ST. PAUL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

1865 – Present

The vision of Rev Joseph Samuel (Par Sam) Armstead and some dedicated laymen with the aid of Bishop James M. Fitzgerald, D. D. in 1865, gave birth to what is now St. Paul United Methodist Church.  This history can be placed in three periods:

It appears that around April or May of 1865, Rev. Joseph Samuel (Par Sam) Armstead, Perry Hall, Mrs. Alice Moss, Isom Hill, William Thomas and approximately ninety (90) other Black members along with approximately 20 plus white members of First Methodist Church (now First United Methodist Church) pulled away to set up St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.  They were invited and encouraged to remain members of First Methodist, but the decision was to follow Par Sam and his dream.

The first church was a one-room frame building (similar to the house next to our present location).  This one room frame building was located within the city limits in the bottoms and the area became known as St. Paul Bottoms, named after the church.  This building also served as the first Public/private School for Black people in Shreveport. 

The second location for St. Paul Methodist Episcopal Church was erected in the 600 block of Caddo Street (still within the city limits).  This location was built by Rev. Joseph Samuel (Par Sam) Armstead with the assistance of Brother Caesar Carpenter Antoine from 1869 until 1871.  The bell in the steeple tower became the herald at high noon for the City of Shreveport.  When Reverend Joseph Samuel (PAR SAM) Armstead died October 7, 1908, all church bells in Shreveport tolled in his honor.

St. Paul United Methodist Church was erected on its present site at the corner of Pierre Avenue and Looney Street during the depression years of 1924 to 1926.  The “new or present” location underwent a complete renovation for approximately $100,000.00 in 1967.

The most recent restoration including the roof, tower, air conditions, ladies rest room, and work done in the basement is very close to $100,000.00.  There is still more to be done and it will be done over a period of time.  We have come this far by faith, and trusting in the Lord.

St. Paul has always been “A NEIGHBORLY CHURCH WITH A FRIENDLY HEART.”  St. Paul Methodist has always been St. Paul Methodist and has always been located within the city limits of Shreveport since its inception in 1865.  We are the oldest predominantly black membership church to be established in the city limits of Shreveport.

HISTORICAL FACTS

SIGNERS OF THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF ST. PAUL METHODIST CHURCH

1872 and 1880

Pierre Landry, P. E. (Chairman)

Abraham Mitchell                 William Longstreet               Alfred Johnson

Penny Hall                            Joseph Cleveland               Hernando Daniels

Irvin Walter                            James Thomas                     Hartwell Swanson

George Black                        Levi Brent                              Samuel Chambers

William Harper                      John Clark

Following in the footsteps of Par Sam include the following:

Rev. Samuel Osburn          1871 – 1874

Rev. Joseph Dutch              1874 - 1877  

Rev. S.E.H. Marsch             1877 – 1880

Rev. H.S.O. Abbott               1880 - 1881          

Rev. J. E. Marshall               1881 – 1882 

Rev. Reese Thompson       1882 – 1885

Rev. Samuel Davage          1885 – 1886

Rev. A.E.P. Albert                1886 – 1887

Rev. Price Landry, P.E.       1887              

Rev. Valcour Chatman       1887 – 1889 

Rev. Price Landry                1889 – 1891

Rev. T. J. Johnson               1891 – 1892

Rev. Thomas McCary          1893 – 1895

Rev. Hampton James          1895 – 1896

Rev. J. A. Tircuit                   1896 – 1901

Rev. H. J. Wright                  1901 – 1903

Rev. W. R. Butler                 1903 – 1906

Rev. B. M. Hubbard             1906 – 1910

Rev. J. H. Hubbard              1910 – 1915

Rev. J. L. Wilson                  1915 – 1919

Rev. R. A. Warmsley           1919 – 1923

Rev. Hubbard Daniels        1923 -  1924

Rev. J. Williams                    1924 – 1926

Rev. Wesley Wells               1926 – 1928

Rev. W. G. Alston                 1928 – 1929 

Rev. Calvin Stanley                        1929 – 1931

Rev. J. C. Calvin                  1931 – 1932

Rev. J. W. E. Bowen, Jr.     1932 – 1936

Rev. S.  E. Blacknell            1936 – 1941

Rev. Leroy Fields                 1941 – 1942

Rev. A. E. Liles                     1942 – 1945

Rev. N. P. Perry                    1946

Rev. E. A. Mays                    1946

Rev. T. J. McElroy                1947

Rev. J. D. David                   1947 – 1952 

Rev. W.S.P. Norris               1953 – 1960

Rev. Wm. R. London Jr.      1960 – 1963

Rev. A. E. Davis                   1963 – 1974

Rev. Richard Harry              1974 – 1977

Rev. Nat. Daniels, Jr.          1978 – 1990

Rev. G. L. Thomas               1990 – 1998

Rev. Christopher Jones      1999 – 2000

Rev. Kenneth Fisher           2000 – 2009

Rev. Beverly Connelly        2009 – 5/2012

Rev. James A. Graham       5/2012- 6/2012

Rev. Bertrand Griffin II        2012 --  2014

Rev. Dr. Elenora Cushenberry 2014  --