Biography of Daniel Coker
In view of conditions associated with human slavery it
is not at all strange that definite data with respect to
the birth of a number of colored men, who afterwards
became distinguished, is most difficult to obtain.
However, there can scarcely be any doubt that Daniel
Coker was born in Frederick County, Maryland during the
latter part of the eighteenth century. He was on hand in
sufficient time to be identified with the very ''fathers
of Methodism," in this country. It so happened that a
widowed white woman, Susan Coker, having already a son
by her first husband, took for her second husband a
colored slave. From this "union there was born a colored
boy, who was known, for a long while, as "Isaac Wright."
There grew up an affectionate fondness between the white
and the colored boy, half-brothers. The white son of
Susan Coker positively refused to go to school unless
Isaac accompanied, him.
So Isaac had to go as his "valet." In the long run,
Isaac got more out of the schooling than his white
half-brother. Isaac was very studious, and wonderfully
improved the opportunity. He mastered the higher
branches, as well as the classics. As a result of this
remarkable achievement Isaac became a little seminary of
learning in himself. He ran off and got to New York. He
soon came into contact with Bishop Asbury of the
Methodist Episcopal Church.
In course of time, Bishop Asbury ordained him. Aft
spending some time in New York, he finally made up his
mind to come to Baltimore. But, in the eyes of the lay
of Maryland he was still a slave. He kept in secret in
Baltimore until friends had raised sufficient money with
which to purchase his freedom. With freedom came creased
activity and boldness. For a long while he taught school
in connection with Sharp St. Church. His school
increased from a few pupils, when he began, until it
reached more than one hundred and fifty previous to his
closing of the same. While in this work he became the
author of a financial plan which raised a considerable
sum for Sharp St. Church. He educated a score of the
best educated colored men of that early day, conspicuous
among the number was the Rev. William Douglass,
afterwards rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church,
Philadelphia. But, his real work, that by which his name
will be perpetuated, was the organization of "Bethel
African Church" Baltimore, and, later, the conspicuous
part he took in the organization of the connection of
the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1816.
It was upon the advice and encouragement of Daniel Coker
that a number of persons drew out of Sharp St Church,
and under his direction, organized "Bethel." But we
should have stated that when he ran away to New York in
order to evade slave-hunters, and being returned into
slavery, he discarded the name of ''Isaac Wright" and
assumed that of Daniel Coker. By this he was ever
afterwards known. When the 16 persons assembled in
April, 1816, in the city of Philadelphia to organize the
African Methodist Episcopal Church, Daniel Coker was the
"brain" of that historic convention. All the rest were,
practically, illiterate Coker had the distinction of
being the first colored man ever elected as a Bishop in
America. He was elected Bishop of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church immediately following its formation.
But, the next day he declined the election, and Richard
Allen was thereupon elected to the same office. While
Coker was a brainy man, there was hardly a comparison of
him with Richard Allen along the line of piety and
strong character. As far back as 1810 Daniel Coker
published, in the city of Baltimore, a booklet on the
Slavery Question. The title page runs in the following
language:
A Dialogue between a Virginian and an African
Minister
Written by the Rev. Daniel Coker, a Descendent of
Africa, Minister of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church in Baltimore, Humbly Dedicated to the People of
Color in the United States of America.
This little volume contains about forty-three pages.
After the slavery argument is finished, the writer gives
a ''List of the Names of African Local Preachers" at
that time in the United States. The author also informs
us that the number of African Methodists in the United
States at that period was 31,881.
Dr. Martin R. Delaney gives Coker the credit for
originating the plan followed later by Garrison in the
Abolition Movement.
| In 1820, Daniel Coker
left the country, among the first band of
emigrants, to find a home and untrammeled
freedom in Africa. In one of the early epistles
coming from Liberia, Daniel Coker writes: ''We
have met trials; we are but a handful; our
provisions are running low; we are in a strange,
heathen land; we have not heard from America and
know not whether provisions or people will be
sent out yet thank the Lord, my confidence is
strong in the veracity of his promises. Tell my
brethren to come; fear not; this land is good;
it only wants men to possess it. I have opened a
little Sabbath-school for native children. Oh,
it would do your hearts good to see the little
naked sons of Africa around me. Tell the Colored
People to come up to the help of the Lord. Let
nothing discourage the Society or the Colored
People." |
Upon the death of the regular officer of the colonists,
Mr. Coker was in charge of affairs. Sometime after he
had given up this work, he emigrated from Liberia to the
British colony of Sierra Leon. There he planted a
church; and reared a family. The late Bishop Payne says:
"The building in which his congregation worshiped is
still (in 1852) standing; it is built of stone, and is
one of the largest in the city of Freetown. Besides the
pulpit is a tablet bearing a memorial of his life and
death. Two of his sons grew up to manhood. One of them
became a successful trader with the natives of the
interior, and at his death endowed his father's church;
the other was living as late as 1861, and was then
inspector of police at Sierra Leon."
Maryland
Biographies | Maryland
AHGP
Source: Gazetteer of Maryland,
by Henry Gannett, Washington, Government Printing
Office, 1904.
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