GEORGIA FREEDMEN MEETING: SAVANNAH, 1865

Minutes of an interview between the colored ministers and church officers of Savannah with the Secretary of War and Major-General Sherman

Headquarters of Major-General Sherman
In the City of Savannah, Ga., Thursday Evening, January 12, 1865 -- 8 p.m.

On the evening of Thursday, the 12th day of January, 1865, the following persons of African descent met, by appointment, to hold an interview with Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War, and Major-General Sherman, to have a conference upon matters relating to the freedmen of the State of Georgia, to wit:


William J. Campbell Aged fifty-one years, born in Savannah; slave until 1849, and then liberated by will of his mistress, Mrs. Mary Maxwell; for ten years pastor of the First Baptist Church of Savannah, numbering about 1,800 members; average congregation, 1,900; the church property, belonging to the congregation (trustees white), worth $18,000
John Cox Aged fifty-eight years, born in Savannah; slave until 1849, when he bought his freedom for $1,100; pastor of the Second African Baptist Church; in the ministry fifteen years; congregation 1,222 persons; church property, worth $10,000, belonging to the congregation
Ulysses L. Houston Aged forty-one years, born in Grahamville, S.C.; slave "until the Union army entered Savannah;" owned by Moses Henderson, Savannah, and pastor of Third African Baptist Church, congregation numbering 400; church property worth $5,000, belongs to congregation; in the ministry about eight years
William Bently Aged seventy-two years, born in Savannah; slave until twenty-five years of age, when his master, John Waters, emancipated him by will; pastor of Andrew's Chapel, Methodist Episcopal Church (only one of that demonination in Savannah), congregation numbering 360 members; church property worth about $20,000 and is owned by the congregation; been in the ministry about twenty five years; a member of Georgia Conference
Charles Bradwell Aged forty years, born in Liberty County, Ga.: slave until 1851; emancipated by will of his master, J.L. Bradwell; local preacher, in charge of the Methodist Episcopal congregation (Andrew's Chapel) in the absence of the minister; in the ministry ten years
William Gaines Aged forty-one years, born in Wilkes County, Ga.; slave “until the Union forces freed me;” owned by Robert Toombs, formerly U.S. Senator, and his brother Gabriel Toombs; local preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church (Andrew's Chapel); in the ministry sixteen years
James Hill Aged fifty-two years, born in Bryan County, Ga.; slave “up to the time the Union army come in;” owned by H.F. Willings, of Savannah; in the ministry sixteen years
Glasgow Taylor Aged seventy-two years, born in Wilkes County, Ga.; slave “until the Union army come;” owned by A.P. Wetter; is a local preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church (Andrew's Chapel); in the ministry thirty-five years
Garrison Frazier Aged sixty-seven years, born in Granville County, N.C.; slave until eight years ago, when he bought himself and wife paying $1,000 in gold and silver; is an ordained minister in the Baptist Church, but, his health failing, has now charge of no congregation; has been in the ministry thirty-five years
James Mills Aged fifty-six years, born in Savannah; freeborn, and is a licensed preacher of the First Baptist Church; has been eight years in the ministry
Abraham Burke Aged forty-eight years, born in Bryan County, Ga.; slave until twenty years ago when he bought himself for $800; has been in the ministry about ten years
Arthur Wardell Aged forty-four years, born in Liberty County, Ga.; slave until “freed by the Union army;” owned by A.A. Solomons, Savannah, and is a licensed minister in the Baptist Church; has been in the ministry six years
Alexander Harris Aged forty-seven years, born in Savannah; freeborn; licensed minister of Third African Baptist Church; licensed about one month ago
Andrew Neal Aged sixty-one years, born in Savannah; slave “until the Union army liberated me;” owned by Mr. William Gibbons, and has been deacon in the Third Baptist Church for ten years
James Porter Aged thirty-nine years, born in Charleston, S.C.; freeborn, his mother having purchased her freedom; is a lay reader and president of the board of wardens and vestry of Saint Stephen's Protestant Episcopal Colored Church in Savannah; has been in communion nine years; the congregation numbers about 200 persons; the church property is worth about $10,000 and is owned by the congregation
Adolphus Delmotte Aged twenty-eight years, born in Svannah; freeborn; is a licensed minister of the Missionary Baptist Church of Milledgeville, congregation numbering about 300 or 400 persons; has been in the ministry about two years
Jacob Godfrey Aged fifty-seven years, born in Marion, S.C.; slave “until the Union army freed me;” owned by James E. Godfrey, Methodist Preacher now in the rebel army; is a class leader and steward of Andrew's Chapel since 1836
John Johnson Aged fifty-one years, born in Bryan County, Ga.; slave “up to the time the Union army came here;” owned by W.W. Lincoln, of Savannah; is class leader and treasruer of Andrew's Chapel for sixteen years
Robert N. Taylor Aged fifty-one years, born in Wilkes County, Ga.; slave “to the time the Union army come;” was owned by Augustus P. Wetter, Savannah, and is class leader in Andrew's Chapel for nine years
James Lynch Aged twenty-six years, born in Baltimore, Md.; freeborn; is presiding elder of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and missionary to the Department of the South; has been seven years in the ministry and two years in the South

Source:
THE WAR OF THE REBELLION: A COMPILATION OF THE OFFICIAL RECORDS OF THE UNION AND CONFEDERATE ARMIES PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR, BY BVT. LIEUT. COL. ROBERT N. SCOTT, THIRD U.S. ARTILLERY AND PUBLISHED PURSUANT TO ACT OF CONGRESS APPROVED JUNE 16, 1880, The US Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1895, Series 1, Volume 47 Part II, Pages 37-39

Submitted by Bob Franks