PARTNERS IN THE PARSONAGE: Identifying Clergy Spouses

Wesley UMC in Oklahoma City begins the project with a list of their clergy spouses as identified from church records and other sources. Like so many churches, for much of Wesley's history the spouses of the senior pastor were obscured in the customs of the day.  Through the 1970's it was still customary for a married woman to be referred to only in light of her relationship as a wife.  Thus she was "Mrs. John Doe" and her first name often lost. As customs changed the church now has also seen the addition of the clergy husband.  Some of the same issues may be found in attempting to adapt to this changing clergy spouse profile. 

Some records (conference, census newspaper, and church) simply cannot supply the names of the person who shared their live with the clergy of Wesley.  Here, however, are some of the names discovered.  They may be incorrect in spelling and other factors, but this is the best available list at this time.  Please leave a comment if you have corrections or additions.

1. 1910/11 - Frank A. Colwell (1860-1937); Mary
2. 1911/12 - Dr. Harry Claude Case (1873-1921)
3. 1912/13-  Samuel E. Betts - Emma C.
4. 1913 - Thomas Pingry (1848 - 1916) ; Nancy
5. 1914-  E.R. Houck ; Ruth, son Matthew
6. 1915/17 - John W. Cater
7. 1916/18- C.C. Smith (Charles Clark?)
8. 1919/22 - Dean C. Dutton (1871-1954); Katherine Burg; children: Helen and Adena
9. 1923- J.C. Waldron
10. 1924- Glenn A. Baldwin (or J.A.)
11. 1925/28- E.V. (Edgar V.) Dubois; Gertrude P.; children: Robert K.
12. 1925/28- Dr. William Forney Hovis; Aimee A. Parry; children, Wm F. and Keith
13. 1929/32 - George H. Zentz; Ethel G.; children: Nellie, Franklin, George
14. 1933/34- A.G. (Aaron G.) Williamson; Denice Anna
15. 1935/36- Matthew L. Simpson
16. 1937/41- Hugh B. Fouke ; Ruth
17. 1941/43 - James A. Leach
18. 1943/56- Nuell Crain ( - 1997); Catherine
19. 1956/58 - John R. Webb (1906-1974) ; Marguerite K.; children: Robert, Margaret
20. 1958/63- Earl S. Walker ; Doris
21. 1963/64- Dr. Jack S. Wilkes (1917-  ) ; Annette
22. 1964/67 - Charles R.Thigpen (1913-1967); Mary E.
23. 1967-  Fisher Blanton (  );  Mary Ellen Bell
24. 1974/77- Lonzo Battles (1922-2009) ; Barbara Nell Amdall
25. 1977/81- J.C. (James C.) Curry Jr. (1926-2009)
26. 1981/95- Robert L. Allen (1946-2004); Madalyn
27. 1996/02- John T. Ogden (1935-2004) ; Jane
28. 2002/06- T. Scott Keneda ; Angie
29. 2007 - Bishop Bennie Warner
30. 2007/13 - Diana Cox-Crawford (First female senior pastor); Bob
31. 2013 - Dr. Marvin J. Hudson ; Marilyn A.

United Methodist Churches are invited to submit their own lists of pastors with accompanying names of their spouses. This is an ongoing project and will be shared with the Oklahoma UMC Historical Society and Conference archives.

Memorials in Light and Color

This begins a series  (hopefully) of lists of the individuals memorialized in stained glass in Oklahoma churches, with a special emphasis on Methodist windows.

This first installment will highlight the windows of Wesley United Memorial UMC in Oklahoma City. The church was established in 1910 and in 1928 they dedicated a new sanctuary done in the English Gothic collegiate style with numerous stained glass windows, many of which were memorials to specific people or groups. The glass was provided by the Kansas City Glass Company.

Narthex (1)

In this area, there are various donations and gifts such as plaques, furnishings, and decorations.

 

Cloister, North (3)

(West) “The Nativity” – Mrs. William E. Rowland

(Center) “The Boy Christ”- Mr. & Mrs. J. Edgar Strader

(East) “Christ at the Door”- Mrs. Clara Bell & Family

 

North Transept (3)

“The Transfiguration” (1928)-Mr. & Mrs. Hillard John Scott

(West) “The Last Supper” –Mr. & Mrs. L.R. Springer

(Center) “Jesus and His Mother”- Ladies’ Bible Class

(East) “The First Disciple” 

 

Chancel - West or Choir (4)

“The Beckoning Christ” (Come Unto Me) (1928) - Mr. Overstreet, father of Mrs. Campbell Russell

 

South Transept (5)

“The Good Shepherd” (1928)- Mrs. Jessie B. Fleming and Mrs. Virginia C. Shike

“Rich Young Man”- T.Harold and Captain W.E. Corkhill

“Gethsemane”- Mrs. D.G. Murray & Family

“Best Friend” – Mrs. Laura S. Day and Miss Olga Stokesberry

“Empty Tomb”- Mr. & Mrs. O.H. Putney

Cloister, South (or Ambulatory) (6)

(East) “Holy Women of the Tomb”- Mrs. N.A. Whittaker and Family

(Center) “World Encircled” – WCTU (Women’s Christian Temperance Union)

(West) “The Ascension”- Mr. and Mrs. Charles Johnson and Miss Minnie Suitor

 

East Window (7)

“Jesus Blessing the Little Children” (1928)- Mrs. Florida Knight.

Exterior:

Triangular Plot (East) – Fronting east entry area between Douglas and Classen Blvd. Land donated by noted early Oklahoma City founding leader, Anton Classen (before 1928).  Mrs. Classen later donated landscaping and other improvements.

 

Early Female Evangelist: Alice Mather, Spencer, IA (UPDATED)

In Oklahoma City in 1904 a woman from the Methodist Episcopal Church preached a revival in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. At this point, both groups were busy building and there was apparently some sharing of resources.  Oklahoma at this time was more open to the idea of the two fractured sections of Methodism working together than the general denominational structures of both. They were also, apparently, open to the idea of a woman preaching a revival as well.

The event was duly reported in the local newspaper, with numerous tidbit or pithy quotes as was the custom, and she was referred to always as "Mrs. Mather."

She was Margaret Alice Moody Mather from Spencer, Iowa. She was born 27 January 1862 in Clayton Co., Iowa. She married in 1883 Luther Pearson Mather (b. 1838, Fenner, NY).   She was mentioned in The Northwest Christian Advocate of March 17, 1897 (pg. 20) as an "evangelist" and that she assisted Pastor A.R. Cuthbert, pastor in a revival that saw many conversions. Her name would emerge in various copies of that journal as well as the Conference journals of Iowa Methodism. The 1900 Iowa census lists her as an "evangelist" and her husband as a day laborer. She was the mother of three children but as of 1900 only two remained: Leo David Mather and Alice Floy Mather.  She died 1947 in Clay Co., Iowa.

Her home conference, Northwest Iowa, had this to say about her in the Christian Advocate, volume 80 (1905)," Mrs. Alice Mather, an evangelist from Spencer, NW Iowa Conference is assisting the pastor, Rev. F.L. Buckwalter. She is a loyal Methodist, a fine preacher, a sweet singer and sympathetic in her preaching. She preaches straight to the hearts of the people, and all are delighted with her...The meetings prove that Methodist preaching and methods, directed by the spirit, will still bring about genuine conviction and conversion. The people have crowded the altar..."

It was clear, Oklahoma received a rare blessing in inviting this woman to come and preach in Oklahoma City. Who knows how many she inspired in the faith or encouraged to follow where they felt they were being led vocationally?

"Methodists Around To New Zeal By A Woman Evangelist's Discourses" "Is a Powerful Speaker", "Interest in Revival's Becoming Intense and Numbers are Nightly Becoming Converts to the Christian Faith." (Oklahoman, April 15, 1904; pg.8); U.S. Federal Census, Iowa; The NW Christian Advocate 1905; NW Iowa Conference Report, 1911; NW Christian Advocate, 1912; Spencer Clay County (IA) News (Dec.2, 1897, p.3); The Perry (IA) Daily (Dec.14,1894, pg.1); The Alton Democrate (IA) (March 14,1896,pg.8); Monmouth Daily Atlas (IL) (March 10, 1916).