William Paul Quinn facts for kids
William Paul Quinn (born April 10, 1788 – died February 21, 1873) was an important leader in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME Church). He was born in India and later moved to the United States. The AME Church was the first independent Black church group in the U.S., started in 1816 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. William Paul Quinn became the fourth bishop of this church.
In 1836, Quinn was sent as a missionary to the "Northwest" areas, which included Indiana and Ohio. He also traveled to Illinois and Missouri. He made his home base in Richmond, Indiana. From there, he helped start many AME churches across these states. Because of his great work, he was chosen as a bishop in 1844. In 1849, he became the Senior Bishop, which is a very high leadership position in the church.
Early Life
William Paul Quinn was born in Calcutta, India. He said his family was Indian. One record from 1851 mentioned his mother was from Egypt and his father was from Spain. He learned about Christianity from a Quaker missionary in India. Later, he went to England and took an English name. He moved to the United States around 1808 when he was a young man. He quickly became involved with the AME Church in New Jersey. He was even part of the group that officially started the AME Church as a new church group in 1816.
Church Work and Leadership
Quinn arrived in the U.S. by 1808 and joined the AME Church in New Jersey. He was one of the people who helped create this church group in 1816. It was the first independent Black church group in the United States. He became a deacon in the church in 1818. His wife's name was Mary Jane Quinn.
In 1836, Quinn was sent as a missionary to the Northwest Territory. This meant he traveled all over Indiana and Ohio to start new churches. He also helped create the Brooklyn AME Church in Brooklyn, Illinois. Today, this church is called Quinn's Chapel AME Church. Many people believe it is the oldest AME Church west of the Appalachian Mountains. Brooklyn was an early village settled by Black people, located across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri.
Quinn and his wife settled in Richmond, Indiana. This city became his main base for his missionary travels. He became an elder in the church in 1838. They helped start the Bethel A.M.E. Church in Richmond. They also founded similar churches in other Indiana towns like Dublin, Newport (now Fountain City), and Cambridge City. He was also responsible for starting most of the AME churches in Ohio and Indiana.
Because he was so good at starting churches in the Northwest, the church's main meeting (called the General Conference) chose him as a bishop on May 19, 1844. He became the Senior Bishop of the church in May 1849. He served in this important role until he passed away in Richmond on February 3, 1873. During his time as Senior Bishop, another 47 AME churches were started. These new churches spread from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania all the way to California.
William Paul Quinn was buried at Earlham Cemetery in Richmond.
Legacy and Honors
- Paul Quinn College is a college named after him. It is the oldest historically black college in Texas. It was started in Austin, Texas in 1872 by members of the AME Church. The college was created to educate freedmen, who were formerly enslaved people. Later, the college moved to Waco, Texas. In 1991, Paul Quinn College moved to Dallas, Texas, where it is still located today.
