Hello there
We might be able to put together the years he was there from the
anecdotal history detailing his establishing that congregation and the
time of his training of Samuel Eli Cornish before his death in 1822.
Cornish "... moved to Philadelphia in 1815, and there came under the
influence of John Gloucester, the minister who founded the first black
Presbyterian church. Gloucester educated him and trained him for the
ministry. Since Gloucester was already gravely ill with the
tuberculosis which killed him in 1822, Cornish gained practical
experience filling in for his mentor. Cornish was licensed to preach
in 1819 and spent a year as a missionary in Maryland." - quote from
website "Samuel Cornish"
http://www.africawithin.com/bios/samuel_cornish.htm - - - From the
dates mentioned above and the fact that cornish "filled in" for his
mentor, it would seem that Gloucester was still pastor of the church
for at least a time after Cornish's arrival. Gloucester was ill with
tuberculosis which killed him in 1822.
Also, since between the question and the request for clarification
regarding whether you want bibliographical or biographical
information, why don't I cover all bases and give you some of both?
"He was given permission by Philadelphia Presbytery to develop a
Presbyterian ministry for African Americans in 1807. He began by
preaching in a private home that soon became too small to accommodate
the crowds that gathered to hear him. On clear days he preached at the
corner of Seventh and Shippen streets in order to accommodate the
increasing larger numbers." - quote from PC(USA) - Racial Ethnic
Ministries
http://www.pcusa.org/racialethnic/torch/2-2003/01numbers-or-missions.htm
- - - Since most would consider the establishment of a congregation,
rather than the later erection of a building by that congregation, as
the beginning point of a parish ministry, then we can give him the
start date of 1807 and continuing on through at least 1815.
You will also find the history of his work in the book "We Have This
Ministry, A History of the First African Presbyterian Church" by
Shelton B. Waters. Published by Gloucester Memorial and Historical
Society, 1994.
" In 1807, John Gloucester organized the first African Presbyterian
Church in Philadelphia." - A straight out statement about Gloucester
and the founding of that church.
http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:vD9h6RleslMJ:www.themarcusgarveybbs.com/Feature/ccscott.htm+books+%2Babout+John+Gloucester+first+african+presbyterian+church&hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=UTF-8
Please note. The above link is a cached page. You may want to copy
it immediately as the original web page no longer exists.
One of the reasons a date of 1810 or later is mentioned has to do with
the personal preferences of the history's author as to when a minister
can "claim to be" the pastor of a particular church. While John
Gloucester started the congregation in 1807, the congregation was not
actually "chartered" as a church till 1811 - as follows:
"First African Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, PA, Records,
1811-1974
RG 314
Photographic Materials, Manuscripts
1.5 Cubic Feet
First African Presbyterian Church was the first African American
Presbyterian congregation in the United States. Many of its pastors
have been central figures in the history of African American
Presbyterians. The pastors of this church have included John
Gloucester, John Gardner, Jonathan C. Gibbs, R.B. Johns, John W. Lee,
Charles Freeman, Sudor Q. Mitchell, Sheldon Waters, and Kermit
Overton. Collection includes [charter (1811)], a history, reports,
session and committee minutes, and photographs of the buildings."
(brackets mine)
http://www.library.temple.edu/urbana/afgd-03.htm - - the website is:
"URBAN ARCHIVES Directory of African American Collections
in Greater Philadelphia and Selected Suburban Areas"
So as you can see, both dates may be valid considering how one judges
the "beginnings" of a particular congregation and church.
I hope the above is of help in your research.
Search - Google
Terms - john gloucester, african american christian history, famous
african american clergy, first african presbyterian church
philadelphia, presbyterian church usa
If I may clarify anything, please ask before you rate the answer.
Cheers
digsalot |
Clarification of Answer by
digsalot-ga
on
10 Aug 2003 04:31 PDT
Hello again.
The sad thing is that while John Gloucester was the founder of that
church, those who followed him there as pastors overshadowed him in
the history books because of their abolitionist activities. The most
complete biographical sketch is in the book I mentioned. He is
mentioned, but in passing, in the material about those who followed
after him and in material about Benjamin Rush, who worked to free him
from slavery.
Even in the material covering Rush, the only biographical information
was found in a letter Rush wrote to Samuel Bayard to... "introduce the
Reverend Mr. Gloucester, an ordained minister of the Presbyterian
Church, [who] visits your town in order to obtain pecuniary aid to
enable him to purchase the freedom of his wife and children."
"Gloucester was a powerful preacher and a former Tennessee slave who
had been brought to Philadelphia by his master in 1807. While white
Presbyterians worked to obtain Gloucester's release from slavery, he
founded the first black Presbyterian church in the United States. It
would take another dozen years for Gloucester to raise enough money to
buy his family." - quote from "Africans in America"
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part3/3h469.html
The full text of that letter is here:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part3/3h469t.html - from "The Historical
society of Pennsylvania"
It includes this interesting exhortation: - "The late excellent Mr.
Thornton' of London bought churches and livings for evangelical
Episcopal ministers. Let us if possible exceed him by purchasing
evangelical ministers and their families for our churches."
You may be able to find the book mentioned above by contacting
Laverne-Rhodes Powell
Racial ethnic ministries in the Presbyterian Church USA
100 Witherspoon St.
Louisville, Ky. 40202
888 - 728 - 7228 ex 5695
Their website is here:
http://www.pcusa.org/
This page is a direct email form to Laverne-Rhodes Powell
http://www.pcusa.org/form2mail/form2mail.jsp?f2name=Laverne+Rhodes-Powell&subject=Racial+Ethnic+Ministries+web+site
If you would like, I can email a general request for you or you can
send the email yourself and be able to add details, etc about your
research that I don't have.
Please let me know if you would like for me to do it.
And a good morning to you too
digs
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