Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church

Rev. Troy Grimes, Pastor

70198 Martin Luther King Drive

P.O. Box 55

Tangipahoa, La, 70465

www.quinnchapelchurch.org

www.quinnchapel@hughes.net

Historic Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church

(1840-Present)

Our History

In the year of our Lord, 1840,a group of God-fearing dedicated Christian (men and women) decided that there should be an African Methodist Episcopal Church in the Village of Tangipahoa, Louisiana.  They began to worship under a bush arbor,two miles west of town. Rev. Charles Andrews was the pastor in charge at that time.  Some of the members who began this Christian journey were: Bros Alex Wilson, Ike Bickham, Ed Armstead, John Tate, Louis Pool, Jim Strickland and Sisters  Nora Foster, Ella Tate, Francis Bickham and many others.

About 1849,the church moved  to a three and a half acre site donated by Mrs. Ora Lillie.  A building was erected on this site,which later became the cemetery.  Our records do not reflect who was in charge at that time.  About 1864, the church was moved again and was located at the present site in the Village of Tangipahoa.  During this period, it was pronounced that all churches in the AME Connection should be honored with a name.  Rev. Quinn was serving the charge at that time, and with his congregation  he built the first small frame building.  Therefore the church was named Quinn Chapel AME Church.

1880, Rev.W.A. Eastern w as appointed to the Quinn Chapel charge. The congregation had outgrown the smaller building built by Rev, Quinn, so under the leadership of Rev. Eastern, a larger wood frame church was built.  In 1938, tragedy struck Quinn Chapel! The beautiful,old wood structure was destroyed by fire.  Following that event, the congregation held its Sunday Worship Services in  the Tangipahoa Colored School.

Three other churches were built to house Quinn Chapel’s congregation since that time.  Following the fire, and under the administration of Rev. S.T. Huston, a new wood frame edifice was completed.  Rev. Steward and Rev. Haughton served as pastors at that this time, and the Rev.Whitfield was our Presiding Elder.  The first brick building was constructed in 1965 by Rev. T.H. Terry.  Rev. Elijah Nelson and Rev. Johnson served as Presiding  Elders.  Some of the ministers that pastured Quinn Chapel were: Rev. Foster, Rev. Paul Exkano, Rev. Lorenzo Clark, Rev. Robert S. Hall, Rev. Otis S. Lewis, Rev. Nelson Taylor. Rev. Joseph Pitts, Rev. Herbert Spears, Rev. Bernard Gibson, Rev. Nathaniel Cyprian built our present structure in 1994, Rev. Marshall Holiday Jr., Rev. Russell Obee, and our current pastor Rev. Troy T. Grimes.