Richard H. Cain

Richard Harvey Cain
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's Charleston County district
In office March 4, 1873 - March 3, 1875
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 2nd district
In office March 4, 1877 - March 3, 1879
Preceded by	Charles W. Buttz
Succeeded by	Michael P. O'Connor
South Carolina State Senator from the Charleston County
In office 1868–1870
Personal details
Born	April 12, 1825(1825-04-12) Greenbrier County, Virginia
Died	January 18, 1887(1887-01-18) (aged 61) Washington, D.C.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Laura
Profession	Minister
Religion	African Methodist Episcopal

Richard Harvey Cain (April 12, 1825 – January 18, 1887) was a minister, abolitionist, and United States Representative from South Carolina from 1873–1875 and 1877-1879. After the Civil War, he was appointed by Bishop Daniel Payne as a missionary of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Carolina.

Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 3 References 4 External links

Early life and education

Richard Harvey Cain was born to free black parents in Greenbrier County Virginia, which is now in West Virginia. He was raised in Gallipolis, Ohio. He attended Wilberforce University and attended divinity school in Hannibal, Missouri.

Career

Cain worked as a barber in Galena, IL before he migrated south. He had been licensed to preach for the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1844.

In 1848 he joined the African Methodist Episcopal Church, an independent black denomination started in Philadelphia. By 1859 he became a deacon in Muscatine, Iowa. In 1861, Cain was called as a pastor in Brooklyn, New York. In 1862, he was ordained as an elder in 1862 and remained at the Brooklyn church until 1865.

After the Civil War, Cain moved to Charleston, South Carolina in 1865 as superintendent of AME missions. The AME Church attracted tens of thousands of converts to its denomination very rapidly.

Cain became active in politics, serving as a delegate to the state constitutional convention in 1868. He represented Charleston County in the South Carolina Senate from 1868 to 1872. He also edited the South Carolina Leader newspaper (later renamed the Missionary Record).

He was elected as a Republican to the Forty-third United States Congress in a newly created at-large district. He did not run for re-election in 1874 after redistricting, but ran for the 2nd district in 1876. He was elected to the Forty-fifth United States Congress. His major congressional effort was advocating the Civil Rights Act of 1875.

In 1880 Cain was elected and consecrated a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church; he served the episcopal district which comprised Louisiana and Texas. He helped found Paul Quinn College and served as its president until 1884.

He died in Washington on January 18, 1887 and is buried in Graceland cemetery.^[1][2]

References

External links

• [1]
• Congressional biography

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by At-Large District begun	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's At-large congressional seat March 4, 1873 - March 3, 1875	Succeeded by At-Large District abolished
Preceded by Charles W. Buttz	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 2nd congressional district June 4, 1896- March 3, 1897	Succeeded by Michael P. O'Connor
Academic offices
Preceded by -	President of Paul Quinn College -1884	Succeeded by -

Persondata
Name	Cain, Richard Harvey
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	April 12, 1825
Place of birth	Greenbrier County, Virginia
Date of death	January 18, 1887
Place of death	Washington, D.C.