Shiloh Baptist Church aka Trinity Church School
By Michael J. Simpson M.A., A.M.
Introduction
Here stands the site of the Shiloh Baptist Church, a testament to faith, freedom, and resilience nestled within the center of Newport’s historic district. This building, which was originally constructed in 1799 as a schoolhouse, has borne witness to the rich tapestry of Newport’s history, particularly its African-American community’s journey from enslavement to emancipation. This article will delve deep into the history of the Shiloh Baptist Church, exploring the intertwined narratives of its building, the enslaved individuals associated with it, and the congregation that emerged as a beacon of hope in the face of adversity.
Architectural Heritage
Shiloh Baptist Church’s story begins with the very structure it inhabits, a physical symbol of Newport’s layered history. A previous school funded by a bequest from customs officer Nathaniel Kay was originally erected on this site “to teach ten poor boys” in the 1740s.[1] When Kay died in 1734, a man he had enslaved named Markadore then became the property of Trinity Church. Over thirty years later, on Easter of 1765, the Church freed Markadore and agreed to pay his rent for one year.[2] Markadore died a free man several years later in 1771, and the Church paid for the medicine and treatment he received for his “last illness”.[3] This earlier building was demolished for firewood during the American Revolution, when the British occupied Newport. Several prominent historical figures of the city attended this earlier school, including portraitist Gilbert Stuart and physician Benjamin Waterhouse.[4]
The building now standing, located at the southwest corner of School and Mary Streets, was erected in 1799 and was initially known as the Trinity Church School House.[5] Many church members who were in charge of this second school, the selection of its schoolmaster, and the construction of the new school house itself were prominent slave traders. Joseph Wanton, Francis Malbone, Simon Pease, Jr., and George Scott all served as committee members for the school, and John Bours was the church’s Clerk of Vestry.[6] Over the next century, this unassuming structure would later bear witness to a profound transformation of its surroundings and the indomitable spirit of those who sought freedom within its walls.
[1] Mason, George Champlin, Annals of Trinity Church, Newport, Rhode Island: 1698-1821, (Evans Printing Co: Philadelphia, PA 1890), p. 168
[2] Mason, ibid., p. 132
[3] Mason, ibid., p. 148
[4] John Hill, Gilbert Stuart; an illustrated descriptive list of his work, (William Edwin Rudge: New York, NY 1926) p. 17
[5] Mason, ibid., p. 220
[6] See SlaveVoyages.org [Voyage ID]; “”Joseph Wanton” [36246, 27242, 36340] ; “Francis Malbone” [36400, 36399, 36476] ; “Simon Pease, Jr.” [36230, 36234] ; “George Scott” [36038] ; “John Bours” [36313]
The Shiloh Baptist Church Emerges
The birth of Shiloh Baptist Church can be traced back to May 10th, 1864, a day that marked the commencement of a new chapter in Newport’s history. This church was founded by the Reverend Edmond Kelley, who was himself born into slavery on May 23rd, 1818. In 1843, while still enslaved, Kelley was ordained as Tennessee’s first Black Baptist Minister. In 1847, Kelley escaped enslavement and fled for Boston, Massachusetts.[7] After living in New Bedford for some years, on April 26th, 1864, Reverend Kelley established the Shiloh Baptist Church in Newport, Rhode Island in a private house located at 73 Levin Street, owned and occupied by Esther Brinley.[8] Esther was the widow of Pompey Brinley, a former enslaved man who helped to found the Free African Union Society in 1780. He died in 1813.[9] Though the Shiloh Baptist Church was a modest beginning, it would eventually become a cornerstone of the Black community in Newport.[10] Regular services began in the Brinley household, but as attendance outgrew the accommodations, the church’s journey led to its acquisition of a more fitting space. The Seventh Day Baptist meeting house was used from 1864 to 1869.
[7] Jeter, Rev. Henry, Twenty-five Years Experience with the Shiloh Baptist Church and Her History, (Remington Printing Co: Providence, RI 1901), p. 5; Kelley, Edmond, A Family Redeemed from Bondage; Being Rev. Edmond Kelley, (the Author,) His Wife, and Four Children, (Damrell and Moore: New Bedford, MA 1851), p. 5; Kinealy, Christine, Black Abolitionists in Ireland, (Routledge: New York, NY 2020), p. 189
[8] Youngken, Richard C., African Americans in Newport: An Introduction to the Heritage of African Americans in Newport, Rhode Island, 1700-1945, (Newport Historical Society: Newport, RI 1998), p. 27; Jeter, (1891), ibid., p. 7; Its original members were NELSON TAYLOR, THOMAS B. LUNDY, ANN FOSTER, ESTHER BRINLEY, M. E. WATSON, ANNIE DUNN, GRACE F. RUSSELL, ESAU FOSTER, BARNEY G. BRYAN, JANE R. CLARK, ROSANNA WATSON, PHEBE BABCOCK, WILMINER DRAPER, CATHERINE JOHNSON, E. KELLEY, and THOMAS B. LUNDY. The original house was demolished in 1997.
[9] Youngken, ibid., p. 50
[10] Steward, Rowena, A Heritage Discovered: Blacks in Rhode Island, (Rhode Island Black Heritage Society: Providence, RI 1976), p. 20; Youngken, ibid., p. 28
A Permanent Place of Worship
By 1867, the Shiloh Baptist Church had seen two different Pastors, William James Barnett, and Theodore Valentine. When Valentine retired, a man known as Reverend Richard Vaughn served in his place as they searched for a replacement. “Father Vaughn” was born into slavery in Virginia in 1790, and gained his freedom in 1811, eventually making his way to Newport.[11] In 1868, following his establishment as the new pastor, Reverend George Hamlin successfully purchased the school house at the corner of School and Mary Streets from the Trinity Church corporation.[12] The cost of this acquisition was $2,000. On February 24th, 1869, the congregation made the transition from the Seventh Day Baptist meeting house to their newly acquired church. The dedicatory sermon was preached by Reverend Samuel Adlam, a native of Bristol, England, and a former pastor of Newport’s First Baptist Church. This transition marked a significant milestone in the church’s history, solidifying it as a permanent presence in Newport.[13]
[11] Jeter, (1891), ibid., pp. 7-8
[12] Youngken, ibid., pp. 71-72
[13] Jeter, (1891) ibid., p. 12
Leadership and Community
Shiloh Baptist Church witnessed the leadership of several dedicated pastors, deacons, and officers who played pivotal roles in its growth and development. Among them were men who were previously enslaved such as Father Vaughn. Reverend Edmond Kelley, the church’s founder, who set it on its initial path, and guided it through its formative years from New Bedford, had also been enslaved. Neither of these men served as long a role, however, as Henry Jeter did as its pastor for several decades. Jeter had been born into slavery in Virginia in 1851. After the Civil War, he was employed in a boot and leather business and studied theology. In 1868, he was baptized in the African Baptist Church in Lynchburg and the next year, he entered the Wayland Seminary in Washington, D.C. where he studied for six years.[14]
By 1875, Reverend Jeter had been called to serve as the pastor for the Shiloh Baptist Church in Newport. Jeter and his family of eight children became known throughout the state for their musical talent, and would give performances as far away as Washington, D.C.. Following his retirement in 1916, Reverend Jeter remained influential in the city’s affairs, playing a role as a mediator for race relations and other humanitarian issues.[15] Beyond spiritual leadership, Shiloh Baptist Church was a community in the truest sense of the word. The church helped to form a solid foundation for the Black community of Newport, and as a result, its membership contained many influential men and women of the era.[16]
[14] Youngken, ibid., p. 54
[15] Youngken, ibid., p. 54
[16] Steward, ibid., p. 20
Armstead Hurley, who served as Treasurer in the early 1900s, was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, in 1854.[17] He was born into slavery but gained his freedom following the end of the Civil War. In 1886, Hurley moved to Newport and established himself as a painter and glazier, operating his own painting and wallpapering business in the upper Thames Street area. His business became one of the largest and most prosperous painting companies in Newport during the city’s Gilded Age.[18] Hurley also invested in rental property on Division and Mary Streets, and served as a founding member of the Rhode Island Loan and Investment Company, a Black-owned banking firm that loaned funds to Black businessmen and investors.[19] The existence of the Company reflected Newport’s engagement in an entrepreneurial spirit advanced by national African-American leaders during this era in United States history.[20]
Andrew J. Tabb, who served as a Deacon, was born into slavery in Petersburg, Virginia, on August 15, 1842. During the Civil War, when the Confederate Army’s Twelfth Virginia Regiment was ordered to the front, Tabb was sent to give cold water to the soldiers. He eventually became a personal servant for Confederate General James Longstreet’s staff who took him to the front. However, in June 1863, he escaped to Union lines and eventually served in the 115th Kentucky Regiment, mustering out in 1866. After the war, he became a private coachman and horse breaker for prominent individuals in Virginia. He later moved to Baltimore, Maryland, and continued his work as a coachman, eventually moving to Newport in the 1880s.[21]
Henry Jeter, Armstead Hurley, and Deacon Andrew Tabb all lived through a significant period of American history marked by the Civil War and the end of slavery, and they made contributions to their respective communities as free individuals. Among the church’s early members and the Black community in Newport, there were those who had experienced the horrors of slavery firsthand. While we do not have extensive records on those specific individuals, it is safe to assume that many members of the congregation had family histories deeply entwined with the institution of slavery. Their presence at Shiloh Baptist Church was a testament to their resilience. Thus, the church emerged as not only a place of worship but also a vital hub for the Black community to navigate the uncertain waters of freedom in nineteenth-century Newport.[22]
[17] Jeter, (1891) ibid., p. 22
[18] Jeter, (1891), ibid., p. 89
[19] Youngken, ibid., p. 53
[20] Young Armstead, Mary Beth, Lord, Please Don’t Take Me in August: African Americans in Newport and Saratoga Springs, 1870-1930, (Univ. Illinois Press: Champaign, IL 1999), p. 92
[21] Jeter, (1891), ibid., pp. 86-87
[22] Youngken, ibid., p. 36
Legacy and Unity
The legacy of Shiloh Baptist Church is inextricably linked with the broader Black history of Newport. It emerged as a vital institution during an era when African Americans in the city faced significant challenges. The church was not just a place of worship but a center for social, cultural, and religious activities. It provided support, both spiritual and practical, to its members as they forged ahead in a post-slavery world.[23]
The unity fostered within Shiloh Baptist Church extended beyond its walls. It was a place where individuals, many of whom had previously been enslaved or directly impacted by slavery, found strength and solidarity. The church offered a sense of belonging and a platform for collective action. Congregants supported one another, celebrated their shared heritage, and worked together to overcome the obstacles that still lay ahead in their quest for equality and justice.[24]
[23] Youngken, ibid., p. 28
[24] Youngken, ibid., p. 36, 41; Steward, ibid., p. 20
Conclusion
Shiloh Baptist Church is more than just a historic building; it is a living testament to the enduring power of faith and community. From its origins as a simple schoolhouse to its transformation into a beacon of hope and freedom for Newport’s African-American community, the church’s journey is a testament to the indomitable human spirit. As we reflect on the rich history of Shiloh Baptist Church, we are compelled to acknowledge the formerly enslaved individuals who were part of its early congregation. Their stories, though often hidden in the shadows of history, are integral to the church’s narrative. Their presence serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring legacy of those who, in the face of unimaginable adversity, found solace and strength in their faith.
