Repository

ULS Archives & Special Collections

Title

Oakland Methodist Episcopal Church Records

Creator

Oakland Methodist Episcopal Church (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

Collection Number

AIS.1997.39

Extent

1 microfilm_reel

Date

1872-1933

Abstract

The Oakland Methodist Episcopal Church was an active church in Pittsburgh's East End from 1878-1934. The Church eventually merged and is known currently as the First United Methodist Church of Pittsburgh. The records consist of six books, which have been microfilmed, that contain the records of members, pastors, baptisms, marriages, probationers, including the Church's history for the years 1872-1933.

Language

English .

Author

Archives Staff. The finding aid was revised by Andy Newman in August 2004.

Publisher

ULS Archives & Special Collections

Address

University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Business Number: 412-648-3232 (Thomas) | 412-648-8190 (Hillman)
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

History

The Oakland Methodist Episcopal Church began in 1869 or 1870 as a Sabbath School held in the Bellefield Public School Building on Fifth Avenue in Pittsburgh. The organizer of the gatherings was William B. Evans. The Church as a congregation was organized by D.L. Dempsey, presiding elder of the Pittsburgh District, and Reverend J.C. High, City Missionary, on January 10, 1872. In 1873 the Church purchased property at Forbes Avenue and Bouquet Street from Edward W. H. Schenley and prepared for construction. The Church was finished and dedicated in September, 1878.

In the early 1900s the Church became a Wesley Foundation Church and functioned as a social and religious center for students of the University of Pittsburgh. At one time the Church had a membership of 350 full members and 250 Sunday school members or probationers. The Great Depression of the 1930s affected the Church by decreasing its. High budget deficits caused the Methodist Official Board's recommendation to consolidate Oakland Methodist Episcopal Church with the Christ Methodist Episcopal Church in 1934. In 1968 Christ Methodist Episcopal Church merged with Evangelical United Brethren to become the First United Methodist Church of Pittsburgh which still functions today.

Scope and Content Notes

This collection consists of six books, which have been microfilmed, and contain the records of members, pastors, baptisms, marriages, probationers, and include the church's history for the years 1872-1933. Individuals in the membership records are listed alphabetically. Names in the marriage, baptismal, and pastoral records are listed in chronological order.

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Acquisition Information

These records were microfilmed with the permission of the First United Methodist Church of Pittsburgh, PA in 1997.

Existence and Location of Copies

The originals are located in the archives of the First United Methodist Church.

Preferred Citation

Oakland Methodist Episcopal Church Records, AIS.1997.39, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Previous Citation

Oakland Methodist Episcopal Church Records, AIS.1997.39, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh

Oakland Methodist Episcopal Church, ais 97:39, Records, 1872-1933, Archives of Industrial Society, Hillman Library, University of Pittsburgh

Processing Information

This collection was inventoried by Archives Staff in 1997 and then encoded by Andy Newman in August 2004.

Revision for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Andy Newman in August, 2004. Information about the collection title and the controlled access terms was extracted from the MARC record in the University of Pittsburgh catalog Voyager ID number: 4396937

Copyright

Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Subjects

Corporate Names

• First United Methodist Church of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
• Oakland Methodist Episcopal Church (Pittsburgh, Pa.) -- Archives

Geographic Names

• Oakland (Pittsburgh, Pa.) -- History

Other Subjects

• Churches and Synagogues

Container List

Series I. Volume I, 1872-1885

Scope and Content Notes

Volume I contains a history of the church written in 1888, and lists of the church's probationers, classes, full members, pastors, statistics, baptisms, and marriages. All names are listed in chronological order except for the membership records which are arranged alphbetically. Probationer records contain the information of the individual's status, residence, member date, and gender. Class records are lists containing names of individuals enrolled in specific church classes. Pastoral records contain the name of the paster and dates served. Baptism and marriage records contain name, date, date of birth, parent names, residence, and place of birth.

Historical Record, 1872-1888

Containers

microfilm-cabinet 3, reel 1

Probationers, 1872-1884

Class Records

Full Members, 1872-1885

Pastoral Statistical Records, 1872-1877

Baptism Records, 1872-1885

Marriage Records, 1872-1885

Series II. Volume II, 1885-1900

Scope and Content Notes

Volume II contains lists of full members, probationers, marriages, and baptisms.

Full Members, 1885-1900

Probationers, 1886-1900

Marriage Records, 1886-1900

Baptism Records, 1885-1900

Series III. Volume III, 1900-1904

Scope and Content Notes

Volume III contains lists of full members, probationers, marriages, and baptisms.

Probationers, 1901-1904

Full Members, 1900-1904

Baptism Records, 1901-1904

Marriage Records, 1900-1904

Series IV. Volume IV, 1904-1909

Scope and Content Notes

Volume IV contains lists of full members, probationers, marriages, and baptisms.

Probationers, 1905-1909

Full Members, 1905-1909

Baptism Records, 1905-1909

Marriage Records, 1904-1909

Series V. Volume V, 1909-1919

Scope and Content Notes

Volume V contains lists of full members, probationers, marriages, and baptisms.

Full Members, 1909-1918

Probationers, 1910-1919

Marriage Records, 1909-1918

Baptism Records, 1909-1919

Series VI. Volume VI, 1872-1933

Scope and Content Notes

Volume VI contains a history of the church written in 1918 or 1919 and lists of full members, pastors, probationers, marriages, baptisms, and funeral records. The pastoral records contain names listed in chronological order.

Historical Record

Pastoral Records, 1872-1930

Records of Official Members, 1918

Probationers, 1919-1932

Baptized Children, 1919

Records of Full Members, 1876-1932

Baptism Records, 1904-1931

Marriage Records, 1919-1933

Funeral Records, 1919-1932