Second African Baptist Church (Savannah, Ga.) records

1812-1979

The Second African Baptist Church was founded in 1802 by members of the First Colored Church (now the First African Baptist Church of Savannah). In the early years of the 19th century, the Savannah River Association, an organization of Baptist churches composed of one Black and two white Baptist churches (the First Colored Church, the Newington Baptist Church and the Savannah Baptist Church), decided to strengthen the Association by organizing two additional Black churches out of the membership of the First Colored Church which at the time had a membership of 850. The two Black churches which were formed were Second Colored Church and the Ogeechee Baptist Church. Two hundred members were dismissed from the First Colored Church and joined with the African Americans who had been members in the white Savannah Baptist Church to constitute Second Colored Church.

Two African American ministers were ordained to serve the new churches. Rev. Henry Cunningham, a formerly enslaved person, became the first pastor of Second Colored Church, and served for thirty-one years from 1802 to 1833.

The founding members of Second Colored Church worked as domestic servants or mechanics and lived in the area where the church was located. Many members, who were formerly enslaved people, followed the example of their pastor and later purchased their freedom.

After its founding, Second Colored Church continued to have a close relationship with the First Colored Church. Following the death of Andrew Bryan, the second pastor of the First Colored Church, Second Colored Church provided, in regular succession, pastors for the First Colored, or mother church, from 1812 to 1846.

The first of the pastors that went to First Colored Church from Second Colored Church was Andrew Cox Marshall in 1815. Rev. Marshall had joined Second Colored Church after he had been baptized by Rev. Cunningham.

In 1823, the First Colored Church and the Second Colored Church were renamed First African Baptist Church and Second African Baptist Church respectively by the Sunbury Association, which had replaced the Savannah River Association.

The second pastor of Second African Baptist Church was Thomas Anderson. Rev. Anderson, one of the organizers of the original Second Colored Church, had been baptized by Andrew Bryan. In 1833, he was called to pastor the Third Colored Church, later renamed First Bryan Baptist Church, when it split from First African Baptist Church in that same year. Anderson pastored the newly constituted church then known as the Third African Baptist Church. After two years, in 1835, Anderson returned to Second African Baptist Church where he served until 1849.

Rev. John Cox, 1849-1871. Rev. H.L. Simpson, 1871-1881 Rev. Alexander Ellis, 1883-1889. During his administration the church was remodelled. In 1889, Rev. Ellis was deposed following a disagreement between himself and members of the choir. A council of three white ministers met and rendered a decision which was not acceptable to Rev. Ellis. An election was held on December 13, 1889 and Ellis was deposed as pastor. Ellis and his supporters then formed Beth Eden Baptist Church. Rev. J. J. Durham, 1891-1902. Final payment for the remodelling of the church was made during his tenure. Rev. John H. May, 1903-1907. Rev. S. H. Smith, 1907. He only served six months during which time he suffered a stroke and had to resign. Rev. Ira De Reid or D. A. Reid, 1908-1914. He was a native of the West Indies. A pipe organ was installed and the church was renovated during his administration. Rev. W. Boliver Davis, 1915-1918 Rev. P. W. Wrenn, 1919-1922. Rev. S. D. Ross, 1923-1928. Rev. Ross organized the church into fifteen departments. The church building was completely renovated following a fire in 1926. Rev. Miles A. Hunter, 1929-1931. Rev. Clifton Norman Perry, 1931-1934. Rev. Perry was noted as a good gospel preacher. Rev. Ivory W. Collins, 1935-1937. While serving as a waiter at the DeSoto Hotel Ivory W. Collins was selected as a supply minister. It was noted that although he did not have the training of previous pastors, he had a natural gift and talent for the ministry. Rev. Collins was later accepted as pastor and served two years. He left to continue his studies in the ministry. Rev. C. L. Hawk, 1938-1942 Rev. Lewis Llewellyn Scott, 1942-1949 Rev. Edgar Perry Quarterman, 1947-1983. During Rev. Quarterman's tenure the church was renovated and a heating and cooling system installed. Rev. James H. Cantrell, 1983-Present (1997)