Rev. Ernestine Mattocks, Pastor

. .

The Speaker.................Rev. Marcus Johnson.................... 22August 1999

In late 1863 an American Missionary Association (AMA) official, George Green was sent to the Beaufort-Morehead City area to see if there was a need for missionary work in that region. He found a real need as well as support for a school. The AMA wanted to provide an education to the recently freedmen. In addition, the missionaries wanted to provide Blacks with religious instruction as well. They soon realized that the ex-slaves needed much more.

The Gray's Map of 1882 shows that two buildings had been erected on the original lot purchased in 1867, then labeled as the "Washburn Seminary" and the "Colored Congregational Church". Probably as a result of the work of Rev. Horace James in his efforts to provide for the Black refgees St. stephens First Congregational Church, as it was later known, and its free school the Washburn Seminary were Beauforts' most highly regarded Black Insitutions of the Reconstruction Period.

Sant Stephens Congregational United Church of Christ is one of the two surviving historic African-American churches today in Beaufort. It is listed in the National Register as a historical site and is part of the Beauforts' Old Homes Tour. As of the writting the wooden structure still stans at 322 Craven Street, Beaufort, North Carolina 27816.

MORE UCC PHOTO OF ATTENDEES