Clergymen and Church Elders
Thomas James
The A.M.E. Zion Church located on Pencil Hill Road in New Paltz has a history spanning over four decades. The church was staffed by dozens of ministers who held mass for the New Paltz Black community and were in charge of organizing religious and social events. The A.M.E. Zion Church of New Paltz was established during the general A.M.E. Zion Church’s expansion in the Northeast.
Over the plus 40 years the church existed, several ministers and clergymen would visit from New York and various locations around the Americas to hold mass and/or assist the leading ministers at the time. Of the dozens of ministers involved in the church’s decades long operation in the area, four prominent reverends stood out. These include Rev. J. R. B. Smith, Rev. Charles R. Moody, Rev. E. S. Prime, and the distinguished Reverend Thomas James. Reverends and leading clergymen would lead their parish in prayers, baptisms, religious holidays and social events; they would also be in charge of organizing quarterly church meetings regarding business and the occasional “love feasts.” Many ministers received praise for their great work at the church like Rev. Charles Moody and Rev. Thomas James, while others had a problematic relationship with the board such as Rev. Anthony Jackson.
Below is an extensive list of reverends and leading clergymen during the A.M.E. Zion Church of New Paltz multigenerational history. The dates represent the first and often the only date the person is listed.
- Rev. Clift, 1871-08-03
- Elder Wakely, 1871-08-03
- Rev. Anthony Jackson, 1872-05-30
- Elder Kennedy, 1873-08-14
- Rev. Bishop Clinton, 1874-01-08
- Rev. Thomas James, 1874-07-02
- Rev. Cyrus Oliver, 1875-08-05
- Rev. Joseph Barecroft, 1876-09-07
- Rev. M. Brocroft, 1877-02-08
- Elder Ross, 1877-08-02
- Rev. Roker, 1882-01-20
- Rev. J. R. B. Smith, 1882-05-24
- Charles R. Moody, 1873-09-28
- George H. Miles, 1883-01-24
- Rev. E. S. Prime, 1883-05-25
- William H. Decker, 1883-11-07
- Bishop S. T. Jones, 1885-07-24
- Rev. W. H Pringle, 1888-05-02
- Rev. R. A. Brown, 1888-10-24
- Rev J.W. Hood, 1890-07-30
- Rev. J. H Smith, 1890-10-15
- A.M. Walker, 1894-07-26
- Mrs. Perrin Reynolds, 1896-03-13
- Rev. C.H. Williams, 1896-06-04
- Rev. Reginald Greene, 1899-05-26
- Henry Taylor, 1900-07-06
- Rev. Fairfax, 1900-08-31
- Rev. Mr. Franklin, 1900-09-07
- Rev. Wm. E. Wright, 1906-06-15
- Rev. John W. Coleman, 1907-08-23
- Rev. Edwards, 1910-10-14
- Rev. J.F. Braam, 1910
- Rev. George Griffin, 1915-06-30