1979-1984 | ||
| Lois A. Bryant | 1985-2009 | ||
Scope of Collection
The Knightsville-Franklin Congregational Church records document the history and life of the church, including church governance, financial data, ministers’ records, membership data, auxiliary organizations, published material, historical information, and audiovisual material. Materials within the collection include minutes and reports, ledgers and registers, directories, correspondence, church publications, and photographs.
Arrangement
The Knightsville-Franklin Congregational Church records are arranged in eight series. The records are arranged chronologically, unless otherwise noted.
| Series I | Governance | ||
| Series II | Financial | ||
| Series III | Ministers | ||
| Series IV | Membership | ||
| Series V | Auxiliary Organizations | ||
| Series VI | Published Material | ||
| Series VII |
Historical | ||
| Series VIII | Audiovisual |
Related Material
Cranston, R.I.: Knightsville Congregational Church. 17.11.1 C85.3 KNICC
Access Terms
Knightsville Congregational Church (Cranston, R.I.)
Franklin Congregational Church (Cranston, R.I.)
Knightsville-Franklin Congregational Church (Cranston, R.I.)
Cranston (R.I.) -- Church history
Rhode Island -- Church history
Congregational churches -- Rhode Island -- Cranston
Church records and registers -- Rhode Island
Detailed Description and Container List
Series I: Governance 1930-2005
The Governance series includes records relating to the administration of the church. The Annual reports include reports from ministers, clerks, and other church officials. The Meeting records include reports from the annual meetings and the nominating committee, which selected church officers. The monthly standing committee records details church activities and decision making. The governance records also include the church constitution and by-laws and conference membership information.
Box 1
Folder 1: Annual Reports 1930-1990
Folder 2: Annual Reports 1995-2008
Folder 3: Meetings 1876-1991
Folder 4: Meetings – Annual Meetings 1933-1989
Folder 5: Meetings – Standing Committee 1939-1969
Folder 6: Meetings – Standing Committee 1970-1977
Folder 7: Meetings – Nominating Committee 1932-1975
Folder 8: Meetings – Clerks’ Reports 1978-1983
Folder 9: Correspondence 1932-1957
Box 2
Folder 1: Correspondence 1957-2005
Box 7
Record ledger
Box 9
Folder 1: Governance 1957-2007
Series II: Financial 1863-2008
The Financial records include ledgers, treasurers’ reports, bank statements, and tax documents relating to the financial administration of the churches. Included are collection books and documents relating to raising funds for the church. Also of note are the building records, detailing building repairs and maintenance.
Box 2
Folder 2: Financial 1863-1907
Folder 3: Financial 1916-1939
Folder 4: Financial 1940-1949
Folder 5: Financial 1950-1959
Folder 6: Financial 1960-1989
Folder 7: Financial 1998-2003
Folder 8: Financial 2004-2006
Folder 9: Financial 2006-2009
Box 3
Folder 1: Financial – Bank Statements 2006-2008
Folder 2: Financial – Tax 1969-1989
Folder 3: Building – Repairs 1953-2006
Folder 4: Insurance 1899-1977
Folder 5-7: Insurance 1990s-2000s
Box 4
Folder 1: Financial – Collections Book 1887-1902
Folder 2: Financial – Collections Book 1889-1902
Folder 3: Financial – Fundraising and Donations 1944-2002
Folder 4: Grants, Applications 1990-2004
Box 9
Folder 2: Financial 1963-1965
Series III: Ministers 1938-2004
This series includes calendars, correspondence, notes, and pamphlets. Of note are the records relating to the search for new ministers, including dossiers of candidates.
Box 4
Folder 5: Ministers – Stone, Wilfred E. 1938-1939
Folder 6: Ministers – Search For and Ordinations 1958-1973
Folder 7: Ministers – Calendars 1999, 2002-2004
Series IV: Membership 1928-2007
The Membership series includes records about the members of and people associated with the church. The transfers include information about members being received into or leaving the church. The directories, and church registers include lists of members, including dates of membership. The Genealogical records and Remembrance Book includes information on births and deaths within the community.
Box 4
Folder 8: Membership –Transfers 1928-1947
Folder 9: Membership – Transfers 1947-1976
Folder 10: Membership – Directories 1925-1985 [Gaps]
Folder 11: Genealogical Records 1959-1997
Box 5
Folder 1: Membership – Record, Knightsville 1928-1976
Box 7
In Remembrance book
The Pilgrim Church Register ledger
Church Register and Record ledger
Box 9
Folder 3: Guest Register 1958-2007
Box 10
Membership index cards
Series V: Auxiliary Organizations 1914-1999
The Auxiliary Organizations series includes records from volunteer organizations and the Sunday School. The auxiliaries include the Wide Awakes, a women’s club, the Fellowship Club, a service club, and other social and service oriented groups. Sunday School records include reports of activities, and booklets containing class records. Additional records include documents relating to the planning of and reports on church events.
Box 5
Folder 2: Auxiliary 1926-1936
Folder 3: Auxiliary 1937-1999
Folder 4: Auxiliary – Wide Awakes 1933-1967
Folder 5: Auxiliary – Fellowship Club 1968
Folder 6: Events 1923-1972
Folder 7: Sunday School 1914-1967
Box 11
Sunday School booklets 1921-1963
Series VI: Published Material 1875-2007
The Published Material includes pamphlets and newsletters published by the church, and orders of worship, used at services. Included are pamphlets by Wilfred E. Stone, including published parables.
Box 5
Folder 8: Pamphlets 1875-1967
Folder 9: Order of Worship 1921-1973
Box 6
Folder 1: Order of Worship 1873-2007
Box 9
Folder 4: Newsletters 1952-1976
Series VII: Historical 1807, 1925-2007
The Historical records include newspaper clippings and other notes about the history of the Knightsville-Franklin Congregational Church. Of particular note are the materials related to the 200th Anniversary of the Knightsville Meetinghouse in 2007, including attendee lists and newspaper reports, and a lottery ticket from 1807, used to fund the construction of the meetinghouse.
Box 6
Folder 2: Historical Notes 1807, 1928-2001
Folder 3: 200th Anniversary 2007
Box 9
Folder 5: Certificates and Awards 1925-2003
Folder 6: 200th Anniversary 2007
Series VIII: Audiovisual 1891-2008 [Gaps]
The Audiovisual material includes photographs and two videocassettes. The photographs document church activities, functions, and trips. Also included are various portraits of church members, many unidentified, and photographs of the Knightsville Meetinghouse. Many of the photographs were removed from albums.
Arrangement: Material arranged by media type. Photos removed from albums are arranged by album.
Technical Access: Videocassettes recorded on VHS. The Congregational Library does not own a VHS player.
Box 6
Photograph Album 2008-2009
Videocassette – R.I. Conference “Doing Together More Than We Can Do Alone” 1994
Videocassette – Knightsville-Franklin Congregational Church
Folder 4-9: Photographs
Box 8
Folder 1-17: Photographs