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Key Words: Claremont United Church of Christ, Charles B. Sumner, Arthur V. Stoughton, Idea Wagner, Clarence Neff; Laura Wilde; Mary Ely Lyman; Ruth Ordway; Henry Cooke [Tape 1] Sheldon Beatty introduces E. Wilson Lyon, the first of five speakers to discuss several important individuals who have served the members of the Claremont United Church of Christ throughout its history. Lyon spoke about Dr. Charles Burt Sumner who was born in South Bridge, Massachusetts, on August 17, 1837. After studying at Yale and serving in the Massachusetts Volunteers in the Civil War, he was ordained as a minister and served the Congregational Church in Boston. In 1887 he moved to Southern California and served the Pilgrim Congregational Church in Pomona. Sumner helped organize Pomona College, where he worked for the rest of his life. He also served as the first pastor at Claremont’s new church: Claremont United Church of Christ. The second speaker, Stanley Larson, spoke about Dr. Arthur V. Stoughton. Stoughton moved to Claremont in 1890 and graduated from Pomona College. After attending medical school in Ohio and serving as a doctor in Connecticut and Wyoming, he moved back to Claremont and served as a college physician at Pomona College. Larson describes Stoughton as “a gentleman in the strict sense of the word: quiet, soft spoken, assured, comforting.” Dr. Stoughton was a charter member of Claremont United Church of Christ. [Tape 2] The third speaker, Marilee Scaff, spoke about Idea Wagner and Clarence Neff. Wagner was a member of Claremont United Church and librarian at the Claremont Public Library. She served Claremont United Church of Christ as the head of the primary school teachers for many years. Scaff also spoke about Clarence Neff, who she described as a “very gentle, kind person.” Scaff commented that “I often think that it is easy for us to remember people whose names get written large in special activities . . . [Clarence Neff represents] those many, many people whose quiet gentle way leaves fully as strong impact but through in their time they are often not given the plaudits and honors that go to the people who make a great show.” She praised him for his ability to do “the things that were needed” and “really [hold] things together” during times of change within the church. The fourth speaker, Carolyn Lyon, spoke about Laura Wilde and Mary Ely Lyman. Both women were born in Vermont, where they studied theology and became ordained ministers. Wilde started a private class in 1948, which Lyman continued to teach after Wilde’s death in 1959. Wilde emphasized the importance of preparing school for serving in the church’s school. Lyman served as an inspirational teacher, particularly in her lectures on the Gospel of John. She commented, “Both Laura Wilde and Mary Ely Lyman, great teachers in this church, set before the church the highest standards of biblical scholarship which formed our educational program as we planned for our future. They are an inspiration and always will be, and we are so fortunate to have had them among us.” The fifth and final speaker, Graydon Bell, spoke about Ruth Ordway and Henry Cooke. Henry Cooke served as a history professor at Claremont Graduate University and as president of Claremont’s Intercultural Council. Ruth Ordway was a founding member of the League of Women Voters in the Pomona Valley. In addition, Ordway served on the church’s Social Action Committee and advocated for the rights of people of color in Claremont. Both Ordway and Cooke were influential members of Claremont United Church of Christ. Bell adds that “this church was significantly blessed by their presence, their work, their example, and their spirit.”
Type
sound
Format
Master Audio cassette
Form/Genre
Oral histories
Extent
1 Tape of 1
Identifier
caclah_000007
Language
English
Subject
Churches Local history
Time Period
1837/1981
Place
Claremont (Calif.)
Provenance
Claremont Heritage California Revealed is supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.
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