Peter Vandervoort, an authorized Methodist exhorter, who settled in the adjoining town of Eden, held the first religious services in Henry Conklins very large log house. The first births were not far apart, in 1839, in the families of G. de Neveu, A. T. Denniston and Luke La Borde. They were the very first, except John A. Bannister, in the county. In addition to plenty of hardwood fuel, good building stone, and good brick-clay, Empire has rich peat beds, though none of them were ever worked. No town, unless it is Calumet, in the eastern portion of the county, is more favorable for apples, grapes and other fruits.
Empire has no railroads, and but one post office and one church edifice.
The first grist-mill in the county was erected in Empire, on Section 22 by Henry Conklin. Empire M. E. Church . Logs were hauled, but the enterprise ended at this point, the timber rotting on the ground, on the site of the present edifice, Section 33. In 1866, the project was revived. Dedication took place July 28, 1867.