Oil City Churches - Methodist Protestant

Both the Methodist Protestant Church and Methodist Episcopal Church, South had been part of the Methodist Episcopal Church but split prior to the Civil War over several issues, notably slavery, with the MECS being in support of and MPC opposed to the practice.

1917

At its conference  held in 16-19-Nov-1917, the rival Methodist Protestant Church appointed H. A. Cherry to its West Caddo Mission at Oak Grove (Ferry Lake area).  This was at the request of J. A. Holt, a missionary who had done groundwork there.

Louisiana Conference, Methodist Protestant Church 16-19- Nov-1917, Page 20

Some readers may know and recall that the school at Ferry Lake was known as the Oak Grove School. The specific site of this church is not known.

1918

Pastoral Appointment: H. A. Cherry

Membership: Not available

Note this information was reported in November each year, so the pastoral appointment was for the coming year, while the membership number (where available) reflected the prior year.

1919

Pastoral Appointment: B. F. Griffin (shared with other congregations).


1920

Pastoral Appointment: Mrs. M. E. Perdue.

Membership: Not available

The first known, and possibly only woman to lead an Oil City church, Mary Ellon Perdue (1879-1941) was ordained in 1906 after the death of her husband, James Madison Perdue. Prior to taking the Ferry Lake calling,  she was identified as an evangelist.

Louisiana Conference of the Methodist Protestant Church, 05-08-Nov-1920, Page 30

Atlanta Citizens Journal 05-Jan-1939, Page 28

1921

Pastoral Appointment: Mrs. Perdue

Membership: 29


1922

Pastoral Appointment: Mrs. Perdue.

Membership: 38


1923

Pastoral Appointment: Mrs. Perdue (shared with Zenoria)

Membership: 40

1924

Pastoral Appointment: Mrs. Perdue (shared with Urania and Zenoria)

Membership: 40


1925

Pastoral Appointment: Mrs. Perdue (shared with Urania)

Membership: 37


1926

Pastoral Appointment: Mrs. Perdue (shared with Urania and the Jonesboro circuit).

Membership: 37


1927

Pastoral Appointment: Unsupplied

Membership: Not available


1928

Pastoral Appointment: Morris Lee

Membership: Not available


1929

Pastoral Appointment:  Unsupplied

Membership: 18


1930

The 1930 Conference minutes have no mention of an Oil City or Ferry Lake church, presumably disbanded.


In 1939, the Methodist Episcopal Church, South and most congregations of the Methodist Protestant Church combined with the Methodist Episcopal Church to form the United Methodist Church.


Return to Give Me That Old-Time Oil City Religion.