Solomon Wesley United Methodist Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Solomon Wesley United Methodist Church
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 Location in Camden County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Location | 291-B Davistown Road / Asyla Road, Blackwood, New Jersey |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1850 |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century Vernacular |
| NRHP reference No. | 89000241 |
| Added to NRHP | April 10, 1989 |
The Solomon Wesley United Methodist Church is a very old and important church. It is located in Blackwood, New Jersey. This church was built way back in 1850. It is so special that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. This means it is recognized as a place important to the history of the United States.
Contents
What's in a Name? The Church's Address
The church is in Blackwood, which is part of Gloucester Township, New Jersey. The road where the church stands used to have two names: Asyla Road and Davistown Road. On May 23, 1988, the local government decided to make things simpler. They officially changed the road's name to just Davistown Road. So, the church's address became 844 Davistown Road, Blackwood, New Jersey.
A Look Back: History and Design
The Solomon Wesley United Methodist Church is in a community called Davistown. This area started as a family settlement. In 1813, a man named Solomon Davis bought four acres of land. He paid $10.00 for it, which was a lot of money back then!
Solomon Davis and his wife, Reason Valinda Boyer, had eleven children. Over time, the Davis family bought more land. By 1840, their family settlement had grown into a small town. In 1842, a road was built through the area, and it was named Davistown Road.
In 1850, the people of Davistown built their church. Solomon Davis Sr., his son Noble Davis, and his son-in-law Perry Frisby bought the land for the church. For over 160 years, the Solomon Wesley Church has been a place of worship. It has been part of both the African Methodist Episcopal and United Methodist church groups.
The Church Cemetery
Next to the church is a cemetery. Many members of the Davis family are buried there. Also, descendants of Caleb and Christiana Shaw, who were early church members, rest there. The cemetery is also the final resting place for brave soldiers. These include veterans from the American Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II.
Unique Building Style
The church building itself is special because of its design. It shows a style called "mid-19th century vernacular architecture." This means it was built using common local methods and materials from the mid-1800s. It reflects the simple, practical building styles of that time.
The Davistown School
On December 5, 1870, the Davistown School for Colored Children was opened. This school was very important. It was the only school for Black children in the entire county. It was also the only two-story building in the area.
The Davistown church is so important that its picture is one of eight buildings shown around the official seal of Gloucester Township. It is listed on both state and national lists of historic places.
Helping the Church: Restoration and New Beginnings
In the 1990s, members of the church started working to restore it. They fixed up the inside and made plans to repair the outside.
In 2012, the United Methodist Church sold the Solomon Wesley Church. Pastor Toki L. Taylor, from the Fruit of the Spirit Ministries, bought it. The church was then renamed "Fruit of the Spirit Ministries (home of the historic Solomon Wesley United Methodist Church)." Donyale Brown became the church administrator.
Pastor Taylor, along with church elders and members, began raising money. Their goal was to fix up the church building so it could be used again. They received help from Gloucester Township, the Davistown community, and members of the United Methodist Church. A big fundraising event was held from August 31 to September 2, 2012, at the church. On November 18, 2012, the church building was officially dedicated.
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