The History of Allen Chapel

The History of Allen Chapel. . , Black settlers came to Lancaster as early as 1810. Because of segregation, blacks couldn't attend white churches and schools., In 1814, Emmanuel Carpenter gave the black people a strip of land between Pearl Avenue and High Street. The Baptist denomination built a log cabin which stood in the center of what is now Walnut Street but were unable to sustain it. In 1825, Scipio Smith, a former Virginia slaved, along with other black citizens, formed the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. Scipio, a one-legged tinsmith, became the first minister., In 1869, the AME congregation received help from the City of Lancaster and other private citizens to build a permanent two-story building that faced High Street. The first floor was used for a school and the second floor was the sanctuary for church services. A quit-claim deed was granted tot he congregation by the City on November 19th, 1889. The deed stated the land could not be sold and must be used for church and/or school purposes only., In 1903, a parsonage was built at the corner of Pearl Avenue and Walnut Street (this was later razed in 1986). In 1914, the church was moved to its present location and rotated to face Walnut Street. It also underwent a remodel on the first floor. The school area transitioned to a Sunday School and dining/social room. The two rooms once used as living quarters for the ministers were turned into a kitchen and an office. The church was also the social center of the black community until the late 1960s with the Civil Rights Movement., In 1981, the members of the church legally withdrew from the AME denomination. The AME conference took the members to court to gain ownership over the property and the church. The case was ultimately settled in the United States Supreme Court which ruled on the quit-claim deed., In 1991, church trustees closed the church without notice. Black and white citizens with the leadership of attorney Terre Vandevoort went to the Fairland County Court to force the trustees to reopen the church. In 1993, the court ruled the church could not be sold, again, according to the quit-claim deed. This decision was upheld in both the Ohio Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court. A three-member board was appointed by the court to assist in the re-establishment of the church. The church was renamed Allen Chapel Church. It is now open to all people regardless of race, to learn more about the word of God., The map below is of Lancaster in 1885. Allen Chapel is circled in black.. , [Captions:] , Scipio Smith , Former Virginia slave and founder of the AME Church in 1825., Youth Choir , Choir on the front steps of Allen Chapel circa 1943., Inside View , Congregation of Allen Chapel in the 2nd floor sanctuary circa 1946., Wedding , Hawkins-Gooden wedding circa 1949., Sunday School , AME Sunday School Class circa 1958., Club Meeting , Members of the "Say and Do" Club meet at the church., NAACP , The NAACP meets at the chapel circa 1969., Parsonage , A parsonage was built in 1903 and used by ministers. It was razed in 1986., Member Photo , The 6th generation of members pose on the front steps of the church in 1992., Congregation , Congregation with Reverend Joseph Yancy in 1992., Chosen Few Choir , Left to Right: Valeria Saunders, Lori Hall, Alan Saunders, Shelly Fletcher, Dollie Hall, Linda Fisher, Deidra Hall, Christening , Reverend Bennett christens a baby in 1998., Saunders Family , Saunders Family with current pastor Evan Saunders (at left) 2021.