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Abel, Josiah Watson

 Collection — Container: Folder
Identifier: KUMA-02-632

Scope and Contents

Folder 1. Pastor personnel record, incuding appointment list 1897-1936 Service record (1940) Photocopied pages of excerpts from a Hutchinson (Kan.) Methodist church history List of churches served (and salaries earned) by Rev. Abel *** NOTE: The birth year at the top of this list (1851) is in contradiction with the 1871 date given in all other sources, and is probably an error.

Dates

  • Existence: 1871-1960

Creator

Biographical or Historical Information

Josiah Watson Abel was born September 5, 1871, at Shoals, Putnam County, Indiana. He attended Southern Indiana Normal and McKendree College; he also received an honorary D.D. degree from Oklahoma Univeresity in 1922. He was admitted on trial to the Southern Illinois conference in 1897, serving pastorates in Alton and Granite City. He was admitted to full membership on October 1, 1899, ordained deacon on the same date, and ordained elder on September 22, 1901. Moving to Iowa in 1902, he served at Council Bluff, Carroll, Clarinda, and Des Moines. In 1912, he transferred to the Southwest Kansas Conference and was appointed to First Church, Hutchinson. After five years, he transferred to the Oklahoma Conference, then in 1924 to the St. Louis Conference where he served as passtor of Trinity Church in Kansas City. He returned to the Southwest Kansas Conference in 1925 and in 1939 became a charter member of the Central Kansas Conference. Subsequent appointments were at Wichita College Hill, El Dorado, and Dodge City. Rev. Abel also served as superintendent of the Hutchinson District in 1927. His first retirement came in 1943, but in 1944 he moved to St. Joseph, Missouri, and accepted the pastorate at Trinity Methodist Church there. He retired again in 1950. Rev. Abel married Lillian May of St. Joseph, Missouri in 1901; she died in 1947. He remarried in 1948 to Sallie Frances Grow. The children of his first marriage are listed as Katherine May (1905-1929) and Margaret Emma (1912-1944). Rev. Abel died December 15, 1960, in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Note written by Sarah St. John

Extent

1.00 folders

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

This collection contains documents pertaining to Josiah Watson Abel, 1871-1960, of the Central Kansas conference.

Arrangement Note

The original order of the folder is preserved.  The pastor's personnel record is the first item, followed by his service record, the photocopies from the Hutchinson church history, and the list of churches and salaries.

Other Descriptive Information

Information from Kansas West card file (discarded): b. September 5, 1871 in Schoals, Indiana d. December 15, 1960 in St. Joseph, Missouri photo in Hutchinson, First file in Diamond Jubilee booklet married Lillian May in 1901 (she died August 8, 1947 at 75) daughter's memoir in SW KS journal 1929 (p. 228) wife's memoir in Cent KS journal 1947 (p.518) his memoir in Cent KS journal 1961 (p.379) 1897 - Southern Illinois Conf. 1902 - Iowa 1912 or 1913 - Transferred from Des Moines Conf to SW KS Conf. 1914-1916 - Hutchinson, First 1917 - transferred to Oklahoma Conf 1924 - St. Louis Conf. (served Trinity Ch., K.C.) 1925 - transferred from St. Louis Conference 1925-26 - Wichita, College Hill 1927-1930 - Hutchinson District Superintendent 1943 - retired

Author
Jen McCollough, Sarah St. John
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Baker University and Kansas United Methodist Archives Repository

Contact:
518 8th Street
PO Box 65
Baldwin City KS 66006 US
7855948380