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GREENVILLE (S.C.) CO. LIBRARY

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History of Allen Temple A.M.E. Church

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The history of Allen Temple A. M. E. Church has
its roots deeply embedded in the soil of the Recon-
struction period. It is reflected in the heterogenous
concept of that period, as evidenced by the opposition
encountered by the founders of this church in their
efforts to establish it in the Greenville community.
The early history of this church is handed down to
us in a two-fold nature: (1) the first and second at-
tempts to organize this church is recorded by Mrs.
Carolina Brown, one of the founders; and (2) the
growth and development of its beginning is given by
Mrs. Hattie E. Williams, daughter of Mrs. Brown, and
the first Sunday School Teacher.

Therefore, according to Mrs. Carolina Brown, the
first attempt to organize the A. M. E. Church in this
city took place in 1871, in an old building known as
the Methodist Church, which was located on the cor-
ner of Coffee & Church Sts., in the vicinity of Christ
Episcopal Church, with the Rev. William Beckett as
pastor. The necessary negotiation had been made for
the purchase of this property, and two payments had
been made. But, in spite of the previous business
agreement, the white trustees of this property decided
that this was not the ideal location for a Colored
Church. Consequently, they demanded the deeds and
returned the payments. This marked the first oppo-
sition experienced by this little handful of pioneers
in their efforts to bring a religious institution to this
city. Rev. Beckett was sent elsewhere, but, the little
group left behind never lost sight of its goal.

Despite of the first set-back, the members of this
group, backed by an abiding faith in God; with an in-
domitable will to succeed in the face of opposition
or hardship; and with an unusual amount of rugged
individualism, these pioneers were determined to
leave behind them footprints on the Greenville sand
of time. Subsequently, four years later, in 1875, a sec-
ond attempt was made to establish an A. M. E. Church,
but, not without a struggle. Nevertheness, this time,
the group was headed by the Rev. S. T. Sinclair, to-
gether with ten (10) adult members from Laurens,
Newberry and Abbeville, South Carolina, along with
three small children. They rented an old blacksmith
shop on the present site of the C. & W. C. Railroad
Station, near Lipscomb & Russel Wholesale Com-
pany, on Court Street. The blacksmith shop was
cleaned, and the members of this little group started
a little A. M. E. mission, which represented the
foundation on which to build a super-structure by the
unborn generations. It is interesting to note their
simple beginning, which consisted of one glass pitch-
er, one tumbler or water glass, one Hymn book, one
Bible, one chair, one new table, a rustic pulpit, and
six low benches. This represented the beginning of
this little group, as it dedicated that blacksmith shop
for the service of God. This little mission had a mem-
bership of thirteen, which was without a name other
than the African Methodist Church. However, just as
this mission seemed to get settled, the cruel hand of
fate tossed a huge monkey wrench into its already
delicate network. Mrs. Brown gives an account of the
incident, as she said, "I went to Sunday School one
Sunday morning, and to my surprise! I found the door
locked, and the little furniture on the side of the

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street, I went home and told my mother." The mem-
bers of this little mission were forced to move from
the building. They went to an old building near the
Air Line Depot (now the Southern Depot), where the
pigeons roosted overhead. This mission remained
there for a number of years, and one thing in particu-
lar, this mission was blessed with the good for-
tune of having a number of good ministers, men with
vision, and above all, men who had an unshakable
faith in God. Such were the qualities found in the
eminent and distinguished James T. Baker. He came
as pastor of this mission while it was still in the vic-
inity of the Air Line Depot. However, it was not long
after his arrival, before the mission was moved to the
corner of West Washington and Echols Streets, near
the Mattoon Presbyterian Church, and with Rev.
B. F. McDowell as its pastor. This Church, likewise
was having a struggle, similar to that of the little A.
M. E. mission. Therefore, being cognizant of this little
mission's plight, Rev. McDowell shared the two-story
building with this little struggling mission. He held
his services every Sunday morning, and let the A. M.
E. mission holds its every Sunday afternoon. The
members of this church should never forget Rev. Mc-
Dowell for his act of kindness. These two little mis-
sions held their services in the same building for a
number of years, nevertheless, it was later learned
that this property was to be sold for $2,000.00. Con-
sequently, the Columbia, S. C. A. M. E. Conference
sent the Revs. Paul and Silas Jefferson to Green-
ville to carry out the necessary business transactions
for the purchase of this property. These two ministers
made contact with the Presbyterian Board of Trus-
tees, and as a result this property which contained
the two-story narrow shaped building was purchased
by the little A. M. E. Mission.

Therefore, on Sunday, February 2, 1881, this two-
story building was dedicated and a corner-stone was
laid, and Rev. James T. Baker named this little mis-
sion--Allen Chapel A. M. E. Church. The Sunday
School was opened with three small children, with
Mrs. Hattie Williams (then Miss Hattie Kinard), as
the first Sunday School teacher. After placing this
little mission on a sound basis, Rev. Baker, the great
builder, organizer, inspirational and religious leader
was sent to another charge. He was succeeded by the
Rev. E. H. Wilson. This little mission remained on
the corner of West Washington and Echols Streets un-
til the end of Rev. Wilson's pastorate, then the Rev.
J. F. Jackson was named as his successor. Later, Rev.
Jackson, the officers and members decided to change
the location of the mission. therefore, the property on
the corner of West Washington and Echols Streets
was sold, and they purchased the site on which Union
(graded) High School had its beginning in 1880, and
the same building which was formerly used as a Pres-
byterian College for Whites. This property is located
between Markley and Vardry Streets, facing Greene
Avenue, in the vicinity of the Oil Mill. This building
was likewise dedicated for the service of God. This
little mission grew by leaps and bounds under the
capable and efficient leadership of Rev. Jackson.
There was a steady increase in the membership of
Allen Chapel A. M. E. Church; it had begun to get