I expect a lot of people will tell you there are no records and in
a strict sense that may be true. They may tell you that what ever
records were there would have gone with the pastor's personal
records. But on the other hand it is not uncommon in my experience to
find information about a church like this one littered (figuratively
speaking) in many other places. So key in on the personalities you
have identified. Look for letters they may have written in the
"Colored Press" of that day, and the abolition press. Look at state
records that are available on the "Colored Men's Conventions" and see
if your people are listed among the participants. Look for
correspondence between local philanthropists of the day and the
people you have identified. Often none of the people have left
"papers" of any sort but prominent philanthropists of the day may
have corresponded with them and the letters can be found in thir
correspondence. Look at Gerrit Smith's papers for example as he was
close geographically. You can do a search in the state archives of
the names of your people and see if they turn up. Also do not neglect
Black newspapers of the period that have national scope. We found,
though a search done for us by a state employee, in the state
archives copies of newpaper articles for Philadelphia papers that had
an Albany person's obituary. It will not be easy and it will be a long
search for information. You may not come up with much, but what you do
come up with will outline many of the things your church was involved
in....if the information is there at all! 

  Quoting Robert Sullivan <[log in to unmask]>:

>> I am researching the African Methodist Episcopal Church that was 
>> incorporated in the Village of Canajoharie in 1857.  Apparently
the
>> congregation did not last long as there are virtually no records
to
>> be found.  Is there a centralized location for AME Zion church 
>> records to go when the congregations dissolve?  I don't have much 
>> information to go on, only the date of incorporation and a few
names
>> of some early members involved in the incorporation.  Any ideas?
>
> According to the AME site:
>
> <http://www.ame-church.com/directory/presiding-bishops.php[1]>
>
> Richard Franklin Norris of Philadelphia is the presiding bishop of
the
> First Episcopal District, which includes New York.  That link gives
> phone, e-mail and snail mail contact information.
>
> There is also a directory of the New York churches:
>
>
<http://www.ame-church.com/directory/search.php?city=&zip=&state=NY&country=US[2]>
>
> so perhaps one of the larger ones might have some ideas.
>
> --
> Bob Sullivan
> Schenectady Digital History Archive
> <http://www.schenectadyhistory.org/[3]>
> Schenectady County (NY) Public Library
>


Links:
------
[1] 
/horde/services/go.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ame-church.com%2Fdirectory%2Fpresiding-bishops.php
[2] 
/horde/services/go.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ame-church.com%2Fdirectory%2Fsearch.php%3Fcity%3D%26zip%3D%26state%3DNY%26country%3DUS
[3] /horde/services/go.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.schenectadyhistory.org%2F