Eric Musgrove
Contributor
We have been looking at African American history for the past several weeks. Last week, we began reviewing religious life during Reconstruction. This week, we complete that aspect of African American history.
Fort Union African Methodist Episcopal Church was established around 1870 in the Fort Union area, approximately 10 miles north of Live Oak.
Shiloh A.M.E. Church, located six miles southwest of Live Oak near Dowling Park, was established around 1870.
Ellaville Mission African Methodist Episcopal Church was established in 1872, just southeast of Ellaville. Services were first held in a log meeting house before moving about half a mile away in 1890 to construct a new wooden building. The first settled preacher appears to have been Frank Silvas (the writing is hard to make out, but his name appears on another church’s roster a few years later), from 1872 to 1876.
Yet another African American church established during the Reconstruction Era was the New Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, established in 1872 south of Live Oak.
The Mt. Zion Methodist Church was established around 1874 in the community of Padlock. A frame building served as the place of worship until it was torn down and replaced by another wood-framed building in 1899. The first settled preacher was George Weatherspoon.
Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church was established in 1875 in Houston. Its first services were held in the Houston School between 1875 and 1886 (another source says that the building was used until it was blown down in 1896). The church purchased property from Judge John F. White, half a mile to the east, and a frame church was built. That building was used until it was blown down in 1926, and another building replaced it. One record states that this church was also known as the A.M.E. Church of Wellborn.
Another African American church established during this period was Mt. Moriah A.M.E. Church, founded around 1875 south of Live Oak. Founders included Violet Allen, Lottie Holmes, Charles Williams, Willie and Maria Mandrell, Aaron Mobley, Ocassa and Marilyn Allen, Dora Sneed, Vinnie Holmes Taylor, Sue Bell, Louise Jones and Enoc Mobley. The property upon which the church building was constructed was apparently not recorded, and it was up to the original owner’s daughter and son-in-law to legally transfer the property through a deed.
The year 1875 was a busy one for African American churches. The Delaware A.M.E. Church was also established that year, about seven miles northwest of Live Oak. It first held services briefly under a brush arbor before constructing a building that was blown down in 1896.
Mt. Sinai Baptist Church was established around 1875 near Pinemount. It held services in a log church until it was destroyed by a fire in 1898. A frame building was erected and used until 1938, when it was replaced by another frame building. While the new structure was under construction from 1938 to 1939, the church met in a schoolhouse one-quarter mile north of the building site.
Other African American churches established during this period include the A.M.E. Church of Wellborn (established in 1875 and possibly the same as Allen Chapel A.M.E.) and the African Baptist Church (established in 1876) off County Road 49 about five miles south of Live Oak.
As an interesting side note, when I read through the histories of many of these congregations, I noticed that most of them lost their meeting places in 1896 due to being “blown down.” That was the year of the devastating Hurricane of 1896 that destroyed many of the buildings and trees of North Florida, wiped Cedar Key off the map, caused the loss of several steamboats, and, no doubt, was the cause of the loss of these church buildings here in Suwannee County as well.
Next week, we will continue our African American history in Suwannee County.
Eric Musgrove can be reached at ericm@suwgov.org or 386-362-0564.