Full Name
Absalom Jones
Date of Birth
November 6, 1746
Place of Birth
Sussex County, Delaware, United States
Date of Death
February 13, 1818
Place of Death
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Education
Self-taught, learned to read and write independently
Spouses Names
Mary King (m. 1770)
Children Names
Not specified in the provided sources.
Parents Names
Not specified in the provided sources.
Known Affiliates Names
Affiliated Organizations’ Names
- African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas (Founder)
- Free African Society (Co-founder)
Personal Life
Absalom Jones was born into slavery on November 6, 1746, in Sussex County, Delaware. He was the property of Abraham Wynkoop, a wealthy planter. Despite the limitations imposed by his enslaved status, Jones taught himself to read using the New Testament as his primer. His intelligence and diligence were apparent from an early age, and he was eventually allowed to attend a night school for black people, where he learned to write.
In 1762, Wynkoop moved Jones to Philadelphia, where he worked as a clerk and handyman in a store. Jones married Mary King, a fellow enslaved person, in 1770, and by 1778 he had purchased her freedom. It took him another eight years to secure his own freedom, which he finally achieved in 1784.
Career
Absalom Jones is most notably recognized for his religious leadership and his role in the abolitionist movement. After his emancipation, he became a lay minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Alongside Richard Allen, he was one of the first African Americans licensed to preach by the Methodist Church.
Jones and Allen founded the Free African Society in 1787, a mutual aid society that is considered the precursor to the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, the first independent black denomination in the United States.
In 1794, Jones founded the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas in Philadelphia, the first black Episcopal church in the country. He was ordained as its first priest in 1804, making him the first African American priest in the Episcopal Church.
Achievements
Absalom Jones’s achievements are significant in the context of African American history and the broader American religious landscape. He was a pioneering figure in the establishment of black religious autonomy and a vocal advocate for the abolition of slavery.
Jones’s leadership extended beyond the church. During the 1793 yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, he and Richard Allen organized African American volunteers to care for the sick. Their efforts were recognized in a published letter by Dr. Benjamin Rush, a signatory of the Declaration of Independence and a prominent physician, who praised their courage and selflessness.
In 1797, Jones helped establish the African School, an institution for black children that was sponsored by the St. Thomas Church. He was also a petitioner to the U.S. Congress, advocating for the end of the African slave trade and the emancipation of slaves.
Controversies, Myths, Misconceptions
While Absalom Jones is celebrated for his leadership and advocacy, there are no significant controversies, myths, or misconceptions widely documented about his personal reputation. His life and work have been largely viewed through the lens of his contributions to civil rights and religious leadership. However, it is important to note that during his time, he faced systemic racism and discrimination, even within the church, which he worked tirelessly to overcome.
Bibliography
Absalom Jones authored several sermons and addresses, many of which were published. His works include:
- “A Thanksgiving Sermon” (1808)
- “A Sermon, Delivered January 1, 1808” (1808)
- “A Sermon on the Death of Bishop White” (1836)