AME 7

​

St. Peter AME Church (North) History
1867-2021
(Originally Researched, Compiled, and Composed by Former Church Members, Sister Margaret Jones and Sister Miriam Jones Evans)​

African Methodist Episcopal Church

      St. Peter A.M.E. Church was founded in 1867 by many dedicated families. The meeting place was a bush harbor located in the Caw Caw Township of Orangeburg County which is currently zoned in Calhoun County. The bush harbor was later destroyed by a storm.

     Faithful leaders of the first church included, the late Rev. E. Mintz, Pastor; the late Peter Gladden, the first trustee and St. Peter’s namesake; the late Joseph Gladden, church secretary, trustee, steward, and class leader; the late John Rumph, trustee; the late Equille Rumph, stewardess; the late Rev. Elliott Gladden, trustee and class leader; and the late Hamp Harley, Sr., Sunday School superintendent, class leader, steward, and trustee. The A.M.E. Church at the time was under the leadership of the late Bishop Alexander Shorter and the late Presiding Elder T. Lykes.

     After the first church was destroyed, by the grace of God and dedicated leadership of the late Rev. J. W. Seal, a second building of wood frame was erected. A few of the church officers during that time included the late Hamp Harley, Sr., trustee Pro-Tem; the late Joseph Gladden, secretary; the late William Salley, treasurer; and the late Luther Mintz, Sr., steward treasurer.

     Other prominent leaders included the late Thomas Rumph, the late Lonnie Rumph, the late Rev. Frank Harley, Sr., the late Annie Amaker Harley, the late Carrie Amaker, the late Emma Harley Mintz, the late Marcillar Rumph Gladden, the late Annie Amaker, the late Pansy Saylor, the late Essie Culcleasure Heatley, the late Bertha L. Willis Hook, the late Isadore Harley, Sr., the late Clifton Gladden, Sr., the late Solie Surgick, the late Jim Murchison, the late William Murchison, the late Luvenia Murchison, the late James Harley, Sr., the late Eugene Harley, the late Idella Hook Harley, the late Nathaniel Heatley, Sr., the late Hattie Brimfield, the late Gracie Harley Knotts, the late Saul Hickson, and Sister Eloise Gladden.

     Once again, St. Peter was destroyed; this time by fire. The third church, which currently exists, was completed in 1965 under the leadership of the late Rev.  Isaiah S. Felder.  Renovations to the building were completed in July 2004 under the leadership of the late Rev. J. Arthur McDonald.

Notable officers and their positions beginning in 1960 through the present include:

     Steward Board consisting of the late Tom W. Hall, Pro-Tem; Bernice Sabb Pinckney, Treasurer; Calvin Knotts, Secretary; Spencer Caldwell, the late Floyd Hall, Vernon Hampton, the late James Harley, Sr., Johnny C. Jones, Margaret L. Jones, Church Secretary; Mary Yon Harley, Roy Colter, James Harley, Jr., Russell S. Jones, Christopher Harley, Thawaunda Harley, Veronica Mintz McRae,  Reginal Jones, Teretha Sabb Mitchell, and Nannette White Sabb.  Current 2021 Stewards: Christopher Harley, Londrae Knotts, Pro Tem, Tanya R. Mintz,  Gloria Knotts Moore, Gerod M. Scott and Bernard Harley.

     Trustee Board consisting of the late Floyd Hall, Pro-Tem; the late Mary Yon Harley, Secretary; Cecil Calvin Knotts, the late Eugene Harley, Johnny C. Jones, Margaret L. Jones, Isabella Harley Williams, Assistant Secretary; the late Cecil Knotts, Christopher Harley, Curtis Harley, Isadore Harley, Jr., the late James Harley, Sr., Shirley Harley-Smith, the late Tom W. Hall, Spencer Caldwell, James Harley, Jr., Russell S. Jones, Bernice Sabb Pinckney and the late Curtis Harley. Current 2021 Trustees: Isadore Harley, Jr., James E. Harley, Willie Harley, Pro Tem, Leroy Jones, Cecil Calvin Knotts, Ruby Knotts Stewart and Isabella Harley Williams.

     Deaconesses: The late Idella Hook Harley, the late Gracie Harley Knotts, the late Vertell Mintz Lykes, the late Willa Dean Rumph Baxter Anderson, and the late Mary Yon Harley.   Current 2021 Deaconess: Bernice Sabb Pinckney.

     Women’s Missionary Society - the late Mary Yon Harley, the late Vertell Mintz Lykes, Eloise Gladden, Mary Bowen Knotts, the late Gracie Harley Knotts, Ruby Knotts Stewart, Betty Jo Jones, Treasurer, and Thawaunda Harley.  Current 2021 WMS Officers: Angela White Harley, President, Mildred Gates Scott, 1st Vice President, Sylvia Kelly Harley, 2nd Vice President, Beverly Wright, Secretary, Janice Hook Haynes, Asst. Secretary, Dianne Mintz Hook, Treasurer, Carolyn Mintz Wright, Asst. Treasurer, and Isabella H. Williams, Parliamentarian.

     Sunday School Staff – The late Gracie Harley Knotts, Superintendent; Marilyn Gladden Mickens, Assistant Superintendent; and Shalonya Knotts-Holiday, Secretary. Persons serving as Sunday School Teachers include Marilyn Mickens, Cecil Calvin Knotts, Thawaunda Harley, Mary Yon Harley, Vernon Hampton, Annie Harley Jenkins and Zareatha Harley. Current 2021 Sunday School Staff:  Isadore Harley, Jr., Supt., Thawaunda Harley, Asst. Supt. and Sunday School Teachers, Vernon Hampton, Ruby Knotts Stewart, and Gloria Knotts Moore.

​     Church Sextons - the late Cecil Knotts and Bernice Sabb Pinckney. Current 2021 Church Sexton: Isadore Harley, Jr.

​     Stewardess Board members include Eloise Gladden, Treasurer; the late Pearl Dantzler Hair, Willa Dean Rumph Baxter, Vernell Rowe Caldwell, Jacqueline Y. Jones, Gloria Knotts Moore, Rose Caldwell, and Ruth Caldwell Evans. Current 2021 Stewardesses:   Sylvia Kelly Harley (President), Ruby Knotts Stewart (Secretary),Mary Harley Stack, Shalonya Knotts Holiday, Annie Harley Jenkins, Toisy Harley Howell, Isabella Harley Williams, Betty Jo Jones, Mildred Gates Scott, Carolyn Wright, and Mary Bowen Knotts.

     Lay members were the late Nathaniel Heatley, President, the late Vertell Mintz Lykes, Secretary; the late James Harley, Sr., Treasurer; Rhuebell Jones, and Isadore Harley, Jr. Current 2021 Lay Officers: Cecil Calvin Knotts, President, James E. Harley, Vice President, and Ruby Knotts Stewart, Secretary.

     Class Leaders included the late Eugene Harley (Mentor Leader), the late Cecil Knotts, the late Vernell Hook Mintz, the late Vertell Mintz Lykes, the late James Harley, Sr., the late Floyd Hall, the late Gracie Harley Knotts, Vernell Rowe Caldwell, and Marilyn Gladden Mickens. Current 2021 Class Leaders: Christopher Harley, Isadore Harley, Jr., Annie Harley Jenkins, Cecil Calvin Knotts, Gloria Knotts Moore, and Gerod M. Scott

     St. Peter published its first newsletter, The Informer News, under the leadership of Rev. John G. Davis.  The news letter was staffed by the late Tom W. Hall, Advisor; Miriam Jones Evans, Editor; Russell S. Jones, Recreation Reporter; Jacqueline Y. Jones, Education Reporter; Margaret L. Jones, Church Reporter; and Johnny C. Jones, Retiree’s Reporter. Delphine Scott served as the newsletter editor April 2013 - October 2014.  Former First Lady Sharon Byrd  served as the newsletter editor December 2016 through November 2018.  Current 2021 Newsletter Reporter: Sylvia Kelly Harley

     St. Peter launched its first website on August 18, 2013, under the leadership of Rev. Wanda Y. Rapley. Under the leadership of Rev. Benjamin K. Sims, the church went on to expand its presence on the world wide web through its social media outreach ministry on Facebook, You Tube, Twitter, and Instagram.  Current 2021 Social Media and Website Manager: Delphine H. Scott 

     Other ministries include the Sons of Allen, Young People's Division, Usher Board, Pastoral Care, Medical Team, the Male Chorus, the Anointed Expressions Choir, the Voices of Victory Youth Choir, the former Musical Choir, the Spirit of Praise Mass Choir and the Praise Dancers.

     St. Peter has been blessed with several fine Pastors - a few of which include: Rev. McDuffie, Rev. McFadden, Rev. McGill, Rev. Mitchell, Rev. Oliver, Rev. Young, Rev. Brown, Rev. James, Rev. Gallishaw, Rev. G. G. Gamble, Rev. Smith, Rev. I. S. Taylor, Rev. Scott, Rev. Dixon, Rev. Isaiah S. Felder, Rev. Cupid C. Shaw, Rev. John G. Davis, Rev. Joseph D. Seawright, the late Rev. William O. Vance, the late Rev. J. Arthur McDonald, Rev. Jacqueline Hurston,  Rev. Sylvester Morton, Rev. Barbara Chisolm, Rev. Wanda Y. Rapley,  Rev. Benjamin K. Sims, Sr. and Rev. Johnny R. Byrd.

     Our church has also been blessed to have two church members enter the ministry.  Licentiate Zareatha Harley entered the ministry under the leadership of Rev.  Sylvester Morton in 2011.  Licentiate Michael Buckson entered the ministry under the leadership of Rev. Benjamin K. Sims, Sr. in 2015.

     Today’s church is under the leadership of Rev. Anthony Washington who was appointed pastor on Nov. 11, 2018  We pray that God continues to bless and guide our great church. We have grown a lot since our beginning and are thankful for our blessings. We are grateful that God has given us strength and courage to endure. By maintaining true faith, we can weather any storm. We look forward to Sunday, May 16, 2021, when we celebrate our 154th church anniversary!