Oscar Ethan Allison was born in Mt. Vernon, Indiana, on August 24, 1880. He attended DePauw University, receiving his A.B. in 1906. He continued his education at Boston University (A.M 1910; Ph.D. 1916) and also received an honorary D.D. from Baker University in 1940. He was received on trial in the Indiana Conference in 1904 and was made a full member and ordained Deacon in 1906. He was ordained Elder in 1908. He was admitted by trial to the Kansas Conference in 1919. He married Emma Antoinette Olmstead (spelled “Olmstedt” in his memoir and “Olmsted” on their gravestone) on October 18, 1906. Their children were Dorothy Antoinette (born 1912) and Hugh Vincent (born 1915). While in the Indiana Conference, Rev Allison served at Chandler (1906) and Poseyville (1908). While attending school at Boston University, he supplied the Congregational Church at Francestown, New Hampshire. Returning to the Indiana Conference, he was appointed to Indianapolis: Broad Ripple (1911-1916) and New Albany: Trinity (1916-1919). After his transfer to the Kansas Conference in 1919, he served as pastor at Baldwin (1919); Manhattan (1924); Kansas City: Washington Avenue (1931); First Church, Emporia (1934); and First Church, Lawrence (1941). He retired in 1953 and served as Director of the Department of Churchmanship at Baker University, Baldwin, Kansas, teaching there for two years. During his life, Rev. Allison served in many leadership roles in his Conference. He was elected to the General Conferences in seven different years; he was a member of the Uniting Conference in 1939; he served on the General Board of Education and was a Trustee at Baker University, Southern Methodist University, and Philander Smith College. Rev. Allison died at Lawrence, Kansas, on September 4, 1955. His funeral was held at Baldwin and he was buried at Salem Cemetery, Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana. His wife Emma, who died in 1961, is buried at his side. Rev. Allison’s memoir can be found in the Kansas Conference Journal for 1956, page 130. The memoir for Mrs. Allison is in the Kansas Conference Journal for 1961, page 279.

Note written by Sarah St. John