THIRD STONINGTON:
THE AFRO-AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCH ON WATER STREET
By John V. Hinshaw
(From Historical Footnotes, May 1992)
Third Baptist Church in 1898.
Courtesy of Henry Palmer
A few old-timers still remember the beautiful little church that stood
for nearly eighty years in a well-kept lot on the west side of Water
Street, opposite the location of the present post office. The building
was the home of the Third Baptist Church of Stonington, better known
in its day as "Third Stonington," or simply "the colored church."
This church originated in a petition written in 1846 and copied with
other routine matters into the records of The First Baptist Church:
Beloved Brethren:
Believing that the time has come when the interests of religion,
especially among the people of color in this village and vicinity,
would be promoted by our organization into a separate body; We therefore
request that letters of dismission may be granted to us whose names
are hereunto annexed for the purpose above specified.
In making this request, Dear Brethren, we think we are activated by
motives of Christian Charity solely. Were we to consult our own edification
simply, it would be our privilege to remain with you, and sit beneath
the droppings of your Sanctuary. But we feel that we ought to attempt
to do something for the spiritual welfare of our own brethren according
to the flesh, something which shall bring them more immediately under
the renewing and saving influence of the glorious gospel.
We are tremblingly aware of the responsibility we are assuming and
Earnestly request your prayers and sympathy.
We shall never fail to cherish an affectionate remembrance of you;
and though, with your permission, gathered into a separate body, shall
still feel that we have a claim to your council and watchcare.
Horace Ross, Betsey Ross, Alfred Ross, Nancy Ross, Clarissa Gardener,
Enoch Ross, Sarah J. Ross
Their request was accepted by a unanimous vote of the mother church,
and the petitioners were granted permission to "form themselves into
a church, to be known as Third Baptist Church of Stonington of the same
faith as the church from which they are hereby dismissed." The response
was signed September 28, 1846 by Albert G. Palmer, Pastor.
The United States Census of 1850 lists seventy-four black or mulatto
persons over age sixteen residing within the Borough and many more who
lived in greater Stonington or on ships in the harbor. Most of the fifty-five
black children residing in the Borough attended school. The majority
of men gave their occupation as "laborer," "carpenter," "farmer" or "sailor," while
many women were described as being "in the household of" a wealthy merchant
or ship owner. John Scott and O.L. Hagurman were barbers, and there was
a Baptist minister named Leonard Black.
Stonington land records indicate that plans to separate from the First
Church probably had been started well over a year in advance of the 1846
petition. A deed registered April 30, 1845 (Land Records 22/281) from
Ephraim Williams and Samuel F. Denison to John Scott, "trustee of coloured
people of Stonington Borough and Vicinity" conveyed"...a lot of land
25 feet wide north to south, about 70 feet deep, containing 6 rods of
land be the same more or less; ... for a Meeting House Lot for said coloured
people...to be held by said John during his natural life and afterward
by such Trustee or Trustees as the Church of coloured people in said
Borough & Vicinity shall from time to time elect." On October 1,
1846, two days after their petition was granted, John Scott transferred
this property to the Third Baptist Church of Stonington.
The new church was welcomed into the southeastern Connecticut and Rhode
Island Baptist organization known as the Stonington Union Association
at its seventy-five annual meeting held in June, 1847 at the Second Baptist
Church in North Stonington. Joseph Lewis was listed as Pastor of "3rd
Stonington." Alfred Ross was Clerk, and there were eight members. As
Mr. Lewis was not present, the membership committee "Voted: That the
Moderator present the right hand of fellowship to Br. A.G. Palmer in
their behalf."
At the annual Association meetings, held faithfully every June, each
church submitted its report in the form of a letter, membership statistics
and names of their pastors and delegates to be published in the minutes.
The American Baptist Historical Society in Rochester, New York photocopied
and sent Stonington Historical Society a complete set of Stonington Union
Association minutes from 1847 through 1926 containing the material supplied
each year by "3rd Stonington." These documents are the best primary source
we have about Third Stonington. They are referred to throughout this
article as the "SUA" letters.
Third Stonington wasted no time in obtaining a meeting house, but very
little is known about its construction. An unsigned and undated letter
written to the late Williams Haynes, author of The Stonington Chronology,
says that the original church building was once Miss Pearl Quincy Rider's
school house on Water Street. The school was then moved twice before
it was finally taken to the "Meeting House Lot" on Water north of Broad
Street.
In his SUA letter for June, 1848 Alfred Ross proclaimed: "This is a
new church interest. Our colored brethren here, though few in numbers,
bid fair under the blessing of God ...We have a convenient place to worship,
which is nearly paid for, and a Pastor to feed us with the bread of life...May
the 'Little one become a thousand'."
An article in the short-lived Stonington newspaper Extinguisher for
November 10, 1849 reported: "We are rejoiced that our colored population
have now a place where they can worship without fear or molestation;
and as we have listened to their fervent prayers and unassisted sweetness
of their songs, we have been constrained to believe that in the sight
of man only is there a respect of persons."
In 1850 Reverend Leonard Black, Pastor, claimed a total congregation
of twenty-nine adults with twenty-six "scholars" in the sabbath school.
During the next five years the church gained a solid foothold in the
community. Membership of the congregation more than doubled to fifty-nine
adults, a figure which did not include transient sailors and other visitors
who worshiped there. They were pleased with their new minister, Reverend
William Spellman, who replaced Reverend Black in 1851. Their debts had
been fully repaid. A sabbath school was established with one superintendent,
ten teachers, thirty "scholars," and a library of 175 volumes. Meetings
were held three times on the Sabbath and twice during the week.
During the next forty years church membership fluctuated from the low
forties to a high of sixty-six members recorded in the SUA minutes for
1867. A succession of pastors came and went. Reverend Spellman departed
in 1856. William A. Smith served from 1859 to 1860, Erastus Denison 1862
to 1865, and S. Backus Bailey 1867 to 1871. William Lewis Phillips was
there in 1871, replaced by G.W. Hamblin in 1872.
But even Solomon Gale of Mystic Bridge, who served almost twelve years
from 1874 to March, 1886, had difficulty holding his flock. "We have
had faithful preaching by our pastor," they wrote in 1882, "but still
the unconverted seem to be unmoved." Reverend Gale was followed by William
L. Francis from 1887 to 1890. In many years the church reported that
it had no pastor, but with unfailing tenacity would say "we are still
holding on to our oar of prayer."
The effects of the Civil War and its aftermath stand out in several
SUA letters. In June, 1862 they wrote "We are not indifferent spectators
of the dreadful strife now raging in our country ... Two of our members
were for many years slaves. Though denied the privilege to enter the
army to fight, we will pay our taxes when demanded ..." For 1865 they
said "... whenever we are permitted to vote, we shall be sure not to
vote for bondage or oppression in any form... We have a destiny in common
with all the sons and daughters of Africa which we are bound to fulfill." By
1867, two years after the war had ended, they still felt themselves in
bondage. "We are glad liberty has been proclaimed throughout the land
and we are anxiously looking for the day when colored people of Connecticut
shall enjoy equal privileges with the Freedman of the South; when Connecticut
shall be as free as South Carolina."
The church was governed wisely, especially in the area of finances,
and was often given assistance from the local community. In 1852 they
made their last payment on the meeting house building and the debt was
canceled. For 1869 they reported "...we have shingled, painted and otherwise
repaired our house of worship. A benevolent young lady of the Episcopal
church has presented to us a very beautiful communion service, for which
we are truly grateful." In 1872 "friends" donated money for an organ.
Twenty-five hymnals contributed to the Church in 1880 by the Baptist
Publication Society gave a "new interest to our singing." In 1887 "The
Ladies Mite Society, with the Sunday School children, presented us a
pulpit set with table and chairs." That same year they also completed
a parsonage on Trumbull Avenue with land and funds donated by "friends."
The Stonington Mirror for August 1, 1872 reported:
The festival of the Third Baptist Church was largely attended, both
by members of society and many colored friends from other towns. The
tables were handsomely decorated, containing everything to tempt the
appetite, and secured liberal patronage. Mrs. R.H. Clark appeared to
be the manager of affairs, and with her assistants are deserving much
praise for the neat appearance of everything in the hall. Festivities
were kept up until a late hour, the entertainment resulting in a clear
profit of over $100 for the church fund.
In 1883 the church property was valued at $1000, with "home expense" of
$323.75 and forty-seven members. This can be compared to the $10,000
worth of property, $2000 expenses and six hundred members reported by
the First Baptist Church two blocks away, and at that time the largest
Baptist church in the SUA. But by 1899, even though Third Stonington's
property value had risen to $3200, only thirty-two members remained.
In his book A History of the Connecticut Baptist Convention, 1823-1907 (Hartford,1909),
Phillip S. Evans summed up these years:
The Third Stonington received aid only five times to the total amound
of $55. It has not at any time been a strong church, but has been and
still is (1907) a quiet, staid, conservative, selfrespecting body.
Only at intervals have its good people been able to support a pastor,
but they always maintain the Sabbath service, the Bible-school and
the mid-week prayer meeting. They seldom forget an annual offering
at the Convention.
In the absence of steady pastoral guidance, Third Stonington appears
to have found much of its strength in the unwavering loyalty of three
men, each of whom served long periods as clerks of the church: Alfred
Ross, 1847 to 1871; Abraham Morrison, 1872 to 1884; and Stiles Henry
Franklin Ross from 1885 to the bitter end in 1926.
Stiles H.F. Ross was born in Stonington February 28, 1853, son of Stiles
H. and Flora Ann Hallam Ross. He died July 3, 1954 at age 96. In his
youth he worked as a cabin boy sailing out of Stonington, and for at
least three years prior to August, 1888 he served as Borough lamplighter.
He married Alice Ethenia Randall on November 22, 1882 in the Third Baptist
Church; Reverend Albert G. Palmer, Pastor of the First Baptist Church,
performed the ceremony. Later the couple became famous for their catering
service and ice cream shop. From 1934 to 1952 Stiles H.F. Ross was the
Tax Collector and assessor of the Stonington Fire District, and retired
with the distinction of being the oldest tax collector in New London
county.
The last minister to serve Third Stonington was William J. Waytes from
Florida who came in 1895 and remained about a year. Under his leadership
the meeting house received its final refurbishing with new carpets and
seats, again provided "through the generosity of friends." After 1897
Third Stonington had no steady minister, relying instead on pastors from
nearby Baptist churches to supply the pulpit and the loving care of Stiles
and Alice Ross to maintain the Sabbath services and mid-week prayer meetings.
Their final and longest letter is found in the minutes of the SUA 151st
Anniversary Meeting held June 13th and 14th, 1923 at the First Baptist
Church in Stonington Borough, the place where it all began:
STONINGTON, THIRD
We are sorry that we cannot write a very encouraging letter. As a
church, we are very few in numbers. Death has claimed most of the members
of this church, and there is no one left to take their places, and
as it looks now, it will not be long before we shall cease to be reckoned
as one of the churches of the Stonington Union Association after seventy-seven
(77) years a member.
We can look back to a glorious record that this church has made since
1846 when it was set apart as a branch from the First Baptist Church
in Stonington with eight (8) members. In 1876 the number enrolled in
upon the church record was seventy-three (73) and with a congregation
we numbered about one hundred to one hundred and twenty-five who attended
services. Today our number is only three (3), so you can see this church
is nearly extinct.
We have had preaching services up to February of this year. Rev. Pleasant
B. Braxton of Mystic, a faithful Christian brother, filled the pulpit
for us. But in March God called him home after a short illness. Since
then we have had no service. We have no plans for the future at present.
Our trust is in God, who doeth all things well, and we are looking
forward to the time when we shall meet these loved ones who have gone
on before us. May the blessings of Almighty God rest with you in all
of your deliberations.
Stiles H.F. Ross, Clerk
Alice E. Ross, B.F. Ross
On September 27, 1924 Stiles H.F. Ross, Benjamin F. Ross, Jr. and John
S. Harrison were named a committee to disband the Third Baptist Church,
and on May 15, 1926 the property with a "one story wooden church building
standing thereon" was sold to Henry W. Babcock for $2375 (Land Records,
65/400). At the request of members of the church, proceeds of the sale,
together with remaining bank funds and interest were to go to the Stonington
Cemetery Association as a trust fund known as the Third Baptist Trust
Fund for the purpose of "perpetually caring for the graves of members
of the church who have been laid to rest there."
Henry W. Babcock donated the building to the newly-formed Stonington
Fire District to use as a fire station. That summer Henry R. Palmer,
Jr., then a boy, remembers the church building being rolled down Water
Street and across the tracks to a new site on Williams Street. He claims
with pride "I'm the only person in Stonington who ever rode down the
street on a church."
Later the structure became the meeting hall of the Nina Council, Knights
of Columbus. On Friday, January 28, 1966 at about 1:45 a.m. a motorist
on the viaduct spotted a blaze and turned in the alarm. Fifty volunteer
firemen and all Borough trucks responded, but bitter cold winds and advanced
headway of the fire made it impossible to extinguish the blaze until
the ancient building had found its final resting place.
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