Neither Slave Nor Free... : Interracial Ecclesiastical Interaction in Presbyterian Mission Churches from South Carolina to Mississippi, 1818-1877
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University of Mississippi eGrove Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 2013 Neither Slave Nor Free... : Interracial Ecclesiastical Interaction In Presbyterian Mission Churches From South Carolina To Mississippi, 1818-1877. Otis Westbrook Pickett University of Mississippi Follow this and additional works at: https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd Part of the History Commons Recommended Citation Pickett, Otis Westbrook, "Neither Slave Nor Free... : Interracial Ecclesiastical Interaction In Presbyterian Mission Churches From South Carolina To Mississippi, 1818-1877." (2013). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 638. https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/638 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at eGrove. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of eGrove. For more information, please contact [email protected]. “NEITHER SLAVE NOR FREE…” : INTERRACIAL ECCLESIASTICAL INTERACTION IN PRESBYTERIAN MISSION CHURCHES FROM SOUTH CAROLINA TO MISSISSIPPI, 1818-1877. A Dissertation Presented in partial fulfillment of requirements For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy In the Department of History The University of Mississippi by By Otis Westbrook Pickett May 2013 Copyright Otis W. Pickett 2013 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ABSTRACT This research focuses on the efforts of a variety of missionary agencies, organizations, Presbyteries, synods and congregations who pursued domestic missionary efforts and established mission churches among enslaved Africans and Native Americans from South Carolina to Mississippi from 1818-1877. The dissertation begins with a historiographical overview of southern religion among whites, enslaved Africans and Native Americans. It then follows the work of the Rev. Cyrus Kingsbury among the Choctaw, the Rev. T.C. Stuart among the Chickasaw, the Rev. Charles Colcock Jones among enslaved Africans in Georgia and finally investigates the work of the Rev. John Adger and John Lafayette Girardeau among enslaved Africans in South Carolina. Research was gathered from a variety of archives and libraries in South Carolina, Mississippi and Oklahoma including the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture, the South Carolina Historical Society, the South Caroliniana Library, Reformed Theological Seminary Library (Jackson) and The PCA Historical Center and Archives in St. Louis, Missouri. The Western History Collection at the University of Oklahoma was also utilized heavily. The work attempts to examine the mission church as a nineteenth century space for uncommon opportunities with regard to interracial interaction, ecclesiastical equality and education. Further, the work connects postbellum interracial ecclesiastical relationships as firmly rooted in antebellum mission structures. Finally, the unique space of the Presbyterian mission church in the nineteenth century contained an incredibly diverse and ii multiracial congregation, which often challenged entrenched societal notions of racial hierarchy, as well as the institution of slavery, which was so invasive and captivating of the culture. DEDICATION iii I dedicate this dissertation to my wife, Julie Thome Pickett. She is my wonderful, amazing spouse who has supported my throughout graduate school and has been a source of constant encouragement throughout the entire process. Thank you, my dear Julie. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS There are several people and institutions to thank for the completion of this degree and who have supported me along the way. A scholar incurs many debts along the way and is supported my many. I would first like to thank Drs. Paul Anderson, Rod Andrew and Richard Saunders at Clemson University for supporting my undergraduate work and giving me a passion and desire for the study of history. iv I would like to thank Covenant Theological Seminary for supporting me in a MA of Theological Studies and letting me take so many Church History independent studies with Dr. Sean Lucas. I am indebted to Sean for introducing me to nineteenth century Presbyterian history and to helping guide me throughout seminary and into graduate school. I am also thankful to Wayne Sparkman, director of the PCA Historical Center and Archives, who allowed me to work as a graduate assistant in the archives. I learned much valuable knowledge and experience from Wayne and am thankful for him and the important work he is doing to preserve the history of Presbyterians. I would like to thank the College of Charleston for offering me a graduate assistantship at the Avery Center for African American History and Culture, while I was completing my MA in History. I am thankful for Drs. W. Scott Poole, Bernard Powers, David Gleeson and Marvin Dulaney for working with me and supporting me throughout this time. As an advisor, Scott Poole was incredible. He helped prepare my manuscript for a journal publication and was always available to discuss ideas and help with revisions. His careful attention as an MA advisor was second to none. I would also like to thank the DAR Colonial Dames Powder Magazine Scholarship, the Charleston Scientific Cultural and Educational Fund and the Avery Center for their support. I would like to thank the University of Mississippi Department of History for offering me a position to pursue a Ph.D. I would like to thank them for assistantships, graduate instructorships and travel support along the way. I would also like to thank the UM Graduate School for a dissertation writing fellowship. Many thanks also go to Drs. Kim Hartman, Susan McClelland and the Department of Teacher Education in the School of Education at the University of Mississippi who supported me financially and allowed me to teach courses in their department all throughout graduate school. Ellen Foster, a true friend and mentor, was incredibly supportive along the way in helping me navigate a different academic terrain. Dr. Ted Ownby, Dr. Robbie Ethridge and Dr. Nancy Bercaw were wonderful to work with as a dissertation committee and I appreciate all of their work in guiding me through the process. Finally, I would like to thank Dr. Charles Reagan Wilson who was the advisor on my dissertation and was a source of constant support and encouragement. TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract………………………………………………………………………………….. ii Dedication………………………………………………………………………………. iv Acknowledgments………………………………………………………………………. v Introduction……………………………………………………………………………... 1 Chapter I – Historiography of Southern Religion, Slave Missions and Native American Missions………………………………………………………………………………… 20 v Chapter II – Rev. Cyrus Kingsbury, the Elliot Mission and the Choctaw Nation in Mississippi……………………………………………………………………………… 81 Chapter III – Rev. “Father” T.C. Stuart, the Monroe Mission and the Chickasaw Nation in Mississippi………………………………………………………………………….. 152 Chapter IV – The “Father of Slave Missions,” Charles Colcock Jones and the “Gullah Prophet” John Lafayette Girardeau in Antebellum Missionary Activity among Enslaved Africans of Liberty County, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina……………….. 195 Chapter V – Rev. John Lafayette Girardeau, Zion Presbyterian Church and Post-Bellum Ecclesiastical Equality in Charleston, South Carolina………………………………... 255 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………. 297 Bibliography………………………………………………………………………….. 306 Appendices……………………………………………………………………………. 327 vi INTRODUCTION The title of this work is dualistic in nature. It is both a reference to Galatians 3: 28, which says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”1 and also hints at the ecclesiastical status of enslaved Africans and Native Americans in antebellum Presbyterian mission churches. The title is therefore indicative of the biblical principle that all humanity is one. However, the title is also representative of the status of Native Americans and enslaved Africans who attended and became members of some nineteenth century Presbyterian mission churches in the U.S. South and experienced enslavement as well as measured freedoms based on race. For the most part, the enslaved African American men, women and children who attended antebellum Presbyterian mission churches remained exactly that: enslaved. Yet enslavement in these contexts was not like enslavement in other spaces, religious or not, across the southern landscape. As an enslaved member of these mission churches, you were a slave, but more than a slave. You were not free, but you experienced freedoms and “ecclesiastical equalities,” which were not apparent in any other spaces across the U.S. South. Furthermore, in the context of the Choctaw missions, a few enslaved Africans even experienced true freedom. To be sure, there was a complexity and ambiguity to these spaces where abject enslavement and race-based societal mores mixed and walked alongside a variety of uncommon liberties. 1 Galatians 3:28. Bible. English Standard Version. 1 Galatians 3:28 is a passage used both by the apostle Paul to speak to first century Greek Christians in Galatia and later by a young missionary named John Lafayette Girardeau to speak to nineteenth century southern Presbyterians, defending the tenor and thrust of the biblical position on this issue: which is that, in Christ, no human being should have a sub-level status based on his or her race, position in society or gender. According to the Apostle Paul, and to Girardeau interpreting Paul, in Christ, they are all one. Equals. However, the relationship between enslaved