John Marrant (June 15, 1755 – April 15, 1791) was an American Methodist preacher and missionary and one of the first black preachers in North America. Born free in New York City, he moved as a child with his family to

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...

. His father died when he was young, and he and his mother also lived in Florida and Georgia. After escaping to the Cherokee, with whom he lived for two years, he allied with the British during the American Revolutionary War and resettled afterward in London. There he became involved with the

Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion The Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion is a small society of evangelical churches, founded in 1783 by Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon, as a result of the Evangelical Revival. For many years it was strongly associated with the Calvinist ...

and ordained as a preacher. Marrant was supported to travel in 1785 as a preacher and missionary to

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...

, where he founded a Methodist church in Birchtown. He married there before settling in

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

. In 1790 he returned to London. He wrote a memoir about his life, published in 1785 in London as ''A Narrative of the Lord's Wonderful Dealings with John Marrant, a black''; also published were a 1789 sermon, and a journal in 1790 covering the previous five years of his life.

Early life

New York Harbor Waterfront 1727 panorama map

Marrant was born free in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

on June 15, 1755, the second youngest child in his family; he had two older sisters and an older brother, and a younger sister. Their father died in 1759 when Marrant was four. CharlestonSC RainbowRow 500px

His mother moved the family to

St. Augustine, Florida St. Augustine ( ; ) is a city in and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Located 40 miles (64 km) south of downtown Jacksonville, the city is on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida. Founded in 1565 by Spani ...

, where Marrant started school, which was unique for black children. After 18 months in Florida and during the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...

, Marrant's mother moved the family to Georgia, which was a British colony at that time. He continued in school until the age of 11, learning to read and write. (His mother remarried at some time, and an older sister married in Charleston.) After they moved to

, Marrant became interested in music and learned to play the

French horn The French horn (since the 1930s known simply as the horn in professional music circles) is a brass instrument made of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. The double horn in F/B (technically a variety of German horn) is the horn most o ...

and

violin The violin, sometimes referred to as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone, and is the smallest, and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in regular use in the violin family. Smaller violin-type instruments exist, including the violino picc ...

. He frequently entertained the local gentry at balls and social gatherings. He studied music for two years, & then was an apprentice carpenter for more than one year.

Religious journey

At the age of 13, about 1768, Marrant and a friend went to hear

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...

preacher

George Whitefield George Whitefield (; 30 September 1770), also known as George Whitfield, was an English Anglican minister and preacher who was one of the founders of Methodism and the evangelical movement. Born in Gloucester, he matriculated at Pembroke Coll ...

, who was active in the South during the

Great Awakening The Great Awakening was a series of religious revivals in American Christian history. Historians and theologians identify three, or sometimes four, waves of increased religious enthusiasm between the early 18th century and the late 20th cent ...

. He experienced a dramatic conversion, falling to the floor in a faint or illness. Unable to move or speak for half an hour, he was carried from the meeting to his home. Doctors were called, but he refused medicine. He got better by studying the Bible, but his steadfastness to Biblical study was troubling to his family. It was about this time that his family became concerned about some bizarre behavior by Marrant. They treated him as if he was mentally unstable. After disagreements with his family about religion, he left home, and wandered into a forest outside the city, relying on

God In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...

to feed and protect him. He was found by a

Cherokee The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...

hunter who knew his family but whom he persuaded not to take him back to town. Marrant traveled and hunted with the Cherokee for more than two months to gather furs for trade. They went to the man's fortified Cherokee town, where Marrant was stopped from entry. Told he did not have sufficient reason to be there, he was sentenced to death. Marrant's prayers to Jesus appeared to convert the executioner, who argued with the sentencing judge and arranged for Marrant to meet the king, who spared his life. They all heard him pray in English and Cherokee. Three Cherokee

Marrant lived with the Cherokee for two years during which he had visited with other tribes of the area, including Catawa, Housaw, and

Creek people The Muscogee, also known as the Mvskoke, Muscogee Creek or just Creek, and the Muscogee Creek Confederacy ( in the Muscogee language; English: ), are a group of related Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands He converted a number of Native Americans and is thought to have been an influence in creating lasting bonds between black and Cherokee people. He wore Native American style clothing made of animal skins. He had no pants, but wore a sash around his middle, and a long pendant that went down his back. When he returned to Charleston, his family did not initially recognize him. Marrant was deeply relieved when his sister recognized him. He stated in his journal: "thus the dead was brought to life again; thus the lost was found." His experience is related to that of Lazarus and

Joseph Joseph is a common male name, derived from the Hebrew (). "Joseph" is used, along with " Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the modern-day Nordic count ...

, both of whom were important figures among black Christians who were enslaved or held captive and longed for freedom and a rebirth. He sought work on plantations as a free carpenter, and conducted

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thoma ...

work with slaves until the start of the

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

. Although some owners objected, others allowed slaves to become Christianized.

American Revolutionary War

During the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

, Marrant was impressed into the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

, serving as a musician for more than six years before being discharged in 1782. In 1780, he was at the

Siege of Charleston The siege of Charleston was a major engagement and major British victory in the American Revolutionary War, fought in the environs of Charles Town (today Charleston), the capital of South Carolina, between March 29 and May 12, 1780. The British ...

. One year later, he was wounded in the Battle of Dogger Bank. He described battles in his Narrative, but official records do not document him as having served with the Navy. During the war, Black slaves were told that if they served the British Crown, they would gain their freedom. There were 3,000 people who took the agreement and were called

Black Loyalist Black Loyalists were people of African descent who sided with Loyalists during the American Revolutionary War. In particular, the term referred to men enslaved by Patriots who served on the Loyalist side because of the Crown's guarantee of fr ...

s. In 1783, they were transported to

after their names were recorded in the Book of Negroes, also called the ''New York City Inspection Roll of Negroes''. The Black Loyalists were interested in learning about Christianity. Marrant's brother sent him a letter asking for him to come to Nova Scotia.

Ministry

Marrant worked for a clothing or cotton merchant in London after he was discharged from the Navy. While in London, he met Rev. Whitehead and told him of his dramatic conversion. Whitehead introduced him to

Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon ( Shirley; 24 August 1707 – 17 June 1791) was an English Methodist leader who played a prominent part in the religious revival of the 18th century and the Methodist movement in England and Wales. She ...

, who encouraged him to become a minister. He thus joined the ministry of the

, which was a sect that practiced a combination of

Calvinism Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Christian, Presbyteri ...

and Methodism. It separated from the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

in 1783. After he was ordained as a preacher on May 15, 1785, in Bath, Marrant left for Nova Scotia. After an eleven-week journey from England, he arrived in Nova Scotia in November 1785. He lived at Birchtown, Nova Scotia, the largest new black community, where he founded a Huntingdonian church.Sidbury (2007), p. 87 Marrant served the black people in the Birchtown area and developed a strong Christian community there. He travelled throughout Nova Scotia to other towns where Black Loyalists settled, such as

Jordan River The Jordan River or River Jordan (, ''Nahr al-ʾUrdunn''; , ''Nəhar hayYardēn''), also known as ''Nahr Al-Sharieat'' (), is a endorheic river in the Levant that flows roughly north to south through the Sea of Galilee and drains to the Dead ...

and Cape Negro. He also spoke to white congregations and First Nation people, the

Miꞌkmaq The Mi'kmaq (also ''Mi'gmaq'', ''Lnu'', ''Mi'kmaw'' or ''Mi'gmaw''; ; , and formerly Micmac) are an Indigenous group of people of the Northeastern Woodlands, native to the areas of Canada's Atlantic Provinces, primarily Nova Scotia, New Bru ...

s. When he delivered sermons, he used specific Bible verses to infer that he was a prophet sent to Nova Scotia to help raise up the Black Loyalists that listen to him. Further, he said that those who did not listen to him would perish. These kinds of messages were threatening to white residents. Speaking to the hardships that blacks endured, he said that lessons from God where often hidden: "God often hides the sensible signs of his favor from his dearest friends… real Christians, whilst they are among fiery serpents are awaiting with desire, and holy expectations, for the good of the promise." He had difficulty among other churches, particularly other Methodist churches. White ministers were especially upset when members of their congregations attended Marrant's services. He inspired the creation of Christian faith among black communities, including religious leaders Boston King, John Ball, and Moses Wilkinson, who were Methodists. Another was David George, a Baptist. He did not receive the monies he expected from the Countess for his missionary work in Nova Scotia and suffered a six-month bout of

smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by Variola virus (often called Smallpox virus), which belongs to the genus '' Orthopoxvirus''. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (W ...

. In 1787, Marrant traveled to

. The next year, he became the chaplain of the African Masonic Lodge in Boston, a group active in the movement to abolish slavery in the United States. This was one of the first American organizations to have the name "African" in its title, representing the emerging identity of people of African descent in the United States after the Revolution. In a speech at the Lodge, published in 1789, Marrant described the black people as "an essentially distinct nation within a Christian universalist family of mankind."Sidbury (2007), p. 88

Author

In 1785, with the help of Rev. William Aldridge, he published ''A Narrative of the Lord's Wonderful Dealings with John Marrant, A Black'', with the assistance of William Aldridge, who transcribed it. The narrative told of his time living with Cherokee people, and became one of the most popular stories of that kind. It also told of his conversion to Christianity and his observances of the condition and experiences of blacks in the Colonial period. Critics have noted that the narrative has a very different tone to his later publications. Scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. has argued in ''The Signifying Monkey'' that many early African-American narratives were transcribed by white editors, who sometimes influenced the style of such narratives. Marrant delivered a sermon ''A Sermon Preached on the 24th Day of June 1789...at the Request of the Right Worshipful the Grand Master Prince Hall, and the Rest of the Brethren of the African Lodge of the Honorable Society of Free and Accepted Masons in Boston'' in 1789 noting the equality of men before

; it was published. His final published work was a 1790 journal, ''A Journal of the Rev. John Marrant, from August the 18th, 1785, to the 16th of March, 1790''.

Personal life

He married Elizabeth Herries, whose parents were Black Loyalists, on August 15, 1788, at Birchtown, Nova Scotia and returned with her to Boston. In a letter to Marrant, Margaret Blucke (wife of

Stephen Blucke Stephen Blucke or Stephen Bluck (born –after 1796) was a Black Loyalist in the American Revolutionary War and one the commanding officers of the British Loyalist provincial unit, the Black Company of Pioneers. He was one of 3,000 people who lef ...

), asked about Marrant's children. He may have been previously married or adopted children. A boy was known to travel with him. That child's name is not mentioned in the ''Journal'', but he may have been Anthony Elliot from Birchtown, who was an assistant. Marrant traveled to

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

in 1789 or 1790, where the journal of the previous five years was published. He preached in chapels in

, including the

Whitechapel Whitechapel () is an area in London, England, and is located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is in east London and part of the East End of London, East End. It is the location of Tower Hamlets Town Hall and therefore the borough tow ...

area. He died on April 15, 1791, in Islington and was buried at the chapel graveyard on Church Street.

Legacy

Marrant did not live a long life, but he influenced black people in the United States and Canada, including the Black Loyalists who settled in

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Sierra Leone's land area is . It has a tropical climate and envi ...

in Africa in 1792. He inspired future generations through his narrative. He shared a message of perseverance and faith.

Notes

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Marrant, John 1755 births 1791 deaths 18th-century American Methodist ministers 18th-century American male writers 18th-century American non-fiction writers 18th-century Methodists African-American Methodist clergy 18th-century African-American people African-American missionaries African-American musicians African-American writers American evangelicals American male non-fiction writers American Methodist missionaries American religious writers Clergy of historically African-American Christian denominations Converts to Methodism Methodist missionaries in the United States Methodist writers Writers from New York City