Pontotoc County, Oklahoma Genealogy Trails
Churchs from
the Past
| The First Methodist Episcopal church, South, of Ada, Oklahoma
was organized in November of the year 1900, with W.A. Shelton as
Pastor. About thirty members were enrolled in that organization,
eleven of whom are still living here in Ada: W. K. Nettles, and daughters,
Pearl and Abbie; W. H. Heutles; Mrs. Calla Castleberry; Mrs. Joanna Reed;
Frank Jones, Aunt Bertie Jones; J. A. Biles and Charles A. Powers and
wife. At the time of the organization there was no church building
and not many houses of any kind. Church services were held in a
small house used by Miss Willa Wilson for school purposes, in which the
church was organized and a Sunday school began. The Woman's Home
Mission Society, which has since proved a very powerful aid to the
development of the church, was organized in the home of Mrs. Charles A.
Powers, at which home Brother Shelton and family lived until the first
parsonage was built. The question of a home for the preacher was a
serious one. The money was raised and and the preacher and his
family moved in. His salary for the first year was $350.00 The
building of the church began in a cotton field that was still
unpicked. The first corner stone was laid in Feb 1901 by E. L.
Massey, Presiding Elder. The church was completed and the
conregation began meeting in it in 1902. Source: excerpts from the Sepember 1, 1910 Ada Weekly Newspaper transcribed by Linda Craig. |