Biography of James Anderson Handy

James Anderson Handy, D. D., Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, was born in Baltimore, Md., on the 22nd day of December, 1826. His mother died when he was about six years of age, leaving five children. He was placed in the care of his uncle who reared him.

When a boy, about seven years of age, he was baptized by the Rev. Peter Schureman. About the same time, he became a member of Bethel Sunday School, and always there-after considered himself a member of the School unto the day of his death. He occupied every position in the Sunday school, from scholar to superintendent.

In 1852 he be-came a full member of the congregation, and filled every office therein, save being a licensed exhorter. Bishop Handy was true and faithful in every position from sexton to Bishop. In due season, he became an elder in the Church, and at the close of the Civil War, was one of the few picked men chosen by Bishop Payne to accompany him in the far South, to open up the work of that Church.

In 1888, he was elected financial secretary of the connection, and purchased and established the present headquarters in the city of "Washington.

In 1802 he was elected a Bishop of his Church. We was also the author of "Scraps'' of Methodist history.'' He was a strong character, and universally beloved, but nowhere more than in Baltimore, his own native city, where, full of years and full of honors, he breathed his last, October 3, 1911. He was buried from Bethel Church.

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Source: Gazetteer of Maryland, by Henry Gannett, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1904.