Dateline of Women in Ministry, by Ann Ferguson, Horizons Magazine
1853: First women ordained, Congregational Church, Antoinette Brown (Blackwell)
1863: First women ordained, Universalist Church
1871: First women ordained, Unitarian Church
1889: First women ordained, Cumberland PC, Louisa M. Woosely.
1912: From the General Assembly of the PCUSA: "We deem in inexpedient to have a presbytery receive under its care women as candidates for the ordained ministry."
1915: PCUS amended form of government allowed election of women as deaconesses but not as ordained clergy.
1818: First women licensed to preach, PCUSA, Lillian Herrick Chapman.
1920: Responding to overtures, General Assembly of the PCUSA asked presbyters to vote on the ordination of women as elders and as deacons. In August, the 19th Amendment was passed, giving women the right to vote.
1921: PCUSA overture to ordain women failed narrowly in Presbyteries; General Assembly sent new overtures to Presbyteries for ordination of women as deacons.
1922: PCUSA presbyteries approved ordination of women as deacons.
1929: PCUSA again submitted alternative overtures a) as ministers and elders, b) as elders only, c) as licensed evangelists.
1930: In the PCUSA, ordination of women as both ministers and elders defeated by presbyteries; ordination as elders approved (158-118-7); licensing failed by three votes (of presbyteries). Also, Sarah E. Dickson became the first women elder ordained, PCUSA.
1946: On the recommendation of General Council, PCUSA, General Assembly sent an overture stating, "the office of minister may be neither men or women."
1947: Presbyteries defeat the overture 100-128-8.
1948: First woman minister ordained, African Methodist Episcopal Church.
1955: PCUSA acting on an overture from Presbytery of Rochester, again asked presbyteries to vote on ordaining women as ministers.
1956: PCUS presbytery vote was 205-35 to add to form of government - office of minister "both men and women may be called to this office." First woman minister ordained, PCUSA, Margaret Towner. PCUSA committee recommended, and G.A. sen to presbyteries a proposal that women be ordained as elders and deacons (G.A. vote 234-226). First woman minster ordained, Methodist Episcopal Church.
1957: PCUS presbyteries defeated proposal 39-44.
1958: The PCUS position became policy of the merged UPCUSA.
1963: PCUS Assembly, on urging of two special committees, recommended Book of Church Order changes to make women eligible for all church offices.
1964: PCUS presbyteries approved the ordination of women as deacons, elders, and ministers.
1965: First women minister ordained, PCUS, Rachel Henderlite.
1970: First women minster ordained, Lutheran Church in America and American Lutheran Church.
1971: First woman elected moderator, UPCUSA, Luois Harkrider Stair.
1974: First African American woman ordained, UPCUSA, Katie G. Cannon.
1978: First woman elected moderator, PCUS, Sara B. Moseley.
1979: First Hispanic woman ordained, PCUS, Rebecca Reyes. PCUS took position that ordination as ministers was to be denied anyone who refused to ordain women; also adopted to change in the form of government mandating that women be represented on church sessions and boards of deacons.
1983: The UPCUSA position became policy of the reunited PC(USA).
1987: First American Indian woman ordained, PC(USA), Holly Haile Smith.
1989: First woman bishop with the Anglican communion appointed, Barbara Harris.
1992: First Lutheran woman bishop appointed, Maria Jepsen. First woman bishop of Evangelical Lutheran Church in American appointed, April Ulring Larson.
1993: First woman to be consecrated diocesan bishop in he Episcopal Church, Mary Adelia MacLeod.