William Fletcher McMurry
Encyclopedia
William Fletcher McMurry (June 29, 1864 – January 17, 1934) was an American Bishop
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South
, elected in 1918. Prior to his episcopal
service, the Rev. McMurry also was notable as a Methodist Pastor
and church official.
William was born in Shelby County, Missouri, the son of the Rev. William Wesley and Mary Elizabeth (Williams) McMurry. William F. married Miss Francis B. Davis in 1888. McMurry graduated from Shelby High School
. He was then educated at St. Charles College
in Saint Charles, Missouri
and at Central Methodist College
in Fayette, Missouri
.
In 1887 Rev. W.F. McMurry was admitted on trial in the Missouri
Annual Conference
. He was appointed Pastor at St. Joseph, Missouri for three years. He next was appointed to Macon
(1890-94) and Richmond
(1894-98). He was appointed Presiding Elder of the St. Joseph District (1898-1901). He then transferred to the St. Louis
Annual Conference where he was appointed Presiding Elder of the St. Louis District (1901-02) before being appointed Pastor of Centenary Methodist Church in St. Louis (1902-06). His final appointment before his election to the Episcopacy was as Corresponding Secretary of the Board of Church Extension of the M.E. Church, South (1906-18). William Fletcher McMurry was elected to the Episcopacy of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South by its 1918 General Conference.
Bishop McMurry received the honorary degree
of Doctor of Divinity
from the Central Methodist College. McMurry University
in Abilene, Texas
was named in his honor.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South
Methodist Episcopal Church, South
The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, or Methodist Episcopal Church South, was the so-called "Southern Methodist Church" resulting from the split over the issue of slavery in the Methodist Episcopal Church which had been brewing over several years until it came out into the open at a conference...
, elected in 1918. Prior to his episcopal
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
service, the Rev. McMurry also was notable as a Methodist Pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
and church official.
William was born in Shelby County, Missouri, the son of the Rev. William Wesley and Mary Elizabeth (Williams) McMurry. William F. married Miss Francis B. Davis in 1888. McMurry graduated from Shelby High School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. He was then educated at St. Charles College
St. Charles College (Missouri)
St. Charles College was a school in Saint Charles, Missouri, established by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1837. John F. Fielding served as the first president until his death in 1842....
in Saint Charles, Missouri
Saint Charles, Missouri
St. Charles is a city in, and the county seat of, St. Charles County, Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 65,794, making St. Charles the 2nd largest city in St. Charles County. It lies just to the northwest of St. Louis, Missouri on the Missouri River, and, for a time,...
and at Central Methodist College
Central Methodist University
Central Methodist University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Fayette, Missouri. CMU is an accredited four year institution of higher education and offers masters, bachelors, and associates degrees...
in Fayette, Missouri
Fayette, Missouri
Fayette is a city in Howard County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,793 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Howard County. It is in the Columbia, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
.
In 1887 Rev. W.F. McMurry was admitted on trial in the Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
Annual Conference
Annual Conference
An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church." Annual conferences are composed primarily of the clergy members and a lay member or members from each charge . Each conference is a geographical division...
. He was appointed Pastor at St. Joseph, Missouri for three years. He next was appointed to Macon
Macon, Missouri
Macon is a city in Macon County, Missouri, United States. The population was 5,471 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Macon County.-Geography:Macon is located at...
(1890-94) and Richmond
Richmond, Missouri
Richmond is a city in Ray County, Missouri, United States. The population was 5,797 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Ray County.-Geography:Richmond is located at...
(1894-98). He was appointed Presiding Elder of the St. Joseph District (1898-1901). He then transferred to the St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
Annual Conference where he was appointed Presiding Elder of the St. Louis District (1901-02) before being appointed Pastor of Centenary Methodist Church in St. Louis (1902-06). His final appointment before his election to the Episcopacy was as Corresponding Secretary of the Board of Church Extension of the M.E. Church, South (1906-18). William Fletcher McMurry was elected to the Episcopacy of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South by its 1918 General Conference.
Bishop McMurry received the honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
of Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
from the Central Methodist College. McMurry University
McMurry University
McMurry University, founded in 1923, is a private co-educational university in Abilene, Texas. It is a liberal arts school offering forty-one majors in the fields of fine arts, humanities, social and natural sciences, education, business, and religion, and nine pre-professional programs, including...
in Abilene, Texas
Abilene, Texas
Abilene is a city in Taylor and Jones counties in west central Texas. The population was 117,063 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2006 estimated population of 158,063. It is the county seat of Taylor County...
was named in his honor.