List of moderators of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (March 2025) |
The office of the Moderator of the General Assembly was the highest elected position in the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS). The Moderator was responsible for presiding over the meeting of the General Assembly, which was held annually between 1861 and 1983. After the meeting, which lasted for about a week, the Moderator served as an ambassador of the denomination throughout the remainder of the term. After completing the term, most former Moderators took on the role of a church statesman.
The chart below shows the Moderators, and the place of meetings, from 1861 when the PCUS was formed by secession from the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, until 1983 when the PCUS merged with the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America to form the present day Presbyterian Church (USA).
| Number and year | Place of meeting | Moderator | Online minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st GA, 1861 | Augusta, Georgia | The Rev. Benjamin Morgan Palmer | Minutes of the 1861 General Assembly |
| 2nd GA, 1862 | Montgomery, Alabama | The Rev. J. L. Kirkpatrick | Minutes of the 1862 General Assembly |
| 3rd GA, 1863 | Columbia, South Carolina | The Rev. James A. Lyon | Minutes of the 1863 General Assembly |
| 4th GA, 1864 | Charlotte, North Carolina | The Rev. John S. Wilson | Minutes of the 1864 General Assembly |
| 5th GA, 1865 | Macon, Georgia | The Rev. George Howe | Minutes of the 1865 General Assembly |
| 6th GA, 1866 | Memphis, Tennessee | The Rev. Andrew Hart Kerr | Minutes of the 1866 General Assembly |
| 7th GA, 1867 | Nashville, Tennessee | The Rev. Thomas Verner Moore | Minutes of the 1867 General Assembly |
| 8th GA, 1868 | Baltimore, Maryland | The Rev. John N. Waddel | Minutes of the 1868 General Assembly |
| 9th GA, 1869 | Mobile, Alabama | The Rev. Stuart Robinson | Minutes of the 1869 General Assembly |
| 10th GA, 1870 | Louisville, Kentucky | The Rev. Robert L. Dabney | Minutes of the 1870 General Assembly |
| 11th GA, 1871 | Huntsville, Alabama | The Rev. William S. Plumer | Minutes of the 1871 General Assembly |
| 12th GA, 1872 | Richmond, Virginia | The Rev. Thomas R. Welch | Minutes of the 1872 General Assembly |
| 13th GA, 1873 | Little Rock, Arkansas | The Rev. Henry Martyn Smith | Minutes of the 1873 General Assembly |
| 14th GA, 1874 | Columbus, Mississippi | The Rev. John L. Girardeau | Minutes of the 1874 General Assembly |
| 15th GA, 1875 | St. Louis, Missouri | The Rev. Moses D. Hoge | Minutes of the 1875 General Assembly |
| 16th GA, 1876 | Savannah, Georgia | The Rev. Benjamin M. Smith | Minutes of the 1876 General Assembly |
| 17th GA, 1877 | New Orleans, Louisiana | The Rev. C. A. Stillman | Minutes of the 1877 General Assembly |
| 18th GA, 1878 | Knoxville, Tennessee | The Rev. T. E. Peck | Minutes of the 1878 General Assembly |
| 19th GA, 1879 | Louisville, Kentucky | The Rev. Joseph R. Wilson | Minutes of the 1879 General Assembly |
| 20th GA, 1880 | Charleston, South Carolina | The Rev. T. A. Hoyt | Minutes of the 1880 General Assembly |
| 21st GA, 1881 | Staunton, Virginia | The Rev. Robert P. Farris | Minutes of the 1881 General Assembly |
| 22nd GA, 1882 | Atlanta, Georgia | The Rev. R. K. Smoot | Minutes of the 1882 General Assembly |
| 23rd GA, 1883 | Lexington, Kentucky | The Rev. T. Pryor | Minutes of the 1883 General Assembly |
| 24th GA, 1884 | Vicksburg, Mississippi | The Rev. T.D. Witherspoon | Minutes of the 1884 General Assembly |
| 25th GA, 1885 | Houston, Texas | The Rev. H. R. Raymond | Minutes of the 1885 General Assembly |
| 26th GA, 1886 | Augusta, Georgia | The Rev. J. H. Bryson | Minutes of the 1886 General Assembly |
| 27th GA, 1887 | St. Louis, Missouri | The Rev. G. B. Strickler | Minutes of the 1887 General Assembly |
| 28th GA, 1888 | Baltimore, MD | The Rev. J. J. Bullock | Minutes of the 1888 General Assembly |
| 29th GA, 1889 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | The Rev. H. G. Hill | Minutes of the 1889 General Assembly |
| 30th GA, 1890 | Asheville, North Carolina | The Rev. James Park | Minutes of the 1890 General Assembly |
| 31st GA, 1891 | Birmingham, Alabama | The Rev. Hampden C. DuBose | Minutes of the 1891 General Assembly |
| 32nd GA, 1892 | Hot Springs, Arkansas | The Rev. Samuel A. King | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 33rd GA, 1893 | Macon, Georgia | Elder J. W. Lapsley | Minutes of the 1893 General Assembly |
| 34th GA, 1894 | Nashville, Tennessee | The Rev. James R. Graham | Minutes of the 1894 General Assembly |
| 35th GA, 1895 | Dallas, Texas | The Rev. C. R. Hemphill | Minutes of the 1895 General Assembly |
| 36th GA, 1896 | Memphis, Tennessee | The Rev. R. Q. Mallard | Minutes of the 1896 General Assembly |
| 37th GA, 1897 | Charlotte, North Carolina | The Rev. George T. Goetchius | Minutes of the 1897 General Assembly |
| 38th GA, 1898 | New Orleans, Louisiana | The Rev. E. M. Green | Minutes of the 1898 General Assembly |
| 39th GA, 1899 | Richmond, Virginia | The Rev. John F. Cannon | Minutes of the 1899 General Assembly |
| 40th GA, 1900 | Atlanta, Georgia | Elder Joseph W. Martin | Minutes of the 1900 General Assembly |
| 41st GA, 1901 | Little Rock, Arkansas | The Rev. Neander M. Woods | Minutes of the 1901 General Assembly |
| 42nd GA, 1902 | Jackson, Mississippi | The Rev. William T. Hall | Minutes of the 1902 General Assembly |
| 43rd GA, 1903 | Lexington, Virginia | The Rev. Abner C. Hopkins | Minutes of the 1903 General Assembly |
| 44th GA, 1904 | Mobile, Alabama | The Rev. S. M. Neel | Minutes of the 1904 General Assembly |
| 45th GA, 1905 | Fort Worth, Texas | The Rev. J. T. Plunkett | Minutes of the 1905 General Assembly |
| 46th GA, 1906 | Greenville, South Carolina | Elder Allen G. Hall | Minutes of the 1906 General Assembly |
| 47th GA, 1907 | Birmingham, Alabama | The Rev. J. R. Howerton | Minutes of the 1907 General Assembly |
| 48th GA, 1908 | Greensboro, North Carolina | The Rev. W. M. Moore | Minutes of the 1908 General Assembly |
| 49th GA, 1909 | Savannah, Georgia | The Rev. William E. Boggs | Minutes of the 1909 General Assembly |
| 50th GA, 1910 | Lewisburg, West Virginia | The Rev. J. W. Bachman | Minutes of the 1910 General Assembly |
| 51st GA, 1911 | Louisville, Kentucky | The Rev. Russell Cecil | Minutes of the 1911 General Assembly |
| 52nd GA, 1912 | Bristol, Tennessee | The Rev. Thomas S. Clyce | Minutes of the 1912 General Assembly |
| 53rd GA, 1913 | Atlanta, Georgia | The Rev. J. S. Lyons | Minutes of the 1913 General Assembly |
| 54th GA, 1914 | Kansas City, Missouri | Elder W. J. Martin | Minutes of the 1914 General Assembly |
| 55th GA, 1915 | Newport News, Virginia | The Rev. W. McF. Alexander | Minutes of the 1915 General Assembly |
| 56th GA, 1916 | Orlando, Florida | The Rev. C. W. Grafton | Minutes of the 1916 General Assembly |
| 57th GA, 1917 | Birmingham, Alabama | The Rev. John M. Wills, Ph.D. | Minutes of the 1917 General Assembly |
| 58th GA, 1918 | Durant, Oklahoma | The Rev. James I. Vance | Minutes of the 1918 General Assembly |
| 59th GA, 1919 | New Orleans, Louisiana | The Rev. A. M. Fraser | Minutes of the 1919 General Assembly |
| 60th GA, 1920 | Charlotte, North Carolina | The Rev. W. L. Lingle | Minutes of the 1920 General Assembly |
| 61st GA, 1921 | St. Louis, Missouri | The Rev. A. B. Curry | Minutes of the 1921 General Assembly |
| 62nd GA, 1922 | Charleston, West Virginia | The Rev. R. C. Reed | Minutes of the 1922 General Assembly |
| 63rd GA, 1923 | Montreat, North Carolina | The Rev. Alexander Spunt | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 64th GA, 1924 | San Antonio, Texas | The Rev. Thornton Whaling | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 65th GA, 1925 | Lexington, Kentucky | The Rev. Georgia Summey | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 66th GA, 1926 | Pensacola, Florida | The Rev. J. W. Skinner | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 67th GA, 1927 | El Dorado, Arkansas | The Rev. R. F. Campbell | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 68th GA, 1928 | Atlanta, Georgia | The Rev. Harris E. Kirk | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 69th GA, 1929 | Montreat, North Carolina | The Rev. W. R. Dobyns | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 70th GA, 1930 | Charlottesville, Virginia | The Rev. Thomas W. Currie | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 71st GA, 1931 | Montreat, North Carolina | Elder R. A. Dunn | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 72nd GA, 1932 | Montreat, North Carolina | The Rev. William Crowe | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 73rd GA, 1933 | Montreat, North Carolina | The Rev. Ernest Thompson | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 74th GA, 1934 | Montreat, North Carolina | Elder Samuel Hale Sibley | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 75th GA, 1935 | Montreat, North Carolina | The Rev. Henry H. Sweets | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 76th GA, 1936 | Augusta, Georgia | The Rev. P. Frank Price | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 77th GA, 1937 | Montreat, North Carolina | The Rev. D. Clay Lilly | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 78th GA, 1938 | Meridian, Mississippi | Elder Willis M. Everett | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 79th GA, 1939 | Montreat, North Carolina | The Rev. Edward Mack, Ph.D. | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 80th GA, 1940 | Chattanooga, Tennessee | The Rev. Frank C. Brown | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 81st GA, 1941 | Montreat, North Carolina | The Rev. Charles E. Diehl | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 82nd GA, 1942 | Knoxville, Tennessee | Elder Charles G. Rose | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 83rd GA, 1943 | Montreat, North Carolina | The Rev. Donald W. Richardson | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 84th GA, 1944 | Montreat, North Carolina | The Rev. Charles L. King | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 85th GA, 1945 | Montreat, North Carolina | The Rev. Thomas K. Young | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 86th GA, 1946 | Montreat, North Carolina | The Rev. J. B. Green | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 87th GA, 1947 | Montreat, North Carolina | The Rev. John R. Cunningham | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 88th GA, 1948 | Atlanta, Georgia | The Rev. C. Darby Fulton | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 89th GA, 1949 | Montreat, North Carolina | Elder W. E. Price | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 90th GA, 1950 | Massanetta Springs, Virginia | The Rev. Ben R. Lacy Jr. | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 91st GA, 1951 | Orlando, Florida | Elder James Ross McCain, Ph.D. | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 92nd GA, 1952 | Charleston, West Virginia | The Rev. W. A. Alexander Jr. | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 93rd GA, 1953 | Montreat, North Carolina | The Rev. Frank W. Price, Ph.D. | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 94th GA, 1954 | Montreat, North Carolina | The Rev. Wade H. Boggs | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 95th GA, 1955 | Richmond, Virginia | The Rev. J. McDowell Richards | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 96th GA, 1956 | Montreat, North Carolina | The Rev. W. Taliaferro Thompson | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 97th GA, 1957 | Birmingham, Alabama | The Rev. W. M. Elliott Jr., Ph.D. | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 98th GA, 1958 | Charlotte, North Carolina | Elder Philip F. Howerton | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 99th GA, 1959 | Atlanta, Georgia | The Rev. Ernest Trice Thompson | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 100th GA, 1960 | Jacksonville, Florida | The Rev. Marion A. Boggs | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 101st GA, 1961 | Dallas, Texas | The Rev. Wallace M. Alston, Th.D. | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 102nd GA, 1962 | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | Elder Edward D. Grant | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 103rd GA, 1963 | Huntington, West Virginia | The Rev. William H. McCorkle | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 104th GA, 1964 | Montreat, North Carolina | The Rev. Felix B. Gear, Ph.D. | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 105th GA, 1965 | Montreat, North Carolina | Elder Samuel J. Patterson | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 106th GA, 1966 | Montreat, North Carolina | The Rev. F. H. Caldwell, Ph.D. | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 107th GA, 1967 | Bristol, Tennessee | The Rev. Marshall C. Dendy | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 108th GA, 1968 | Montreat, North Carolina | The Rev. P. D. Miller | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 109th GA, 1969 | Mobile, Alabama | The Rev. R. Matthew Lynn | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 110th GA, 1970 | Memphis, Tennessee | The Rev. William A. Benfield Jr. | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 111th GA, 1971 | Massanetta Springs, Virginia | The Rev. Ben Lacy Rose | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 112th GA, 1972 | Montreat, North Carolina | Elder L. Nelson Bell | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 113th GA, 1973 | Fort Worth, Texas | The Rev. Charles E. S. Kraemer | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 114th GA, 1974 | Louisville, Kentucky | The Rev. Lawrence W. Bottoms | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 115th GA, 1975 | Charlotte, North Carolina | The Rev. Paul M. Edris | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 116th GA, 1976 | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Elder Jule C. Spach | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 117th GA, 1977 | Nashville, Tennessee | The Rev. Harvard A. Anderson | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 118th GA, 1978 | Shreveport, Louisiana | Elder Sara Bernice Moseley | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 119th GA, 1979 | Kansas City, Missouri | The Rev. Albert C. Winn | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 120th GA, 1980 | Myrtle Beach, South Carolina | The Rev. David L. Stitt | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 121st GA, 1981 | Houston, Texas | Elder Dorothy G. Barnard | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 122nd GA, 1982 | Columbus, Georgia | The Rev. John F. Anderson Jr., D.D. | Minutes Not Available Online |
| 123rd GA, 1983 | Atlanta, Georgia | The Rev. John F. Anderson Jr., D.D. | Minutes Not Available Online |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Proceedings of the 218th (2008) General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), pp. 1484-1485