https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/gloucester-john-1776-1822-2/
The first African American to become an ordained Presbyterian minister in the United States.
John Gloucester, nicknamed Jack, was born a slave in eastern Tennessee. A white Presbyterian minister, Gideon Blackburn, who saw young Jack's potential as a man of God, purchased him. As Blackburn's personal servant, Gloucester received religious training and eventually was taken under the care of the Presbytery of Union in Tennessee. John Gloucester later returned to the Presbytery to be ordained. Now Tusculum College, a Tennessee state marker honors Rev. Gloucester achievements. He began his ministry in Philadelphia in 1807 when Dr. Archibald Alexander, pastor of the Third Presbyterian Church and chairman of the Evangelical Society of Philadelphia, prevailed upon Blackburn for Gloucester's services in starting a church. As the first African American Presbyterian pastor in Philadelphia, John Gloucester founded The First African Presbyterian Church at Girard Avenue and 42nd Street. John Gloucester was able to purchase freedom for his wife and four sons, all of whom attended Princeton University.
On April 13, 1810, Gloucester was ordained at Baker's Creek Presbyterian Church in Maryville, Tennessee, and after the service, he and his wife Rhoda and their four children, John Jr., Jeremiah, Steven, and Mary, returned by wagon to Philadelphia and his emerging congregation. Their fifth child James was born later in Philadelphia. All four of Gloucester's sons became Presbyterian ministers, and three formed their own congregations. Jeremiah formed Second African Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia in 1824, Stephen formed Lombard Central Presbyterian in Philadelphia in 1844, and James founded Shiloam Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, New York in 1849. - See more at: http://www.blackpast.org/aah/gloucester-john-1776-1822#sthash.YSulQO3b.dpuf
The first African American to become an ordained Presbyterian minister in the United States.
John Gloucester, nicknamed Jack, was born a slave in eastern Tennessee. A white Presbyterian minister, Gideon Blackburn, who saw young Jack's potential as a man of God, purchased him. As Blackburn's personal servant, Gloucester received religious training and eventually was taken under the care of the Presbytery of Union in Tennessee. John Gloucester later returned to the Presbytery to be ordained. Now Tusculum College, a Tennessee state marker honors Rev. Gloucester achievements. He began his ministry in Philadelphia in 1807 when Dr. Archibald Alexander, pastor of the Third Presbyterian Church and chairman of the Evangelical Society of Philadelphia, prevailed upon Blackburn for Gloucester's services in starting a church. As the first African American Presbyterian pastor in Philadelphia, John Gloucester founded The First African Presbyterian Church at Girard Avenue and 42nd Street. John Gloucester was able to purchase freedom for his wife and four sons, all of whom attended Princeton University.
On April 13, 1810, Gloucester was ordained at Baker's Creek Presbyterian Church in Maryville, Tennessee, and after the service, he and his wife Rhoda and their four children, John Jr., Jeremiah, Steven, and Mary, returned by wagon to Philadelphia and his emerging congregation. Their fifth child James was born later in Philadelphia. All four of Gloucester's sons became Presbyterian ministers, and three formed their own congregations. Jeremiah formed Second African Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia in 1824, Stephen formed Lombard Central Presbyterian in Philadelphia in 1844, and James founded Shiloam Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, New York in 1849. - See more at: http://www.blackpast.org/aah/gloucester-john-1776-1822#sthash.YSulQO3b.dpuf
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/gloucester-john-1776-1822-2/
The first African American to become an ordained Presbyterian minister in the United States.
John Gloucester, nicknamed Jack, was born a slave in eastern Tennessee. A white Presbyterian minister, Gideon Blackburn, who saw young Jack's potential as a man of God, purchased him. As Blackburn's personal servant, Gloucester received religious training and eventually was taken under the care of the Presbytery of Union in Tennessee. John Gloucester later returned to the Presbytery to be ordained. Now Tusculum College, a Tennessee state marker honors Rev. Gloucester achievements. He began his ministry in Philadelphia in 1807 when Dr. Archibald Alexander, pastor of the Third Presbyterian Church and chairman of the Evangelical Society of Philadelphia, prevailed upon Blackburn for Gloucester's services in starting a church. As the first African American Presbyterian pastor in Philadelphia, John Gloucester founded The First African Presbyterian Church at Girard Avenue and 42nd Street. John Gloucester was able to purchase freedom for his wife and four sons, all of whom attended Princeton University.
On April 13, 1810, Gloucester was ordained at Baker's Creek Presbyterian Church in Maryville, Tennessee, and after the service, he and his wife Rhoda and their four children, John Jr., Jeremiah, Steven, and Mary, returned by wagon to Philadelphia and his emerging congregation. Their fifth child James was born later in Philadelphia. All four of Gloucester's sons became Presbyterian ministers, and three formed their own congregations. Jeremiah formed Second African Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia in 1824, Stephen formed Lombard Central Presbyterian in Philadelphia in 1844, and James founded Shiloam Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, New York in 1849. - See more at: http://www.blackpast.org/aah/gloucester-john-1776-1822#sthash.YSulQO3b.dpuf
The first African American to become an ordained Presbyterian minister in the United States.
John Gloucester, nicknamed Jack, was born a slave in eastern Tennessee. A white Presbyterian minister, Gideon Blackburn, who saw young Jack's potential as a man of God, purchased him. As Blackburn's personal servant, Gloucester received religious training and eventually was taken under the care of the Presbytery of Union in Tennessee. John Gloucester later returned to the Presbytery to be ordained. Now Tusculum College, a Tennessee state marker honors Rev. Gloucester achievements. He began his ministry in Philadelphia in 1807 when Dr. Archibald Alexander, pastor of the Third Presbyterian Church and chairman of the Evangelical Society of Philadelphia, prevailed upon Blackburn for Gloucester's services in starting a church. As the first African American Presbyterian pastor in Philadelphia, John Gloucester founded The First African Presbyterian Church at Girard Avenue and 42nd Street. John Gloucester was able to purchase freedom for his wife and four sons, all of whom attended Princeton University.
On April 13, 1810, Gloucester was ordained at Baker's Creek Presbyterian Church in Maryville, Tennessee, and after the service, he and his wife Rhoda and their four children, John Jr., Jeremiah, Steven, and Mary, returned by wagon to Philadelphia and his emerging congregation. Their fifth child James was born later in Philadelphia. All four of Gloucester's sons became Presbyterian ministers, and three formed their own congregations. Jeremiah formed Second African Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia in 1824, Stephen formed Lombard Central Presbyterian in Philadelphia in 1844, and James founded Shiloam Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, New York in 1849. - See more at: http://www.blackpast.org/aah/gloucester-john-1776-1822#sthash.YSulQO3b.dpuf
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