Benjamin Ray Oliphint

Notes:

Sabine County Reporter
July 18, 2007
Page 9
Benjamin Ray Oliphint

Bishop Benjamin Ray Oliphint, 83, of Houston died Saturday, July 7, 2007. Bishop Oliphint was born May 28, 1924 in Hemphill. He received a B.A. degree from Southern Methodist University, A M. Div. degree from Duke University, and a S.T.M. degree from Union Theological Seminary, New York. In 1951, he earned his Ph.D. degree from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He received honorary degrees from Baker University and Wiley College, and the Distinguished Alumni Award from SMU. Between 1947-1980, Bishop Oliphint served as pastor of United Methodist Churches in Dallas, New Orleans, Louisiana, Alexandria, Louisiana, Monroe, Louisiana, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was elected a bishop of The United Methodist Church in 1980 and served the Kansas area (1980-1984) and Houston area (1984-1992), and as interim bishop of the Louisiana area (1987-1988). From 1992-2002, he served as President of the Texas United Methodist College Association. Bishop Oliphint was elected a delegate to seven United Methodist General Conferences, and led the delegation four times. As bishop, he served as President of the General Commission of Christian Unity and Inter-religious Concerns, and President of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, and was a member of the Presidium of the World Methodist Council.

He was instrumental in founding Africa University, Zimbabwe, and served as trustee for numerous United Methodist institutions, including SMU and Methodist Hospital, Houston.

Survivors, his wife of 55 years, Nancy Kelley Oliphint of Houston; daughter, Mary Brooke Casad and husband Victor of Carrollton; sons, Stuart Oliphint and wife Cassandra of Fort Worth, Clayton Oliphint and wife Lori of Dallas, and Kelley Oliphint and wife Priscilla of La Grange; brother John Oliphint and wife Ruth of Colorado Springs; grandchildren, and a great-grandson.

Graveside rites were held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 10, at Greenwood Cemetery in Pineville, Louisiana.

Memorial gifts may be given to the Benjamin R. Oliphint Scholarship of the Methodist Global Education Fund for Leadership Development, 1 Music Circle North, P.O. Box 340029, Nashville, TN 37203-0029; Nancy Oliphint Playground, Lakeview Conference Center, 400 Private Road 6036, Palestine, TX 75801-4350 or St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 3471 Westheimer, Houston, Texas 77227,

Services were conducted under the direction of Earthman Funeral Directors in Houston.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, August 2007)

Notes:

(Research):
Census Information:

1930 Census
Texas, Sabine County, J.P. 1
Enumerated April 25, 1930
ED 202-3 SD 19 Sheet 4A Stamped 26
43-44
Oliphint, John H Head M W 60 Wd 47 Tx Tx Miss Farmer
Oliphint, Gabbriella E Mother F W 83 We 21 Miss Miss Miss
Oliphint, John H. Jr. Son M W 8 S Tx Tx La
Oliphint, Bennie R Son M W 5 S Tx Tx La

Seaborn married Gabriella E. Collier about 1867 in Sabine County, Texas. Gabriella (daughter of George Washington Collier and Sarah Elizabeth Tatum) was born on 22 Dec 1845 in Claiborne County, Mississippi; died on 4 Mar 1939 in Orange, Orange County, Texas; was buried in Hemphill City Cemetery, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JD55-GDP
name: G. E. Oliphiant
death date: 04 Mar 1939
death place: Orange, Orange, Texas
gender: Female
race: white
death age: 93 years 2 months 9 days
estimated birth date:
birth date: 22 Dec 1845
birthplace: Clayborn Co., Miss.
marital status: Widowed
spouse's name:
father's name: Geo. W. Collier
father's birthplace: Unknown
mother's name: Sarah Tatom
mother's birthplace: Mississippi
occupation: Housework
place of residence: Hemphill, Texas
cemetery:
burial place: Hemphill, Tex.
burial date: 04 Mar 1939
additional relatives: X
film number: 2118014
digital film number: 4030437
image number: 1088
reference number: cn 14913
Collection: "Texas, Deaths, 1890-1976," G. E. Oliphiant, 1939

(Research):Census Information:

1920 Census
Texas, Sabine County, JP 1
Enumerated 13 January 1920
SD 326 ED 168 Sheet 13 A
254-270
Oliphint, Gabriela E Hd F W 74 W Miss SC Miss
Oliphint, John H Son M W 50 D Tx Tx Miss Stockman Livestock
Oliphint, Sarah A Dtr F W 40 S Tx Tx Miss
Oliphint, Seaborn H Son M W 28 S Tx Tx Miss Stockman Livestock

1930 Census
Texas, Sabine County, J.P. 1
Enumerated April 25, 1930
ED 202-3 SD 19 Sheet 4A Stamped 26
43-44
Oliphint, John H Head M W 60 Wd 47 Tx Tx Miss Farmer
Oliphint, Gabbriella E Mother F W 83 We 21 Miss Miss Miss
Oliphint, John H. Jr. Son M W 8 S Tx Tx La
Oliphint, Bennie R Son M W 5 S Tx Tx

Notes:

Also living in their home at the time of the 1850 census, relationship unknown, was 17 year old Wilford M. Oliphint, born in Texas. I assumed this was not his son, as (1) he is listed at the end of the family, after all the other children, including those younger than him, and (2) also living in the household is an 8 year old Wilford. In addition, 26 year old Robert Hicks, an overseer born in Mississippi lives in the Oliphint home. (Schluter & Toole, 1850 Census, p 42).

Wilford married Martha Ann "Patty" Davenport on 17 Dec 1822. Martha was born on 13 Nov 1805 in Georgia; died on 27 Aug 1874 in Texas; was buried in Sabinetown Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

May have died in Bonham, Texas?

Notes:

Virgie Speights wrote, in a birthday sketch of granddaughter Daisy Florence Harris Wilson, that "George Washington and Sarah Elizabeth Tatom Collier came from Mississippi in a covered wagon and settled in Milam where they owned a sawmill, gristmill, store and hundreds of acres of land. Collier also was a political and civic leader, serving as tax collector among other offices." (Speights, Old Timers of Sabine County, Texas, p. 81).

(Research):

Census Listings:

1850 Census
Mississippi, Claiborne County, District 5
Enumerated 26 Oct 1850
639-639
George W. Collier 47 M Planter 1800 Va
Sarah E. Collier 31 F Miss
Julian Collier 11 M Miss
Lucinda Collier 7 F Miss
Sylvanus C Collier 6 M Miss
Gabrella E Collier 4 F Miss
Mary C Collier 3 F Miss
Carintha Collier 2 F Miss
George W Collier 4 M Miss

1860 Census
not located

1870 Census
Texas, Sabine County, Hemphill Beat No. 1, PO Hemphill
Enumerated 38 Jun 1870
Page 19
54-54
Collier, G. W. 67 M W Merchant 2000 6000 Va
Collier, Sarah E. 50 F W Keeping House Miss
Collier, Sylvanus E 25 M W Clerk in Store Miss
Collier, George W 15 M W Miss
Collier, William 13 M W Miss
Collier, Thomas J 11 M W Miss
Collier, Sallie E 9 F W Miss
Samuel 14 M B Servant Tx

George married Sarah Elizabeth Tatum on 31 Oct 1839 in Copiah County, Mississippi. Sarah was born on 4 Jul 1819 in Mississippi; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Virgie Speights shows her as a daughter of John and Sarah Tatom of Mississippi.