We honor and respect these many persons of color whose names appear herein We include records of life events of persons of color that took place within the church. Listing these person by name allows us to tell a more complete story of St. Margaret’s Church, especially it’s first 172 years under slavery and it’s following three-quarters of a century living with the inequalities of racial separation. We are now free to tell a story that is neither African-American history nor St. Margaret’s Church history. It is OUR history. Our history that has stepped out of unseen hand written pages and into this digital record.
Baptism, Marriage & Burial: A Summary of Colored Services Conducted by Clergy of St. Margaret’s Church 1846-1938
Summary Colored Services Conducted by Clergy of St. Margaret’s Church 1803-1938
No records of enslaved persons appear in the histories of St. Margaret’s Church until the 1800s. It is nearly impossible to report what may have occurred before 1827. This parish lost most records in the 1803 fire that destroyed the second church and left St. Margaret’s without a church building until 1827 ca.
The parochial report for 1825 apparently includes five colored baptisms (the first such reporting) and the accuracy of this report is highly questionable. The parish reported no other baptisms, marriages, and confirmations in 1825 — a year when the parish had no rector and no church building.
1832, responding to the 1831 Nat Turner Rebellion, Maryland barred persons of African descent from holding religious meetings unless a white minister was present.
In 1844, according to the Rev. Orlando Hutton, rector, St. Margaret’s Church clergy performed 16 colored baptisms, and five colored marriages. There is no information about where these services were held.
Extending sacraments and pastoral care to persons of African descent would continue in 1846 when the Rev. Samuel Ridout, M.D. became rector, serving as rector until the close of 1860. According to annual parochial reports submitted by Dr. Ridout to the (Episcopal) Diocese of Maryland, he conducted these services at unknown locations (likely private services and not inside the church building.
- 1846 three baptisms
- 1847 seven baptisms, one marriage
- 1848 12 baptisms
- 1849 nine baptisms, one burial
- 1850 seven baptisms
- 1852 nine baptisms, two burials
- 1853 20 baptisms, four burials
- 1854 19 baptisms, two marriages
- 1855 13 baptisms, six marriages
- 1856 nine baptisms three marriages
- 1857 16 baptisms, two marriages
In 1864, St. Margaret’s Church clergy apparently conducted colored services that included 10 baptisms, four marriages, two burials. Little information is available about who conducted these services and where they were held. No dates are available, consequently we cannot know whether they occurred before of after November 1, 1864. Perhaps ongoing research regarding St. Margaret’s Church clergy at the time will provide additional information.
After 1864 only three baptisms and four marriages of persons of African descent appear until Dr. Ridout returns to St. Margaret’s Church as rector in 1870.
St. Margaret’s register shows Dr. Ridout conducted services for persons of African descent who were not members of St. Margaret’s from 1870 until just before his death in 1885, including two baptisms at the then Asbury Broadneck African Methodist Episcopal Church and two weddings at his Whitehall home.
- 1867 Marriage 1
- 1870 Baptism 1; Marriage 2
- 1871 Baptism 4; Burial 5
- 1872 Baptism 1
- 1873 Baptism 3
- 1874 Baptism 7; Marriage 5; Burial 1
- 1875 Marriage 1
- 1876 Baptism 4; Marriage 5
- 1877 Baptism 5; Marriage 3
- 1878 Baptism 9; Marriage 4 ;Burial 4
- 1879 Baptism 2; Marriage 3; Burial 3
- 1880 Baptism 5; Marriage 2; Burial 1
- 1881 Baptism 1
- 1882 Baptism 9; Marriage 4
- 1883 Baptism 2; Marriage 2
- 1884 Baptism 1; Marriage 1
- 1886 Baptism 4; Marriage 1
- 1887 Marriage 2; Burial 1
- 1888 Marriage 3; Burial 2
- 1889 Baptism 5; Marriage 1; Burial 3
- 1890 Baptism 1; Marriage 4; Burial 2
- 1891 Baptism 3; Burial 2
- 1892 Baptism 2; Marriage 4; Burial
- 1898 Baptism 1
- 1900 Baptism 2
- 1901 Baptism 7; Marriage 1
- 1902 Baptism 13; Marriage 3
- 1903 Baptism; 1 Marriage 3
- 1904 Baptism 8
- 1906 Baptism 1
- 1907 Baptism 4
- 1908 Marriage 2
- 1909 Baptism 16; Marriage 6
- 1910 Baptism 5; Marriage 2
- 1911 Baptism 4; Marriage 1
- 1912 Baptism 8
- 1913 Baptism 5
- 1919 Baptism 1
- 1920 Baptism 2
- 1921 Baptism 3
- 1924 Baptism 2
- 1925 Baptism 2; Marriage 1
- 1926 Baptism 1
- 1928 Marriage 1
- 1930 Marriage
- 1932 Marriage
- 1933 Baptism 1
- 1935 Baptism 1
- 1937 Baptism 3
- 1938 Baptism 4
- 1939 Marriage 1 ???? Baptism 2