A BRIEF HISTORY OF

 SCOTT MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 

On April 1, 1909, the first black Methodist Episcopal Church in Michigan, Scott Memorial, was organized by Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Henson.  The charter members were: Mr. and Mrs. Harvey F. Henson, the Henson Children, Mr. and Mrs. Newbly, Mr. and Mrs. Cabiness, Mrs. Alice Thomas and Mr. And Mrs. Floyd Mae.  Mrs. Annabelle Henson proposed the new church be named for Bishop Isaiah B. Scott. Bishop Scott was one of the first black bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

In 1914, a house located on Beacon Street between Beaubien and St. Antoine was purchased and converted into a suitable place of worship. Later, a lot was purchased on Beaubien between Superior Avenue and Alexandrine Street. A new church building was constructed on the site and the cornerstone was laid in August 1914.  In the early twenties, Scott Memorial was one of the leading churches in Detroit. The membership grew to over one thousand members. It was known as the "MotherChurch" because it had given birth to Berea, Second Grace and St. Paul Methodist Episcopal Churches. 

In October 1929, Scott moved into a new church home located at 609 East Kirby.  The following year, Scott hosted the annual meeting for Lexington Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  In the latter part of the 20th century, Scott Church found itself in need of a new church home.  A new facility, located at 10372 West Chicago Boulevard, was purchased.  The building was valued at $800,000, but through the tireless work of pastor and key members, Scott purchased the new building for $1.00.

In 1968, the MethodistChurchand the EvangelicalUnitedBrethrenChurchmerged creating the UnitedMethodistChurch.  Scott Church, as with other churches, changed its name to ScottMemorialUnitedMethodistChurchin order to reflect its new denominational affiliation.  In 2001, Scott Church experienced a devastating fire that completely destroyed the sanctuary.  God’s Grace abounded and the church began joint worship services with the Calvary United Methodist church. 

After leaving Calvary, Scott again found open doors at the RedfordUnitedMethodistChurchwhile we searched for a new church home.  On December 1, 2005, Scott Church found, purchased and relocated to our current edifice at 15361 Plymouth Road.  With the grace of God, Scott Church has experienced phenomenal growth since moving into our new edifice.  Indeed, God is not done with Scott church and we are confident that the best days for our church are yet to come.  

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BISHOP ISAIAH BENJAMIN SCOTT(1854-1931)

Isaiah Benjamin (I.B) Scott, Black Methodist Episcopal pastor, presiding elder, college president, newspaper editor, and missionary bishop, the Scott, was born in Midway, Woodford County, Kentucky, on September 30, 1854. His father had been a carpenter and also worked with the underground railroad. Although his mother and some of his siblings had been slaves, both his parents were freed before the Civil War. After his father's death in 1866, Scott's mother took her children to Austin Texas, to rejoin her five children who has been taken there as slaves.

Scott was educated at home and at public and private schools. After a college preparatory course at Clark Seminary (now ClarkCollege) in Atlanta, Georgia(1874-77), he received his A.B. in 1880 from the Theological Department of Central Tennessee College (now WaldenUniversity) in Nashville, Tennessee. There he married Martha (Mattie) Jane Evans on May 24, 1881. Of their six children three survived childhood. Scott received an A.M. in 1883 from CentralTennesseeCollegeand a D.D. in 1893 from New OrleansUniversity.

He began his ministry on the Nashville Circuit of the Tennessee Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, North. In 1881 he transferred to the Texas Conference, where he was ordained a deacon in 1882 and an elder in 1884. His Texasministry included TrinityChurchin Houston(1881-82), St. Paul's in Galveston(1883) and Ebenezer in Marshall(1886). In 1884-85 he was supernumerary while teaching at Prairie View State Normal and IndustrialCollege, and he was presiding elder of the MarshallDistrictfrom 1887 to 1890 and the Houston District in 1891-92.

In 1893 the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church chose Scott to be the first black president of WileyCollegein Marshall. From its beginning in 1873 the school for black students had been led by white presidents. Wiley was deeply in debt because of the building program of Scott's predecessor, P.A. Cool, and the panic of 1893. Since the school‘s poor students depended heavily on financial aid, Wiley's income decline from $14,297 in 1892 to $4,674 in 1987 led to an attendance drop from 425 (1892-93) to 277 (1895). In troubled economic conditions Scott made a major contribution by keeping Wiley open and laying the foundation for the outstanding, nearly half-century career of his successor, Matthew Winfred Dogan.

In 1896 the church's General Conference named Scott editor of the Southwestern Christian Advocate in New Orleans, Louisiana, a post he held for eight years. This paper for black Methodists covered local to international events.  Scott's editorials consistently supported the Republican party, attacked racial discrimination, and condemned Iynching, against which he urged his readers to arm themselves for self-defense or in retaliation, if necessary.

 In 1904, Scott became the first and only black Methodist Episcopal missionary bishop chosen without racial designation by a General Conference in the United States. He served in Monrovia, Liberia, where his bishopric was quite successful. He returned to Nashville, Tennessee, to live near his wife's parents and remained active in local chair affairs until his death on July 4, 1931.

  

 

 

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BISHOP ISAIAH BENJAMIN SCOTT(1854-1931)

Isaiah Benjamin (I.B) Scott, Black Methodist Episcopal pastor, presiding elder, college

president, newspaper editor, and missionary bishop, the youngest of fourteen children of Samuel

Benjamin and Polly (Anderson) Scott, was born in Midway, Woodford County, Kentucky, on September

30, 1854. His father had been a carpenter and also worked with the underground railroad. Although his

mother and some of his siblings had been slaves, both his parents were freed before the Civil War. After

his father's death in 1866, Scott's mother took her children to Austin Texas, to rejoin her five children

who has been taken there as slaves.

Scott was educated at home and at public and private schools. After a college preparatory course

at Clark Seminary (now Clark College) in Atlanta, Georgia (1874-77), he received his A.B. in 1880 from

the Theological Department of Central Tennessee College (now Walden University) in Nashville,

Tennessee. There he married Martha (Mattie) Jane Evans on May 24, 1881. Of their six children three

survived childhood. Scott received an A.M. in 1883 from Central Tennessee College and a D.D. in 1893

from New Orleans University. He began his ministry on the Nashville Circuit of the Tennessee Conference

of the Methodist Episcopal Church, North. In 1881 he transferred to the Texas Conference, where he was

ordained a deacon in 1882 and an elder in 1884. His Texas ministry included Trinity Church in Houston

(1881-82). St. Paul's in Galveston (1883), and Ebenezer in Marshall (1886). In 1884-85 he was

supernumerary while teaching at Prairie View State Normal and Industrial College, and he was presiding

elder of the Marshall District from 1887 to 1890 and the Houston District in 1891-92.

In 1893 the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church

chose Scott to be the first black president of Wiley College in Marshall. From its beginning in 1873 the

school for black students had been led by white presidents. Wiley was deeply in debt because of the

building program of Scott's predecessor, P.A. Cool, and the panic of 1893. Since the school‘s poor

students depended heavily on financial aid, Wiley's income decline from $14,297 in 1892 to $4,674 in

1987 led to an attendance drop from 425 (1892-93) to 277 (1895). In troubled economic conditions

Scott made a major contribution by keeping Wiley open and laying the foundation for the outstanding,

nearly half-century career of his successor, Matthew Winfred Dogan. In 1896 the church's General

— Conference named Scott editor of the Southwestern Christian Advocate in New Orleans, Louisiana, a

post he held for eight years. This paper for black Methodists covered local to international events.

Scott's editorials consistently supported the Republican party, attacked racial discrimination, and

condemned Iynching, against which he urged his readers to arm themselves for self-defense or in

retaliation, if necessary.

_ In 1904, Scott became the first and only black Methodist Episcopal missionary bishop chosen

  without racial designation by a General Conference in the United States. He served in Monrovia, Liberia,

  where his bishopric was quite successful. He returned to Nashville, Tennessee, to live near his wife's

  parents and remained active in local chair affairs until his death on July 4, 1931. 

LKHUUI 

 

THE PASTORAL LEGACY OF

SCOTT MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

 

1909-1910 Rev. J.H. Payne

1910-1911 Rev. W.O. Calvest

1911-1912 Rev. B.F. Smith

1912-1913 Rev. J.H. Payne

1913-1914 Rev. B.W. Kirtley

1914-1918 Rev. H.B. Mays

1918-1921 Rev. S.H. Sweeney

1921-1923 Rev. G.G. Buckner

1923-1925 Rev. G.R. Bryant

1925-1931 Rev. B.F. Smith

1931-1932 Rev. LB. Robinson

1932-1938 Rev. E.W. Kelly

1938-1945 Rev. H.M. Carroll

1945-1948 Rev. W.H. Williams

1948-1952 Rev. D.P. Young

1952-1961 Rev. Alfred Clay

1961-1969 Rev. C.T.R. Nelson

1969-1977 Rev. Dr. Donald Scavella

1977-1980 Rev. George Rice

1980-1987 Rev. Dr. Quincy Cooper

1987-1992 Rev. Anthony Shipley

1992-2001 Rev. Dr. Andrew A. Allie

2001-2005 Rev. Joyce E. Wallace

2005-present Rev. Dr. Anthony R. Hood