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St Paul United Methodist Church
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 --
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