{{Short description|American former slave, minister, and activist}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = | name = Henry N. Jeter | image = Paster Henry Jeter Shiloh Baptist Church Rhode Island.jpg | caption = Jeter in 1901 | birth_date = {{Birth date|1851|10|7}} | birth_place = Charlotte County, Virginia | death_date = {{Death date and age|1938|8|4|1851|10|7}} | death_place = Newport, Rhode Island, United States | alma_mater = Wayland Seminary | occupation = Minister (Christianity) | political_party = Republican | module = {{Infobox religious biography|embed=yes | religion = Baptist }} }}
'''Henry N. Jeter''' (October 7, 1851 – August 4, 1938) was a Baptist minister and social justice activist from Newport, Rhode Island. He was minister at Shiloh Baptist Church in Newport for 42 years before founding a pair of organizations seeking to aid poor, urban African Americans, the Pastors and Laymen's Humane and Reform Association and the Jeter Movement of Race Relations and Social Service.
==Early life== Henry Norval Jeter was born a slave in Charlotte County, Virginia on October 7, 1851, to Riland and Mary Jeter. In 1862, Riland was pressed to help build breastworks for the Confederate Army during the American Civil War (1861–1865). Later that year Riland was shot and killed by a soldier<ref name="Simmons1887">Simmons, William J., and Henry McNeal Turner. Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive and Rising. GM Rewell & Company, 1887. p588-589</ref><ref>Simmons 1887 has it as a Confederate soldier while Jeter himself wrote in 1901 that it was a Union soldier.</ref> After the Emancipation Proclamation, Henry served as a shoemaker apprentice and attended night school in Lynchburg, Virginia. In 1868 he joined the Baptist religion, being baptized by Rev. Sampson White. He felt called to preach, and in 1869 he entered Wayland Seminary in Washington, D.C., under Rev. George Mellen Prentiss King.<ref name="Simmons1887"/>
==Move to Newport== Jeter was invited on January 8, 1875, to preach to the Shiloh Baptist Church in Newport, Rhode Island after the resignation of its previous pastor, Ananias Brown.<ref name="Jeter1901p15">Jeter 1901, p15</ref> Shiloh had been founded May 10, 1863, by Rev. Edmund Kelly.<ref>Jeter 1901, p5</ref> Jeter was ordained June 24, 1875, at Shiloh and made its pastor<ref name="Simmons1887"/> by a council including Kelly and others.<ref name="Jeter1901p15"/> thumb|left|Jeter in 1887
In 1894, Jeter was a financial agent for the Wayland Seminary, collecting donations for the school. His work exhausted him, and he was advised to rest. He invited evangelist Joseph Murphy from Congdon Street Baptist Church in Providence to replace him during his vacation. On Jeter's return, Murphy sought to remain as pastor, and the case was put before a state council of Baptist ministers, who retained Jeter. Murphy sued Jeter for slander, but the case was thrown out.<ref>Jeter 1901, p40-48</ref>
==Expanded role== Jeter became a prominent leader in the national Baptist church and African American civil rights organizations. He was a founding member of the New England Baptist Convention.<ref name="golden">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7303788/celebrate-golden-wedding-anniversary/|title=Celebrate Golden Wedding Anniversary, The New York Age (New York, New York) January 5, 1929, page 2|newspaper=The New York Age |date=January 5, 1929|pages=2|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> He was also a member of the National Afro-American League.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7305048/a-virginian-speaks-in-rhode-island/|title=A Virginian Speaks in Rhode Island, Richmond Planet (Richmond, Virginia) March 31, 1894, page 1|newspaper=Richmond Planet |date=March 31, 1894|pages=1|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> In 1903 he attended the National Baptist convention in Philadelphia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7303250/no-headline-newport-mercury-newport/|title=[No Headline] Newport Mercury (Newport, Rhode Island) September 19, 1903, page 1|date=September 19, 1903|pages=1|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> He was also active in the Republican Party, participating in city Republican Convention in 1903.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7303316/tickets-unopposed-newport-daily-news/|title=Tickets Unopposed, Newport Daily News (Newport, Rhode Island) October 2, 1903, page 8|newspaper=Newport Daily News |date=October 2, 1903|pages=8|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> In 1904 he was awarded an honorary degree of doctor of divinity by Guadalupe College of Seguin, Texas.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7303268/no-headline-newport-mercury-newport/|title=[No Headline] Newport Mercury (Newport, Rhode Island) June 18, 1904, page 1|newspaper=Newport Mercury |date=June 18, 1904|pages=1|via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
==Aid organizations== On July 2, 1916, Jeter offered his resignation as pastor to take place after three months so that he could devote his time to other causes.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7303348/rev-dr-jeter-resigns-newport-mercury/|title=Rev. Dr. Jeter Resigns, Newport Mercury (Newport, Rhode Island) July 8, 1916, page 1|newspaper=Newport Mercury |date=July 8, 1916|pages=1|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> That August he created an organization called the Pastors and Laymen's Humane and Reform Association for the improvement of the condition of blacks in big cities. His organization was initially supported by Robert Heberton Terrell, H. M. King, O. P Gifford, Clark Burdick, Bishop Rhinelander, Bishop Perry, Dr. Puller, and Watt Terry.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7303619/dr-jeter-launches-work-to-save-young/|title=Dr. Jeter Launches Work To Save Young, The New York Age (New York, New York) August 3, 1916, page 1|newspaper=The New York Age |date=August 3, 1916|pages=1|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> Jeter was active in his organization and received broad support. In 1917, he presented on the group to the New England African Methodist Episcopal conference and was endorsed by that body.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7305005/sessions-concluded-newport-mercury/|title=Sessions Concluded, Newport Mercury (Newport, Rhode Island) June 8, 1917 page 2|newspaper=Newport Mercury |date=June 8, 1917|pages=2|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> In 1922, he toured the Pacific Coast giving speeches and taking donations.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7303662/no-headline-newport-mercury-newport/|title=[No Headline] Newport Mercury (Newport, Rhode Island) July 29, 1922, page 1|newspaper=Newport Mercury |date=July 29, 1922|pages=1|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> In 1924, he took a similar tour of Middle Atlantic states<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7303688/no-headline-newport-mercury-newport/|title=[No Headline] Newport Mercury (Newport, Rhode Island) April 5, 1924, page 1|newspaper=Newport Mercury |date=April 5, 1924|pages=8|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> and in 1927 he made a tour of the South.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7303702/no_headline_newport_mercury_newport/ [No Headline] Newport Mercury (Newport, Rhode Island) March 19, 1927, page 1, accessed November 3, 2016]</ref>
In 1928, his focused shifted slightly, and he incorporated the Jeter Movement of Race Relations and Social Service along with Rufus L. Perry, Clinton Stevens, Mitchel Klupt, Francis W. Mandell Jr., Henry Barton Jacobs, Charles H. Brooks, and George W. Bacheller. This group would focus on black migrants from the South to the North.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7303743/the-new-york-age/|title=Clipped From The New York Age|newspaper=The New York Age |date=April 28, 1928|pages=3|via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
==Family and death== thumb|Jeter Family in 1901 In 1878 he married Thomasinia Hamilton, daughter of Thomas Hamilton, the editor of the influential New York City newspaper, the ''Anglo-African''.<ref name="Simmons1887"/> They had twelve children, five sons and six daughters: Octavia, Leonard, Hiram, Nellie, Susie, Walter, May, Mary, Francis, Willie, Olive and Paul.<ref name="Jeter1901p15"/> The Jeter family was noted for their musical talent, and gave numerous concerts.<ref>Jeter 1901 p88-89</ref> Thomasina was an officer in the Northeastern Federation of Colored Women's Club and president of the Josephine Silone Yates Mothers' Club in Newport.<ref name="golden"/> She was also a member of the Women's Newport League, the Newport Women's Missionary Alliance, and Hope of Circle of Kings Daughters. She accompanied Henry on many of his tours and was active in many other community works. She died November 19, 1931, in Newport.<ref name="ThomasinaObit">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7303815/the-new-york-age/|title=Clipped From The New York Age|newspaper=The New York Age |date=November 28, 1931|pages=9|via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
Henry died August 4, 1938, at his home in Newport.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7303864/the-new-york-age/|title=Clipped From The New York Age|newspaper=The New York Age |date=August 13, 1938|pages=3|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> His funeral was held at his home led by Thomas B. Livingston, and he was buried in the City cemetery.<ref name="obit">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7303879/newport-mercury/|title=Clipped From Newport Mercury|newspaper=Newport Mercury |date=August 12, 1938|pages=3|via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
==Bibliography== *[http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/jeter/menu.html Jeter, Henry Norval. Pastor Henry N. Jeter's Twenty-five Years Experience with the Shiloh Baptist Church and Her History: Corner School and Mary Streets. Remington Printing Company, 1901, accessed November 3, 2016]
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== *{{Commons category-inline}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Jeter, Henry N.}} Category:1851 births Category:1938 deaths Category:People from Newport, Rhode Island Category:African-American Baptist ministers Category:Baptist ministers from the United States Category:Activists for African-American civil rights Category:People from Charlotte County, Virginia Category:20th-century African-American people