The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1916-04-08
SHORT INTERESTING HISTORY OF
THE FORMATION AND THE
DEVELOPMENT OF QUINN CHA

DEVELOPMENT OF QUINN CHA
PEI.
"How dear to my heart are the
scenes of my childhood.
| 1t must be that these familiar lines
ran through the thoughts of Joseph
ID. Hudlun as he wendell his way along
Van Buren, Street recently, for Mr..
Hudlun is an old-timer in Chicago, and
his attention was attracted by the raz-
ing of one of the old landmarks of this
city, a building which used to be the
House of Worship for the cream of
the Colored folk of Chicago.
Quinn Chapel, for a number of years
was located on Fourth Avenue, south
of Van Buren, Street, close to the bust
ness center of this great city, and
with the demolition of this building,
goes about the last of the old, old
landmarks of the Colored people as
well.
Away back in 1874, that eventual
year in which people began to exam
Inc if they were in the Faith, the year
when men in all parts of the world
rose up simultaneously, to preach a
new yet world old theology, here in
Chicago the Colored people began to
meet from house to house to worship
and "speak often one to another"
These people formed what has ever
since been known as Quinn's Chapel,
and was among the very first A. NJ.
E. Churches in this country.
The names of the founders should
be household names for the race and
held always in reverence and loving
memory. They were John and Mary
Collins, Frederick and Maria Parker,
Caroline Parker, Clement Johnson;
Isom and Rebecca Isaacs, William and
Delilah Lucas, Rev. A. T. Hall and
wife Joanna, Brother and Sister Cor
don, Brother Day, Brother Sparrow,
Sister Sublett and Sister Bowman.
They carried on their house to house
worship for a period of three years
under the leadership of John Collins,
father of Mrs. J. @. (RacheD Grant,
Mrs. Grant now being the oldest iv-
/ ing member of Quinn Chapel in Chi
cago.
In 1S47 they began worshiping in
their first church edifce with Rev. A.
T. Hall, now of Batavia, Ill, Pastor,
where they remained until routed by
the great fire of 1871, when they went
south on Fourth Avenue to Taylor
Street and remained until again routed
by the fire of 1874. Taking up their
abode temporarily in Union Hall at
Monroe and Clark Sts., and later on
Third Ave-, near Van Buren, in a
Store, they finally built the above men
toned edifice under the pastorage of
Reverend Jioner and continued in it
from 1876 until the growing business
of Chicago forced them to move further
south to their present abode, Oath and
Wabash Ave.
One can readily see how Quinn
Chapel, the Mother of the Colored
Churches in Chicago, drawing to it as
it did, the oldest families, having
watchcare over generation after gene
ration of our Colored population, would
attract the attention of the son of one
of the pioneer families, for the Hud-
luns, the McIntoshes, the Collins, the
Fultons, the Randalls, the Halls, the
Platts, the Grays, the Moodys, Jones,
Knightens, Berrys, Atkinsons, Thomas
es and a number too numerous to men
ton here made up the substantial
early settlement of Chicago's Negro
population.
Through Mr.. Porter, his brother-in-
law, Mr.. Hudlun was able to arrange
with the Contractor, Mr.. Anderson for
procuring the Box deposited at the
laying of the Cornerstone and he had
invited a Committee of ladies whom
he felt would have a peculiar interest,
to be present and secure the box and
contents. Mrs. bessie Sublett, Mrs.
Clara Ellison, Mrs. Woodland, Mrs.
Townsend, Deaconesses of Quinn Cha
pei, together with Mrs. E. Stevens,
Mother Brown and Mrs. J. s. Porter,
his sister, were of that Committee, but
delays in reaching the Stone and its
sudden requirement, made it impossi-
BILE to reach them all at the desired
moment which was much regretted.
The Hymn Book which was found
in the Cornerstone has the name of
Rachel Collins inscribed on the fly leaf
and belonged to Mrs. ]. Q. Grant. Mr..
Anderson, the Contractor is collector
of rare coins and had reserved the
right to keep any if found in the box,
L. l. L. 60