Our History

Saint Bartley Primitive Baptist Church, “The Mother Church of Black Primitive Baptists,” was organized in 1820 by Elder William Harris while Blacks were still enslaved. Saint Bartley is recognized as the oldest Black church in the State of Alabama.

Saint Bartley originated in a graveyard that served as the burial ground for slaves. The cemetery may have been named “Old Georgia Graveyard” because the slaves migrated from Savannah, Georgia, to Huntsville with their masters. The first Pastor, Elder William Harris, preached his sermons among the tombstones and a host of flowering trees planted by the slaves’ families. Eventually, a building was erected there and was known as the “Huntsville African Baptist Church.”

During the Civil War, the small church built in the “Old Georgia Graveyard” was destroyed by fire due to the occupation of Huntsville by Union soldiers. Elder Bartley Harris (the second Pastor) was approached by white citizens who asked him to hide their valuables from the Union troops. He did so, and when the soldiers questioned him, he refused to tell them if and where he had hidden them. In retribution, the soldiers burned the little church to the ground. After the war, the valuables were returned to the citizens by Elder Bartley Harris.

After the war, President Ulysses Grant heard of the soldiers’ actions and appropriated money for rebuilding the church. A bigger and better sanctuary was built and rededicated on present-day Williams Street in 1872. At this time, the church’s name was changed from “Huntsville African Baptist Church” to “Saint Bartley Primitive Baptist Church” in respect to the pastor’s saintly behavior.

Reverend Bartley Harris was the pastor who held huge baptisms at the Big Spring. It has often been noted that he performed as many as 300 in one day. His portrait was painted by the famous local artist Maria Howard Weeden.

Since its founding, Saint Bartley has had only nine pastors: Elder William Harris, Elder Bartley Harris, Elder Felix Jordan, Elder Elias Patton, Elder Richard Moore, Elder Amos Robinson, Elder V. Castle Stewart, Elder William T. Gladys, and Elder Jaymes R. Mooney.

Elder Felix Jordan became the third pastor of Saint Bartley in 1891. As a firm and focused leader, he motivated and encouraged people. His pastorate led a significant change in the direction and doctrine of former slaves and their most immediate descendants in Madison County. Because of his persistence, on July 17–21, 1907, a national meeting was called at Saint Bartley to organize the National Primitive Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. Because he and others persisted, Saint Bartley is known as the “Mother Church” of the National Body. Elder Jordan attended a Selma, Alabama conference on July 25, 1913. Shortly after returning to Huntsville, he mysteriously disappeared. Elder Jordan held several offices in the National Convention.

Elder Elias Patton became the fourth pastor of Saint Bartley from 1913 to 1915. He had been a member of Saint Bartley for 35 years before assuming the position. His pastorate covered a critical period in the history of the church, shortly after the mysterious disappearance of Elder Jordan. During his time as pastor, Elder Patton served as the Moderator of the Indian Creek Primitive Baptist Association, where member churches were discontinuing fellowship with the National Primitive Baptist Convention of America.

In 1915, Elder Richard Moore became the fifth pastor of Saint Bartley. He was on the Trustee Board of William Gaston School and worked at the publishing house and the Redstone Arsenal Signal Corps Headquarters. During his pastorate, the church made $7,000 in improvements and became debt-free. He was a member of religious and civic organizations, including the Christian Union.

Elder Amos Robinson became the sixth pastor in 1950. Under his leadership, the present structure was erected. Elder Robinson led Saint Bartley as the church was torn down due to urban renewal. He led the church to wait and worship as the congregation had been without a building for a year. Pastor and congregation rebuilt it at its present-day location on Belafonte Avenue in Huntsville. The first worship service was held at the present site on the first Sunday in December 1965. Under Elder Robinson’s pastorate, God added more than 400 members to the church. Elder Robinson was known as a pastor with a true shepherd’s heart, who loved his congregation and sacrificed personally for the betterment of the church. He established a thriving ministry on WEUP Radio Station and served as Moderator of the Indian Creek Primitive Baptist Association and President of the Tri-State Sunday School and Baptist Training Union Congress.

Elder V. Castle Stewart became the seventh pastor of Saint Bartley Primitive Baptist Church on October 16, 1972, after pastoring the First Missionary Baptist Church of Little Rock, Arkansas. During his pastorate, the active membership grew to more than 900 members. The congregation burned the total mortgage on May 13, 1979. Elder Stewart was known for his love of youth. The youth department thrived under his leadership, and he also was very involved in the Civil Rights Movement. He was a strong and loving leader. While serving as pastor of Saint Bartley, Elder Stewart served as Instructor of Drug Abuse Education for the National Primitive Baptist Convention, Executive Secretary of the Tri-State Convention, member of the Trustee Board, Assistant Dean of the Sunday School Department of the Indian Creek Primitive Baptist Association, and Assistant Dean of the Sunday School and Baptist Training Union Congress of the National Primitive Baptist Convention.

Elder William T. Gladys became the eighth pastor of Saint Bartley Primitive Baptist Church in April 1987. He directed several significant modifications and additions, including the choir loft, pulpit area, audio-visual room, and the addition of the St. Bartley Activity Center. Elder Gladys organized effective ministries, committees, and outreach programs that ministered to the total needs of the congregation and community. He labored with love for 26 years through the teaching of God’s Word and preserving the history of the church. It was under his leadership that the congregation learned more about its roots and recorded it to pass down to future generations. He served as President of the Alabama State Primitive Baptist Convention, President/Vice President of the Tri-State Primitive Baptist Convention, Vice Moderator and Dean of the Indian Creek Primitive Baptist Association, and researcher of the Primitive Baptist faith.

On February 8, 2017, Elder Jaymes Mooney, a 27-year-old native of Nashville, TN, was elected as the ninth pastor of Saint Bartley Primitive Baptist Church. During his time at Saint Bartley, the congregation has experienced significant spiritual and numerical growth. In keeping with the vision of “Meeting Needs and Making Disciples,” Pastor Mooney has led the flock to sow back a significant amount of its annual income and energy into the community. In November 2019, he led the congregation to establish “The Bartley Bridge,” a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on community transformation through education, exposure, and entrepreneurship. A campus renovation was completed in April 2019, along with the purchase of a neighboring property. Pastor Mooney has also led the congregation in community health and wealth building through mobile food concessions, community gardening, and an entrepreneurship academy for teens. He has served as President of the Church School Convention, Advisor to the Moderator of the Cumberland Association of Tennessee, Union President, and Bible Expositor of the East Florida Association. He has also been elected as National Bible Expositor and appointed as a member of the National Publishing Board.

By the grace of God, Saint Bartley Primitive Baptist Church has stood the test of time. We anticipate that “it has not yet appeared what we shall become, but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like him.”