Background
Ricks, William Benjamin was born on April 3, 1866 in Nash County, North Carolina, United States. Son of George and Sarah Ann Elizabeth (Vick) Ricks.
Ricks, William Benjamin was born on April 3, 1866 in Nash County, North Carolina, United States. Son of George and Sarah Ann Elizabeth (Vick) Ricks.
Graduate Homer School, Henderson, North Carolina, 1885. Graduate law, University of North Carolina, 1889. Th.G., Vanderbilt, 1894.
Graduate study, University of Chicago, summer 1903.
Doctor of Divinity, Kentucky Wesleyan College, Winchester, 1914.
Admitted to Virginia bar, 1889. practiced at Buena Vista until 1891. Ordained minister Methodist Episcopal Church, South, 1894. Pastor Jonesboro, Arkansas, 1894-1897, Newport, Arkansas, 1897-1899, Helena, Arkansas, 1899-1903, Louisville, Kentucky, 1903-1906, Bowling Green, Kentucky, 1906-1910, Tulip Saint Church, Nashville, Tennessee, 1910-1914, Columbia, Tennessee, 1914-1918.
Secretary General Missionary Board, Mechanical Engineering Church, South., 1918-1923.
Presiding elder Murfreesboro, 1923-1927, and Nashville District, 1927-1931. Pastor Clarksville, 1931-1935.
District superintendent Cumberland District, 1935-1940. Member Conference Board of Missions, 1913-1928.
Director camp religious work, Young Men's Christian Association, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, 1918.
Delaware to Ecumenical Missionary Conference, New York City. 1900; secretary board of education, Louisville Conference, 1906-1910. President Tennessee Conference Board of Missions, 1917-1927.
Delegate General Conference Methodist Episcopal Church, South, 1926, 30, 34, 38.
Delegate Ecumenical Methodist Conference, Atlanta, Georgia., 1931. Chairman program committee General Ednl.
Conference Methodist Episcopal Church, South, Junaluska, North Carolina, 1929. President board Cumberland Mountain School, Crossville, Tennessee, 1921-1935.
Former trustee Galloway College, Hendrix College, Arkansas.
Member General Board of Education, 1926-1930, director in Bishop’s Crusade, 1936-1938. Member board of trustees Tennessee Conference Schools 1935-1942. Delegate General Uniting Methodist Conference, Kansas City, Missoury, 1939.
Member Sigma Chi (national officer 35 years, grand chapter orator.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1911. National president, 1941-1943.
President Order of Constantine, 1949-1950), Grand Tribune, 1943-1948.
Mason, Odd; Clubs: East.Q.B. Literary (Bowling Green, Kentucky).
Married Nora Neal, January 1, 1903. Children: Fred Neal, Mary Elizabeth (Mistress Wesley Michael Nagle).