The History of St. James Ame Church Texarkana, Arkansas
By Rev. Larry Ross
St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church in Texarkana, Arkansas, has a very strange history. The church and the city of Texarkana were founded in the same year. Texarkana in April and St. James in August of 1873.
As a memorial to our foreparents and the pioneers of the present church, we are handing down this record of St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church.
According to the Arkansas State Registry Office, St. James AME Church is probably the first but truly the oldest black church in Texarkana, Arkansas. The church was established at 617 Laurel Street in the Bannister home in 1873. Parishioners built the church on the same lot. The church was there for 27 years. During this time, the king of ragtime music, Scott Joplin, lived down the street from St. James. When he was about 9 or 10, he played the piano at St. James on occasion before he moved on to higher levels of his music career. The original church burned down, but with the faithfulness of dedicated members, in 1900, another building was erected on the same spot. The building was remodeled in 1918. Approximately ten years later, the building was moved to 615 Laurel Street. The membership of St. James was between three and four hundred at the time of its move.
Saint James has been the mother to two other churches as well. In 1917, a church sprang from St. James as a convenience church. Some members who lived in the iron mountain also organized a church in their neighborhood in the home of Brother Frank and Sister Hannah Holmes, with the Moore sisters as charter members. The church was named Stinson Chapel AME Church. It is not known how long the church existed.
In 1924, some of St. James’ members withdrew and established a church on Pine Street in Texarkana, Texas, under the leadership of Rev. Matthews, a former pastor of St. James. The church, Johnson Chapel, moved to West 14th Street. The church is no longer in operation. Johnson Chapel was torn down, but there is a thriving AME Church in Texarkana, Texas, Hamilton Memorial AME Church.
Saint James has produced five ministers: the Reverends. W. E. Scott, Mckinley, Lee G. Nard, Milton Tucker, and James Larkins. St. James of Texarkana has been the head of the district and has hosted several annual conferences and district meetings.
Some other pastors appointed to St. James are the Reverends White (1889); W. M. Winston (1900); R. Mitchell (1921); Weaver; Claybon; W. M. Wingfield; D.D. Cole; J. W. Nelson; C. A. Miles (1934); R. T. Thomas; and C.B. Brewster. The Reverend Dixon was the first pastor appointed in 1873.
The Reverend C. B. Brewster was the pastor when the church was on Laurel Street, where it burned down in 1942. The members worshipped in a school building on Laurel Street until a new church building was erected at a new site at Tenth and Ash Streets, still under the leadership of Rev. Brewster. The new building was dedicated in 1944, during World War II.
Other pastors were the Reverends Bracey, who organized the first junior stewardess board; E Kingsby; George West; J. H. Covington, who oversaw improvements to the parsonage; A.C. Burton; Reddick; Kirk; B. F. Lunon, and Jimmy Jones, who helped to remodel the church in 1961. The Reverend Green Paschal, in 1963, incorporated the Young People’s Division. The Rev. L. M. Goodwin led the overall remodeling of the parsonage.
The church was graced twice with the leadership of the son of our former pastor, Rev R. T. Thomas. This son, Rev. R. N. Thomas, also served as presiding elder twice. Also, the church was pastored by the Rev. L. R. Mcneal, who organized the McNealaires (one of the choirs). Although the Rev. Wm. S. Bush was never assigned to pastor St. James, may our records show that he did serve faithfully as an associate pastor.
On June 18, 1978. St. James AME Church on Tenth Street was gutted by fire. But by the spiritual leadership and the dedicated, devoted members, St. James AME did not give in to the destruction; they pressed upward and onward in the midst of this setback under the leadership of the pastor, Rev. L. T. Trammell, Presiding Elder R. N. Thomas, and Presiding PRelate Bishop F. C. James. The membership continued to worship with city government permission in the Miller County Courthouse for three years.
The Reverend Jimmy Thomas led the congregation to its new and still current home at 938 Ash Street on December 20, 1918. The congregation held a dedication service on March 28, 1982.
In 2019, under the leadership of the Rev. L. W. Ross, the church was again hit by a major winter storm that destroyed the church. The storm destroyed the entire sanctuary, but God’s grace allowed the fellowship hall to remain. God opened doors allowing us to remodel the sanctuary within four to five months with the support of a non-denominational church in Fouke, Arkansas, and the leadership of Bro. Eric Stuckey and Bro. Duke.
On August 13, 2023, St James AME Church celebrated 150 years, knowing that God continues to bless and guide us through our journey. All glory to God.
