Jordan Winston Early facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jordan Winston Early
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| Born | June 17, 1814 Franklin County, Virginia, U.S.
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| Died | November 19, 1903 (aged 89) |
| Occupation | Methodist preacher |
| Known for | Pioneering of African-American Methodism in the United States |
| Spouse(s) | Louisa Carter (1843–1862; death), Sarah Jane Woodson Early (m. 1868–?) |
| Children | 8 |
Jordan Winston Early (born June 17, 1814 – died November 19, 1903) was an important American preacher. He helped spread the Methodist religion, especially for African Americans, in the West and South of the United States. He is known as one of the first leaders of African American Methodism. In 1868, he married Sarah Jane Woodson Early. Together, they worked to spread Methodism and ideas of black nationalism. His wife often taught in the places where he preached.
Early Life and Freedom
Jordan Early was born on June 17, 1814, in Franklin County, Virginia. He was born into slavery. When he was three, his mother died. His aunt, an uncle, and an older woman named "Aunt Milly" helped care for him and his siblings. His uncle even taught him about the stars.
Jordan was sold away from his parents. He became a minister at the young age of 12. In 1826, Jordan and his family were taken to Missouri by the people who enslaved them. In Missouri, Jordan joined the Methodist Church. He gained his freedom in the same year.
Spreading the Methodist Faith
Jordan Early worked on a riverboat that traveled between St. Louis and New Orleans. On the boat, he learned to read and write. A Presbyterian minister and a shipmate taught him. In 1832, he joined the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME Church). He worked hard to start new churches in different towns.
In 1836, Jordan Early became a licensed AME preacher. He helped the church grow in St. Louis, New Orleans, Illinois, Indiana, and Tennessee. By 1838, he was ordained as a deacon. In 1840, Jordan Early and other supporters built the first AME Church in St. Louis.
Family and Later Years
In 1843, Jordan Early married Louisa Carter. They had eight children together, and four of them lived to be adults. The Earlys made sure their children went to Wilberforce University. In 1853, Jordan was licensed as an exhorter, which meant he could encourage people in their faith.
In the late 1850s, Jordan Early traveled around Tennessee to share his faith. He also started AME missions in many Missouri towns. These included Kirkwood, Saint Charles, Roche Port, Washington, Jefferson City, Louisiana, Booneville, Saint Joseph, and Weston. In 1853, he started the Olive Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Kirkwood, Missouri.
Louisa, his first wife, passed away in 1862. On September 24, 1868, Jordan Early married Sarah Jane Woodson Early. They were a well-known couple who worked to spread Methodism and ideas of black nationalism. Sarah often taught in schools wherever Jordan preached. She was a principal in four different cities.
Jordan Early and his wife Sarah stopped working as active ministers in 1888. They retired to Nashville, Tennessee. Sarah wrote a book about her husband's life. It told the story of how he rose from slavery. This book is an important part of stories written by formerly enslaved people after the Civil War.
