James Mayer Connor

Mayer, son of William and Marie Conner, was born in Winston county, Miss., in 1863 of slave parents. He was converted and joined the A. M. E. Church in 1881, and was licensed to preach by Rev. J. W. Washington, P. E. of the West Point district, North Miss. Conference, in 1882. He entered the ministry and was sent to Aberdeen Mission in 1883, where he bought and built a new church. In 1884 he was ordained a deacon and elder by Bishop T. M. D. Ward, D. D. After serving at Okolona, Stormsville, he was sent by Bishop Ward to Arkansas and stationed at Forrest City, Ark., to build a church. This done, in 1886, he was sent to Osceola, Ark., to build a church, and then at Newport, Ark., to build a new church. At all these places he gave the connection good churches and added many new members to the church and carried up excellent conference reports, excelling all previous reports. He served four years as P. E. of the Forrest City (Ark.) district, three years on the Vicksburg (Miss.) district, two years on the Jonesboro (Ark.) district and two years on the Little Rock (Ark.) district. He spent two years at Hot Springs, Ark., as pastor, six years at Bethel, Little Rock, Ark., and four years at Fort Smith, Ark. He bought the ground and built the parsonage at Little Rock, Ark., paid the church out of debt at Hot Springs and almost doubled the conference dollar money at these places, also the membership.

His early education was obtained in the public schools of his native State and Alabama, where he spent the early part of his life. In 1891 was graduated from the National University, of Chicago, with the degree of Bachelor of Sacred Theology; from the American Institute of Sacred Literature, University of Chicago, in 1897, and Shorter College, with the degree of Bachelor of Divinity in 1905. He was president of the executive board, president of the Alumni Association of Shorter College. Morris Brown College, Atlanta, Ga., conferred the degree of Doctor of Divinity upon him, and Paul Quinn College, Waco, Tex., gave him the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Bishop Conner is an author of several books, among them being “The Outlines of Christian Theology,” “Doctrines of Christ” and “Elements of Success.”

For many years, in connection with his church work, he published the Little Rock Reporter, Arkansas Statesman and Conner’s Magazine. For seven years he was at the head of the Business Men’s League of Arkansas.

The following are his appointments in chronological order: Aberdeen, Miss., 1883; Okalona, Miss.,. 1884; Stormsville, Miss., 1885; Osceola, Ark., 1887; Newport, Ark., 1888-1889; Forest City, 1886.

Was Presiding Elder of Forest City District 1893; Little Rock, 1896-97; Vicksburg District, 1897-1901; Little Rock, Ark., 1901-1905; Jonesboro District, 1908-1910; Little Rock District, 1910-12. Was elected Bishop in 1912. Built churches at Aberdeen, Miss., 1883, at a cost of $800; Stormsville, Miss., 1885, at a cost of $600; Forest City, Ark., 1886, at $3000; Newport, Ark., 1888, at $5000; Osceola, Ark., 1887, at $2000.

Lifted mortgages at Hot Springs in 1895 to the amount of $1400; Little Rock in 1897 to the amount of $1200.

Has taken five or six thousand people into the church and baptized about 1800 persons.

Was delegate to the General Conference in 1896 at Wilmington, N. C., and to all others since then. Was member of the Financial Board for eight years, 1904 to 1912.

Married Miss Glovenia L. Stewart, of Kentucky, in 1886. Parents of five children.

Bishop Conner has made many addresses. He has been associated with the Progressive Party, and is owner of a home and other valuable real estate. He served as Bishop of the Eighth Episcopal District, including the States of Mississippi and Louisiana, during the quadrennium 1912-1916, presiding over five conferences in Mississippi and two in Louisiana, and created a new one in Mississippi–the Northwest Mississippi Annual Conference. He is now bishop of Arkansas and Oklahoma.

Information taken from:  Centennial Encyclopedia of the AME Church by Richard R. Wright, Jr., 1916.