Sale 2503 - Printed & Manuscript African Americana, March 28, 2019

378 378 c   (RELIGION.) The Discipline of the African Union Church in Wilmington, State of Delaware. 43 pages. 12mo, original cloth wrappers, minor wear; moderate dampstaining and minor wear including closed tear on title page; inscribed by original owner Charlotte Hayes on verso of title page. Wilmington, DE: Porter & Naff, 1841 [500/750] This Methodist church was founded by Peter Spencer (1782-1843) in 1805, and has since grown into the 40-congregation African Union First Colored Methodist Protestant Church and Connection. This is the stated second edition of the church’s discipline. It begins with a short history co-written by the founder, followed by a detailed explanation of their theology and religious practice. We trace no other examples of this or the unknown first edition in OCLC or at auction. Later editions from 1867 to 1927 are known. 379 c   (RELIGION.) Peck, Abel; photographer. Carte-de-visite of the Rev. William Seymour, a minister in upstate New York. Albumen photograph, 3 1 / 2 x 2 inches, of an earlier painting, on original mount with photographer’s backmark, captioned “Wm Seymore D.D.” on recto and “Rev. William Seymore, Colored” on verso; minor wear. Newburgh, NY: A. Peck, circa 1860s [600/900] A circa 1860s photograph of a folk-art painting circa 1820s or 1830s. The Rev. William Seymour (1786-1846) was a Methodist minister in Bellvale, Orange County, NY. He was buried at the Vail’s Gate Methodist Cemetery in nearby New Windsor, NY. Here is his story, from Ruttenber & Clark’s 1881 History of Orange County, page 592: “In 1817, William Seymour, a colored man, was licensed to exhort; afterwards he was given a local preacher’s license, and for many years preached in the vicinity of Bellvale. As one of the first laborers under God, his name is remembered by some still living in this place. His home, while here, was at the house of William Wisner. His portrait, gift of Mr. Samuel Wilson, is in the Bellvale parsonage. William Seymour died at the house of Isaac Still, in the town of Monroe. He retired for the night, after a very happy meeting during the evening in the place, and when called for breakfast he was found dead in the bed. The Master came, his work ended, and he entered into rest.” The photographer Abel Peck was at this 117 Water Street address in the 1864 Newburgh directory, and probably beyond. 379