Who was Harry Morse ?

[Scott Pitta]

A. H. Argue went to Winnipeg, Canada and started a church. He pastored there until 1911. The 90th celebration of the church took place in 1997. A church yearbook of sorts was published.

Sadly, there is little data of use for me of the early years of the church.

[Scott Pitta]

A yearbook from 1969 came in the mail today.

Looks like it is from a collection of christian schools from central california. They schools from the Apostolic Christian Church. The schools were located in Monta Vista, Fresno and Weedpatch.


Monta Vista names include Jack Burgess, Eppler, Prewett, Thomas.

Frenso names include Elga Vaughn, Florence Vaughn, Barnes, McDowell. The students and teachers are all African-American.

Apostolic Holy Ghost Revival Tabernacle was pastored Pastor Vaughn. Associated with the church was a white guy named Richard Hancock.

Donnie Smith pastors in Porterville, CA.

The school in Weedpatch is administrated by Dearl W. Dawson. Teachers are Rita Dawson, Elias Durante and Mavis Turk.

There are lots of pictures of teachers and students. They all have the Pentecostal look with regard to holiness standards.

I have no idea who any of these people are. There is no mention of the AA, PAW or UPC. So they might be something else.

Any ideas ???

[Scott Pitta]

Angel on My Shoulder came in the post today. It is the bio of Agnes Rich. She lived in Nebraska and had legal problems due to the church school in their church.

No data for my purposes.

[Scott Pitta]

The biography of Phinease Breesee also came in the mail today. Carl Bangs is the biographer. He included an index.

My interests were in the Peniel Mission. But little data is given about the persons who ran individual Peniel Missions. So, like the Agnes Rich biography, little data, if any, has been added to the Harry Morse biography.

The Peniel Mission had a monthly magazine, few issues of this magazine still exist. Hopefully, I can find more to gain a better understanding of Peniel Mission workers who ended up as the first Pentecostal pastors in California.

[Scott Pitta]

Earl Toole was a Missouri farmer until 1930 when he entered the ministry. His wife was Spirit filled in 1913. Not sure when his Spirit baptism occurred.

He pastored in Modesto, Ca in 1932-1935. He then pastored in Exeter, Ca. and by 1942, he was pastoring in Fresno, Ca. He pastored there until 1955. It was his last pastorate.

Looks like he retired to Idaho.

My work on his bio began today. Not sure if he has been written about by other writers.

My day is at an end and after duck hunting in the morning, I will check the literature to see if any ink has been spilled about Earl B. Toole.

[derAlte]

Originally Posted by Scott Pitta

Earl Toole was a Missouri farmer until 1930 when he entered the ministry. His wife was Spirit filled in 1913. Not sure when his Spirit baptism occurred.

He pastored in Modesto, Ca in 1932-1935. He then pastored in Exeter, Ca. and by 1942, he was pastoring in Fresno, Ca. He pastored there until 1955. It was his last pastorate.

Looks like he retired to Idaho.

My work on his bio began today. Not sure if he has been written about by other writers.

My day is at an end and after duck hunting in the morning, I will check the literature to see if any ink has been spilled about Earl B. Toole.

I remember Earl Toole. He traveled through Oregon when I was a teenager. In his golden years he married Jet Stallones Witherspoon. His son Winfred Toole was District Superintendent at that time. I was a squirrelly teenager then but I seem to remember him as an outgoing, rather gregarious man, in contrast to his famous but somewhat dour wife.

Here is a link to his tombstone:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...994/earl-toole

[Scott Pitta]

Howard Davis pastored in San Bernardino, Ca. from 1955- 1990 ? and he published a monthly newsletter.

It was call the Apostolic Times.

Who on earth has ever read it ??

Hopefully, I will be able to get a copy of his biography.

[Scott Pitta]

I found a used copy of the book online.

I was not successful in contacting any one of the 5 or so churches I called and emailed while trying to find the book. No social media. "leave a message" was the closest I came to speaking with a live person.

Some churches are great at marketing. Others are terrible and they wonder why no one darkens their doors.

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by Scott Pitta

A yearbook from 1969 came in the mail today.

Looks like it is from a collection of christian schools from central california. They schools from the Apostolic Christian Church. The schools were located in Monta Vista, Fresno and Weedpatch.


Monta Vista names include Jack Burgess, Eppler, Prewett, Thomas.

Frenso names include Elga Vaughn, Florence Vaughn, Barnes, McDowell. The students and teachers are all African-American.

Apostolic Holy Ghost Revival Tabernacle was pastored Pastor Vaughn. Associated with the church was a white guy named Richard Hancock.

Donnie Smith pastors in Porterville, CA.

The school in Weedpatch is administrated by Dearl W. Dawson. Teachers are Rita Dawson, Elias Durante and Mavis Turk.

There are lots of pictures of teachers and students. They all have the Pentecostal look with regard to holiness standards.

I have no idea who any of these people are. There is no mention of the AA, PAW or UPC. So they might be something else.

Any ideas ???

Knew these folks. They were Independent.Most are dead. My wife’s mother’s family went to Weedpatch the Dawson’s church. In fact I have a great nephew Brad Dawson in my church.

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by Scott Pitta

Howard Davis pastored in San Bernardino, Ca. from 1955- 1990 ? and he published a monthly newsletter.

It was call the Apostolic Times.

Who on earth has ever read it ??

Hopefully, I will be able to get a copy of his biography.

I knew 4 of the Davis brothers. There were 5 of them but Porter died before I met them. Jimmy was their Pastor he pastored in Lamont. Lee, Harvey, Howard pastored in Southern California. Jimmy helped form the AMF. The others stayed in the UPC. They were comrades with I. H. Terry & Paul Price.