Absalom Jones
1746-1818
Born near this place on a plantation known as “Cedar Town”, Jones moved to Philadelphia in 1762 and in 1784 purchased his freedom. He helped to establish the Free African Society in 1787. A leader of the independent African-American church movement, in 1792 he organized St. Thomas’ African Episcopal Church (Philadelphia) and in 1804 became the first African-American to be ordained an Episcopal Priest. He reverently opposed slavery and other forms of social injustice.
Marker is on Cedar Beach Road (Delaware Route 36) 0.2 miles west of Coastal Highway (Delaware Route 1), on the left when traveling east.
Courtesy hmdb.org
