Columbus in Franklin County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Second Baptist Church / James P. Poindexter
Historic Underground Railroad Site
Second Baptist Church - Columbus' Oldest Black Baptist Church, 1836
Second Baptist Church cordially received its independence as a mission church from the First Baptist Church on January 7, 1836. Rev. Ezekiel Fields was chosen as pastor from 1836-1839. Formal Articles of Inc. were granted on March 12, 1844 by the 42nd General Assembly of the State of Ohio. Early church locations were 69 Mulberry, 105 E. Gay Street, and 90 E. Rich Street. In 1843, the Palladium of Liberty Newspaper began through meetings at the church. The Ohio Black Laws meant loss of livelihood causing many members to actively participate in the covert operations of the Underground Railroad. The Anti-Slavery Baptist Church in 1847 was led by Rev. James P. Poindexter, along with Rev. Isaiah Redman and member John T. Ward until the two churches merged again in 1858.
James P. Poindexter Leads the Anti-Slavery Baptist Church
James Preston Poindexter (1819-1907) became pastor of Second Baptist Church in 1858 after Second Baptist and the Anti-Slavery church merged. He joined the Underground Railroad shortly after coming to Columbus with his wife, Adella, in 1838. He helped to drive the “passengers” along with other prominent conductors of the Underground Railroad. A
Erected by Friends of Freedom Society and Ohio Underground Railroad Association.
Location. 39° 58.134′ N, 82° 58.619′ W. Marker is in Columbus, Ohio, in Franklin County. Marker is on 17th Street, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 186 N. 17th Street, Columbus OH 43203, United States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Lincoln Theatre (approx. ¼ mile away); Mount Vernon Avenue (approx. 0.3 miles away); St. Clair Hospital (approx. 0.3 miles away); Shiloh Baptist Church (approx. 0.3 miles away); King Lincoln District Arch (approx. 0.4 miles away); St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church Donn Vickers Gazebo in Thurber Park (approx. half a mile away); James Thurber (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbus.
Also see . . . Second Baptist Church Columbus website. (Submitted on March 21, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Categories. • Abolition & Underground RR • African Americans • Churches & Religion • Civil Rights • Education • Government • Notable Persons •
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. This page originally submitted on March 18, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 2,866 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on March 18, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.