John Gee African Methodist Episcopal Chapel, Gallipolis, Ohio

Date: 1818 to 1997
Location: Gallipolis, Gallia County, Ohio, United States

John Gee African Methodist Episcopal Chapel, Gallipolis, Ohio category US Black Heritage Project homepage

Also known as: Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Society
Location: 48 Pine Street, Gallipolis, OH 45631
Wikitree Category for Congregation: Category:John Gee African Methodist Episcopal Chapel, Gallipolis, Ohio

History

This congregation was founded in 1818 as the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Society. Founding members were Barbara and John Gee; William and Eliza Napper;^[1] Leah Stewart; Nancy Belt; John Givens and Lorian Givens. At first, they met in a school house on Pine Street in Gallipolis, Ohio. Later, John Gee donated the land for the church building at 48 Pine Street and the new building was dedicated in 1868. In the 1880's, they renamed the church in honor of John Gee. For many years, the church flourished and was a cornerstone of the Black community in Gallipolis.^[2][3]

In 1997, the church's last pastor was called to a different congregation. At that point, there were only four church members left and they could not find a new pastor. They decided to close the church and turn the building into the John Gee Black Historical Center.^[2][3]

Members

Church members can be found in the John Gee African Methodist Episcopal Chapel category.

Profiles can be added to the category by placing [[Category:John Gee African Methodist Episcopal Chapel, Gallipolis, Ohio]] above the Biography heading.

Sources

1. ↑ Possibly William Napper (abt.1805-aft.1875) and Eliza (Ward) Napper (abt.1812-aft.1880), though they probably would have been too young to actually be founding members.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} John Gee Black Historical Center, "Historical Background," https://johngeeblackhistory.com/ : accessed 28 Nov 2023.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Catherine Hamm, "The John Gee Black Historical Center," Sunday Times-Sentinel [Gallipolis, Ohio], 6 Sep 1998, page C1; image copy, Bossard Library Digital Newspaper Archive, (https://bossardlibrary.advantage-preservation.com : accessed 28 Nov 2023).