{{Short description|American church and community leader (1840–1912)}} {{Use American English|date=April 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}{{Infobox person | name = Wesley John Gaines | image = Bishop wesley gaines.jpg | birth_date = October 4, 1840 | birth_place = [[Wilkes County, Georgia]], U.S. | death_date = January 12, 1912 }}

Bishop '''Wesley John Gaines''' (October 4, 1840 &ndash; January 12, 1912) was a church and community leader in Georgia.<ref name="bio">{{cite web|url=http://docsouth.unc.edu/church/gaines/bio.html|title=W. J. Gaines (Wesley John), 1840-1912|website=Documenting the American South|first=Karen|last=Ruffle|accessdate=May 26, 2018}}</ref> He was vice president of [[Payne Theological Seminary]] and co-founder of [[Morris Brown College]]. He was African-American.

==Early life== Gaines was born in [[Wilkes County, Georgia]], one of fourteen children of his enslaved parents, Louisa and William Gaines. He was named for [[John Wesley]], the founder of Methodism, the religion of his father. His mother was a Baptist.<ref name="bio" /><ref name="Murphy" /> He grew up on a plantation as a slave. He learned the alphabet when he was eleven and then learned to write using a copy book.<ref name="White">{{cite book|title=The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography: Being the History of the United States as Illustrated in the Lives of the Founders, Builders, and Defenders of the Republic, and of the Men and Women who are Doing the Work and Moulding the Thought of the Present Time|url=https://archive.org/details/nationalcyclopae02newy|year=1892|publisher=J.T. White|page=[https://archive.org/details/nationalcyclopae02newy/page/380 380]}}</ref> Sick as a child, he taught himself to read while in bed.<ref name="bio" /><ref name="Murphy">{{cite book|author1=Larry G. Murphy|author2=J. Gordon Melton|author3=Gary L. Ward|title=Encyclopedia of African American Religions|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fS0kAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT950|date=November 20, 2013|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-135-51345-0|page=PT950}}</ref>

He took to religion at a young age, reading the bible and experiencing conversion when he was nine years of age. By the time he was fifteen or sixteen years of age, he became interested in becoming a preacher. In 1855, he was moved to [[Stewart County, Georgia]] and the following year to [[Muskogee County, Georgia]]. At more than 300 pounds and 6'2" tall, he said he was sold at one point for $1,000.<ref name="Murphy" /> His brother [[William Gaines (minister and community leader)|William Gaines]] also became a minister and community leader.<ref name="Murphy" />

==Career== {{quote box|align=right|width=33%|Bishop Gaines is one of the shining lights of the African Methodist Episcopal church. He is a pious, well-educated and eloquent preacher, fine looking, of imposing presence and of blended politeness and dignity. He possesses both administrative and creative capacity of high order, and adds to his energy firmness and ability, excellent tact and discretion. He has done some remarkable work in getting money and building churches.|—The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography<ref name="White" />}} In 1865, he was licensed to preach, first for the Methodist Episcopal Church.<ref name="Murphy" /> Beginning in 1867, Gaines studied theology and served at [[African Methodist Episcopal Church]] (AME Church) pastorates in [[Wilmington, North Carolina]], [[Atlanta]], [[Macon, Georgia|Macon]] and [[Athens, Georgia]] for 20 years beginning.<ref name="Murphy" /><ref name="White" /> Under his leadership, the [[Big Bethel AME Church|Bethel AME Church]] in Atlanta became the largest African American church in the south.<ref name="Murphy" /> He received his [[Doctor of Divinity]] degree in 1883 from [[Wilberforce University]].<ref name="White" />

Gaines became a bishop of the AME Church, and was a co-founder, treasurer and superintendent of [[Morris Brown College]] in Atlanta.<ref name="chapel" /> He was vice president of [[Payne Theological Seminary]] in 1891.<ref name="bio" /> Gaines was involved in the foundation of [[Jackson Chapel]]. His great-niece Rev. Patricia Downs Wilder served as the pastor of the chapel by September 2017.<ref name="chapel"/>

He published ''African Methodism in the South'' in 1890 and ''The Negro and the White Man'' in 1897.<ref name="chapel">{{cite web|url=http://www.news-reporter.com/news/2017-09-21/Front_Page/Jackson_Chapel_to_celebrate_150_years_in_special_s.html|title=Jackson Chapel to celebrate 150 years in special service with Bishop Jackson|publisher=www.news-reporter.com - News-Reporter|access-date=February 11, 2018|archive-date=February 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210062203/http://www.news-reporter.com/news/2017-09-21/Front_Page/Jackson_Chapel_to_celebrate_150_years_in_special_s.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Personal life== [[File:Wesley John and Julia Gaines.jpg|thumb|Bishop Wesley John and Julia Gaines]] On the 20th<ref name="Murphy" /> or 30 August 1863,<ref name="Leonard">{{cite book|author1=John William Leonard|author2=Albert Nelson Marquis|title=Who's Who in America|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eX0QOpl7iBQC&pg=PA687|year=1908|publisher=Marquis Who's Who|page=687}}</ref> he married fellow slave, Julia A. Camper.<ref name="Murphy" /> In 1872, they had a daughter, Mary Louisa.<ref name="White" /> Gaines died on January 12, 1912.<ref name="bio" />

==Legacy== In 1893, the Providence AME Church at [[Elkridge Landing]] was rebuilt and named Gaines Chapel AME Church in recognition of the bishop's contribution to the movement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gaineschapelamec.org/history/|title=History of Gaines Chapel A.M.E.|website=Gaines Chapel AMEC|access-date=16 May 2018}}</ref> Nine other churches were named for him.<ref name="Murphy" />

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Wesley John Gaines}} * [https://www.loc.gov/item/2016689580/ Bishop Gaines portrait], Library of Congress

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaines, Wesley J}} [[Category:1840 births]] [[Category:1912 deaths]] [[Category:Bishops in Georgia (U.S. state)]] [[Category:People from Wilkes County, Georgia]] [[Category:19th-century American slaves]] [[Category:African Methodist Episcopal Church clergy]] [[Category:Clergy from Atlanta]] [[Category:Writers from Atlanta]] [[Category:Morris Brown College]] [[Category:People enslaved in Georgia (U.S. state)]]