Eliza Tupper Wilkes (1844-1917) was born in Houlton, Maine, and died in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In 1871, she was ordained as a Unitarian minister, becoming one of the first women to be ordained in the United States. She held pastorates in Wisconsin, Colorado, and Minnesota. In April 1885, she received Primary class instruction from Mary Baker Eddy before returning to her home in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In 1886, she founded and then ministered at the All Souls Church in Sioux Falls. In addition to preaching, she was active in many social causes, including suffrage, temperance, and illiteracy. In later life, she moved to Los Angeles, where she became the chaplain of the Cumnock School of Expression.

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