Henry Evans (preacher)
Henry Evans | |
|---|---|
 Historic marker dedicated to Evans by the North Carolina Highway Historical Marker Program | |
| Born | c. 1760 |
| Died | September 17, 1810 (aged 49–50) Fayetteville, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Occupations | cobbler, preacher |
Henry Evans (c. 1760 – 17 September 1810) was an American free Black Methodist preacher and cobbler who lectured to enslaved black people and built the first Methodist Church in Fayetteville. He is considered to be the "father of Methodism" in the city due to bringing the Methodist church to the area in the pre-Civil War era.[1]
Biography
Early life
Little is known about the life of Evans. Accounts of his life were detailed through the autobiographies of Episcopal bishop William Capers and Reverend James Jenkins during their visit to Fayetteville.[2]: 688
Henry Evans was born to free Black parents sometime in 1760 in Virginia. He converted to Christianity and Methodism and was licensed to preach in that state at an early age.[2]: 688 [3]: 125 He was removed from Virginia and relocated to Doubs Chapel in what is now Forsyth County. He worked as a shoemaker there for about a year but decided to move to Charleston, South Carolina, to improve financially. While on his way there, he was detained in Fayetteville for a few days. During his time in jail, he noticed the lack of religious worship among his fellow black people. Because of this, he stayed in Fayetteville and decided to become a preacher.[2]: 689 [4]: 48
Career in preaching
Evans began to preach to his fellow black people, but the town council prohibited his ability to preach. As a result, he moved out of town and went to the woods and continued to preach. He moved from place to place to escape mob violence by the local citizens, who took matters into their own hands after the council deemed that no law was violated.[5][3]: 125 He persuaded others that his intentions were pure and "begged to be subjected to scrutiny of any surveillance" so that he could be allowed to preach.[3]: 125
Soon, people suspected Evans of preaching to their black servants because they were behaving better than before, changing the opinions of the townspeople and allowing him to preach in town.[3]: 126 Later, white people also joined to listen to his preachings and subsequently helped build a meeting house sometime before 1800.[5][3]: 127 [6]: 169 The meeting house soon got expanded with sheds to accommodate the increasing congregants of both races.[2]: 690 [3]: 127 The chapel was chartered as Evans Chapel in 1801.[1]
Capers claimed that Evans never spoke to a white man with his hat down and never sat in their homes. He also wore clothes that were appropriate for black people at that time.[3]: 128 Lyerly, in her analysis of the experience of black people in the Methodist church, noticed that Evans' actions can be seen as acceptance of the racial hierarchy or as examples of what a black leader has to do to survive in the South.[4]: 49
Death and legacy
Evans soon died on 17 September 1810.[6]: 169 He was buried under the chancel of the meeting house.[7] The Evans Metropolitan AME Zion Church was built on the site of Evans Chapel in 1893 and was named after Evans.[5][8][6]: 169 The North Carolina Highway Historical Marker Program built a marker in Cumberland County in 1977 dedicated to Evans, which reads:[7]
Free black cobbler & minister. Built first Methodist church in Fayetteville. Died 1810. Buried 2 blocks north.
William Capers considered him to be the "father of the Methodist church, white and black, in Fayetteville, and the best preacher of his time in that quarter", likening him to a "Boanerges", a surname given by Jesus to James and John due to their temper.[9][3]: 124 Lyerly claimed that Capers was torn between his respect for Evans and his racism, due to his contradictory portrayal of Evans' personality as humble as well as challenging racial norms. Lyerly also acknowledged Evans' efforts to keep the meeting house open despite racist threats and prohibition, saying that he was not a tool for white authority.[4]: 49
References
- 1 2 Hutson, Beth. "Black history makers: 5 influential figures in Fayetteville's past". The Fayetteville Observer. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
- 1 2 3 4 Armstrong, S. C. (Samuel Chapman); Hampton Institute (1915). The Southern workman. University of Michigan. Hampton, Va., Hampton Institute.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Wightman, Bp William May (1858). Life of William Capers, D.D.: One of the Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South; Including an Autobiography. J. B. M'Ferrin, agent, Southern Methodist publishing house.
- 1 2 3 Lyerly, Cynthia Lynn (1998-09-24). Methodism and the Southern Mind, 1770-1810. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-535424-9.
- 1 2 3 Government; Library, Heritage; October 2022. "Evans, Henry | NCpedia". www.ncpedia.org. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - 1 2 3 Powell, William S. (2000-11-09). Dictionary of North Carolina Biography: Vol. 2, D-G. Univ of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-0-8078-6701-3.
- 1 2 "Henry Evans (I-62) | NC DNCR". www.dncr.nc.gov. 2024-01-02. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
- ↑ "HISTORY". Evans Metro AME Zion. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
- ↑ "Boanerges - Easton's Bible Dictionary Online". Bible Study Tools. Retrieved 2026-07-26.