Hello Kelly: I have researched pre-Civil War black churches in Connecticut and it is very difficult as this was pioneering, missionary work, often done by unpaid traveling clergy or deacons, and there were no dioceses or similar episcopal structures. For AME Zion there were, however, "conferences" organized by states which held annual sessions (meetings). By 1857 these seem to be well-developed and organized. I found reference to an 1857 session of the New York Conference, see below. You need to see if the session proceedings or journals were published, or if they exist somewhere in manuscript form. Hopefully individual churches are listed with statistics, name of minister, etc. I tried LC catalog and could only find single issues of published journals. Perhaps these are cataloged as a serial. You should also contact Old John Street Methodist Church, from which AME Zion split off in 1796: Reverend Jason Radmacher, Phone: 212-269-0014 Address: 44 John Street, New York, New York 100038 Between Nassau and William Streets The reference to the 1857 New York Conference annual session is in this detailed work: HISTORY OF THE A. M. E. ZION CHURCH IN AMERICA. FOUNDED IN 1796, IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK. COMPILED AND PUBLISHED BY JOHN JAMISON MOORE, D. D., BISHOP OF A. M. E. Z. CHURCH. YORK PA.: TEACHERS' JOURNAL OFFICE, 1884. reprinted online at http://docsouth.unc.edu/church/moorej/moore.html The session lasted 12 days! p. 115: The Thirty-sixth Session of the New York Conference of the A. M. E. Z. Church assembled in Zion Church, corner of Church and Leonard streets, New York City, May 16th, 1857, Rt. Rev. James Simmons presiding, Rt. Rev. S. T. Scott, associate; and Rev. Robert R. Morris, secretary, with George E. Spywood assisting. Number of ministers in attendance, 30; number of members reported, 1507; Sunday-schools, 7; scholars, 323; teachers, 46. This conference was in session twelve days. Best wishes, David David W. Palmquist Head, Chartering Program NY State Museum NY State Education Department 3097 Cultural Education Center Albany NY 12230 518-473-3131 FAX 518-473-8496 e-mail: [log in to unmask] web site: www.nysm.nysed.gov/charter/ >>> [log in to unmask] 12/27/05 2:45 PM >>> 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? Kelly A. Yacobucci Farquhar County Historian/RMO Montgomery County Dept. of History & Archives Old Courthouse, P.O. Box 1500 Fonda, NY 12068-1500 518-853-8186 [log in to unmask]