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976.9 Sp3h v.1 1386796
M. L
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02303 2755
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/historyofkentuck01spen_0
A HISTORY C
-OF -
KENTUCKY BAPTISTS.
FROM 1769 TO 1885, -
INCLUDING
MORE THAN 800 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
BY
J. H SPENCER.
THE MANUSCRIPT REVISED AND CORRECTED BY
Mrs. Burrilla B. Spencer.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
CINCINNATI, J. R. BAUMES, 180 ELM STREET.
Copyright 1885, by J. H. SPENCER, Cincinnati.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Exploring and settling of Kentucky-Baptists among the early set- tlers-Thomas Tinsley and Wm. Hickman preach at Harrods- burg-G. S. Smith, John Taylor, and Joseph Redding visit Kentucky-Wm. Marshall-Joseph Barnett ; Jno. Gerrard ; Benj. Lynn ; Jas. Skaggs.
CHAPTER II.
First church in Kentucky, - Severns Valley. Fate of Gerrard. Cedar Creek church. Joshua Morris. Gilbert's Creek;church. Its origin in Virginia. The Craigs. Lewis Craig. John Wal- ler. Persecution. Preaching through prison grates.
CHAPTER III.
South Fork church. Forks of Dix River church. Randolph Hall. John S. Higgins. Burdett Kemper.
1386796
CHAPTER IV
Outlook in 1783. Gilbert's Creek church of Separate Baptists. Joseph Bledsoe. . South Elkhorn. John Shackleford. Preach- ers in jail. Providence church. Robt. Elkin.
CHAPTER V.
Condition of the settlers, in 1784. Gloomy state of religion. Bear Grass church. John Whitaker.
CHAPTER VI.
The first revival in Kentucky. John Taylor. A pioneer's day's work. Susannah Cash. Calling and installing a pastor. Clear Creek church. John Taylor's dream followed by a great revival.
CHAPTER VII.
Limestone church. Wm. Wood. Pottinger's Creek church Cox's Creek church. Wm. Taylor. Moses Pierson. Isaac Taylor. Brashear's Creek church. Rush Branch church. John Bailey. Head of Boone's Creek church. Joseph Craig.
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ii.
Contents.
CHAPTER VIII.
Great Crossing church. Elijah Craig. Joseph Redding. Isaac Red- ding. The Johnsons. Tate's Creek church. John Tanner.
CHAPTER IX.
Review. Number of churches and preachers, in 1785. Regular and Separate Baptists in Kentucky. The first attempt to unite them. The South Elkhorn Convention. Constitution of Elk- horn and Salem Associations.
CHAPTER X.
"Brighter Prospects. Bryant's Station church. Ambrose Dudley The Dudleys. Town Fork church. John Gano. Boone's Creek church. David Thompson. Tate's Creek church of Se- parate Baptists. Andrew Tribble.
CHAPTER X1.
Number of churches and preachers, in 1787. Cowper's Run church. A. Eastin. James Garrard. Lick Creek church. James Ro- gers. Boone's Creek church of Separate Baptists. Too many churches. Marble Creek church. Jno. Price. Ryland T. Dil- lard. David's Fork church. Hanging Fork of Dix River.
CHAPTER XII.
Number of churches and preachers in 1788. Forks of Elkhorn church. Wm. Hickman. Huston's Creek church. Moses Bledsoe. Rolling Fork church. Joshua Carman. Wm. Downs. Head of Salt River church. Buck Run church. John Dupuy. James Dupuy. Stark Dupuy. Shawnee Run church. John Rice. James T. Hedger.
CHAPTER XIII.
The Revival of 1789. Second attempt to unite the Regulars and Separates. Hardin's Creek church. Baldwin Clifton. Smith Thomas. Henson Thomas. Ezy Hickerson. Jessamine Creek church. The laying on of hands after baptism. Agitation on the subject of slavery. Josiah Dodge. John Sutton. Carter Tarrant. Donald Holmes. Duncan McLean. Jacob Gregg. George Smith. David Barrow.
iii.
Contents.
CHAPTER XIV.
The Revival continued. Mayslick church. Wm. Grinstead. Walter Warder. Joseph Warder. John Warder. Indian Creek church. David Biggs. Unity church. James Quensenberry. Jno. M. Johnson. David Chenault. Hickman's Creek church. Thomas Ammon. Head of Beech Fork church. Hardin's Creek church. Mt. Pleasant. West Fork of Cox's Creek. White Oak Run. Baptist Statistics in 1790.
CHAPTER XV.
Retrospect. Cove Spring. Strode's Fork. Reuben Smith. Taylor's Fork. Bloomfield. Walter Stallard. Francis Davis. Spencer Clack. Henry Thomas. D. S. Colgan. Wm. Vaughan. J. M. Weaver. Craborchard. Wm. Bledsoe. Jeremiah Varde- man. Moses Foley. Pittman's Creek. Isaac Hodgen. John Harding. Brush Creek. Wm. Mathews. Thomas Whitman. Johnson Graham.
CHAPTER XVI.
Retrospect. The Indians overcome. Chenowith's Run. Silas Gar- rett. Z. Carpenter. George LaPage. R. C. Nash. G. W. Robertson. R. A. Beauchamp.
CHAPTER XVII.
Lulbegrud. John Smith. Thomas Boone. James French. Rich- ard French. Grassy Lick. Elijah Barnes. Bracken. James Thompson. Gilbert Mason. A. D. Sears. A. W. LaRue. Mill Creek. Samuel Carpenter. W. M. Brown. N. C. Beck- ham. R. H. Slaughter. Mount Moriah. Colmore Lovelace. Mill Creek. Flat Lick. Richard Thomas. Joel Morehead. Springfield. The third attempt to unite the Regulars and Sep- arates. Tate's Creek Association.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Religious dearth and its cause. Spencer Creek. James Edmonson. Nathan Edmonson. Licking. Jas. Vickers. Elk Creek. Jo- siah Harbert. W. Stout. Fox Run. Alan McGuire. S. Van- cleave. Wm. and Casandria Ford. W. W. Ford. J. C. Free- man. Bullittsburg. Wm. Cave. Geo. Eve. Lewis Deweese. James Lee. C. Matthews. Absalom Graves. Jas. Dicken. L. Robinson. Jeremiah Kirtley. Robert Kirtley. J. A. Kirtley. A. C. Graves.
iv.
Contents. CHAPTER XIX.
Gloomy Outlook. Cartwright's Creek. Owen Owens. Joel Gordon. Blue Ash. Elijah Summers. Stamping Ground. Jacob Creath; Sr. James Suggett. S. Trott. Theo. Boulware. S. M. Noel. The Gospel Herald. J. D. Black. Forks of Licking. Alexan- der Monroe. Otter Creek.
CHAPTER XX.
The Gloom deepens. Union church. John Hightower. Alex. De- vin. Joseph Logan. Z. Morris. Richard Owings. Stone Lick. Beech Creek. Warren Cash. M. Scott. John Holland. Good Hope. Edward Turner. David Thurman. David El- kin. John Chandler. Horatio Chandler. Willis Peck. Deep Creek. James Keel. B. F. Keeling. David Bruner. Mt. Nebo. Peter Woods.
CHAPTER XXI.
A small revival. Goshen Church. Wm. Payne. Edward Kindred. Raven's Creek. Bethel. Stark Dupuy. Harrod's Creek. Wm. Kellar. Ben. Allen. A. M. Ragsdale. Jas. Kinsolving. W. E. Waller. Long Run. Joseph Collins. Joel Hulsey. J. H. Sturgeon. John Dale. John Dulaney. W. E. Powers. Ha- zle Creek. Benjamin Talbot. E. P. O'Bannon. Viney Fork. Christopher Harris.
CHAPTER XXII.
Great political excitement. Alien and Sedition Laws. Lee's Creek. Flower Creek. Mt. Sterling. Ridge. Salt River. John Pen- ny. W. W. Penny. Edmund Waller. J. H. Walker. Mt. Salem. Stephen Collier. H. F. Buckner. Mill Creek. John Mulky. Dripping Spring. Robert Stockton. Robert Smith. A. McDougal. Mt. Tabor. A. Davidson. Jacob Lock. John Murphy. R. Hunt. M. W. Hall. R. T. Gardner. Jas. Brooks. Sinking Creek. A. Clayton. Jesse Moon. Sulphur Spring. John Howard. Isaac Steele. Muddy River. Lewis Moore. L. Page. Philip Warden. O. H. Morrow. Beaver Dam. A. Taylor. D. E. Burns. J. S. Coleman. J. M. Penay.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Political features. Bracken Association. Flat Lick. J. M. James. D. F. James. Robert McAlister. John James. Somerset. Thomas Hansford. Daniel Buckner. Four Mile. Elk Lick. Fourteen Mile. Henson Hobbs. Eddy Grove. James Ruck- er. Blue Spring. Ralph Petty. Thomas Edwards. N. G. Terry. Christiansburg. John Metcalf. John Edwards. Jo- shua Rucker. A. Cook. T. M. Daniel. Newcastle. Isaac Malin. Thos. Vandiver. Thos. Chilton. Thomas Smith. E. G. Berry. W. A. Caplinger. R. Ryland. Buck Creek. W. E. Waller. T. M. Vaughan.
V.
Contents.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Political quiet. Infidelity. Bad morals. Apostasy of preachers. Dry Creek. Moses Vickers. Ghent. John Scott. L. D. Alexan- der. William Johnson. Corn Creek. P. Vawter. Jesse Vaw- ter. John Vawter. Wm. Buckley. Geo. Kendall. Archer Smith. Eighteen Mile. J. A. McGuire. D. N. Porter. J. B. Porter. J. S. Dawson. A. E. Shirley. Kings. W. P. Barnett. Concord. CorneliusDuese. I. C. Tracy. Seth Bradshaw. Boggs Fork. Squire Boone, Jr. Close of the Century. Statistics.
CHAPTER XXV.
Doctrine of the early Baptists in Kentucky. Universalism. Eternal justification. Slavery. Early customs. Ruling Elders. Lay- ing on of hands. Feet washing. Quarterly meetings. Benev- olent enterprises. Education. Effective preachers. Strictness in discipline. Paying preachers. Character of early preach- ing.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Influence of France. Voltair. Tom Paine. Scarcity of Bibles, and other religious books. Low state of religion
CHAPTER XXVII.
Beginning of the great revival among the Presbyterians. The Method- ists join with them. Camp-Meetings. The great Cane Ridge meeting. Children in the great Revival. The Falling Exercise. The Jerks. Rolling. Running. Dancing. Barking. Laugh- ing. Visions and Trances.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Multiplication of sects. New Lights. Springfield Presbytery. "The Christian Church." The Shakers. The Cumberland Presby- terian Church. The Millennial Church [Shakers.]
CHAPTER XXIX.
The Great Revival among the Baptists. Statistics in 1803. Effects of the revival. Missionaries sent to the Indians. Union of Regu- lar and Separate Baptists. Terms of general union. Full union of all the Baptists in Kentucky. Arianism in Elkhorn Associa- tion. Splitin South District Association. Rupture in Elkhorn. Formation of Licking Association.
vi.
Contents.
CHAPTER XXX.
Presbyterians in Kentucky. Their early history. They equal the Baptists in numbers. Their superior advantages. Their disadvantages. Unfitness of their preachers. They demanded fixt salaries. Pasquinade on Father Rice. Early history of the Methodists in Kentucky. Manner of worship. Their claim to Catholicity. Catholics. Episcopalians. Other sects. Baptist statistics in 1810.
CHAPTER XXXI.
Revival of 1810. "The Shakers." The first Baptist periodical in the West. Foreign Missions. Judson and Rice go to India. Become Baptists. Baptist Board of Foreign Missions: Kentucky Bap- tists all favored Missions, previous to 1816. Origin of opposition to Missions. John Taylor's Pamphlet. Daniel Parker. The Two-seeds doctrine. Revival in 1817. Choctaw Academy. Sta- tistics.
CHAPTER XXXII.
Outlook in 1820. Alexander Campbell. The Christian Baptist. Campbell's opposition to Missions. Attack on the Ministry. Opposition to supporting preachers. The spirit of Campbell's teaching. Revival of 1827-9. Georgetown College. Issachar Pawling. W. Staughton. R. Giddings. D. R. Campbell. N. M. Crawford.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Divisions among the Baptists. Licking and Red River Associations. Origin of Bethel Association. Progress of Campbellism. Action of Beaver Association. A list of Campbell's errors. Frankfort Church's letter to Franklin Association. Wise precaution of Elkhorn. Boones Creek Association advises the abolition of its constitution. Action of other Associations. The war of 1829- 30. Called session of Franklin Association. Its Circular Letter. Final action of several Associations on Campbellism. Statistics for 1829, 1830, 1832 and 1835.
vii.
Contents.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Sad condition of the Baptists, in 1830. Division of sentiment. Ken- tucky Baptist State Convention. Its history and dissolution. A gloomy period.
CHAPTER XXXV.
The General Association. Two results follow its organization-a Split and a Revival. The Revival of 1837. Protracted Meetings. American and Foreign Bible Society. Kentucky and Foreign Bible Society. China Mission Society. Statistics for 1840.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
The Antimission Schism. Antimission preaching. China Mission Association. Indian Mission Association. Isaac McCoy. Am- erican Baptist Home Mission Society. American and Foreign Bible Society. Kentucky and Foreign Bible Society. Western Baptist Theological Institute. Ministerial Education Society. The Financial Crash of 1841-2. "Under-ground Railroad." Alabama Resolutions. Southern Baptist Convention. The Revival. Statistics.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
Great prosperity. American Bible Union. John L. Waller. Tem- perance Reform. Temperance Societies. Sons of Temperance. Good Templars. Legal Prohibition. The license law. Action of the General Association. Know Nothingism. Old Land- markism. Sunday Schools. Southern S. S. Union. W. S. Sed- wick. Revival of 1858. Statistics for 1860.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Religious prosperity in 1860. Education. Baptist Schools and Col- leges. Georgetown Female Seminary. J. E. Farnham. J. J. Rucker. Bethel Female College. J. W. Rust. T. G. Keen. Bethel College. Samuel Baker. N. Long. E. M. Ewing. P. U. Ewing. H. Q. Ewing. B. T. Blewett. George Hunt. W. W. Gardner. The Civil War. Revival of 1864. Touching In- cident. The colored Baptists. Agricultural and Mechanical College. Statistics for 1870.
viii.
Contents.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
Condition of the Baptists in 1870. Orphans Home. Mary Hollings- worth. J. Lawrence Smith. Mrs. J. Lawrence Smith. South- ern Baptist Theological Seminary. J. P. Boyce. John A. Broad- us. B. Manly, Jr. W. H. Whitsitt. Sunday School interest. Provision for aged ministers. Centennial Celebration. Prohi- bition. Female Missionary Societies. Statistics for 1880.
PREFACE.
-
The Baptists have been occupying the soil of Kentucky one hundred and ten years, and, with the exception of two brief periods, have been much the most numerous denomination of Christians in the State; yet, they alone, of the leading sects, have failed to have their history written, until now. The pres- ent work is the primal history of the Kentucky Baptists. Some fragmentary accounts of churches and associations have been printed from time to time, but nothing like a connected history of the denomination has been published since Benedict's epitome of its early operations was issued from the press at Boston, Massachusetts, in 1813.
The want of a history of Kentucky Baptists has long been felt, and various efforts have been made to secure such a work. The first attempt of the kind was made by Silas M. Noel and Jeremiah Vardeman, in 1812, when these distinguished minis- ters proposed to publish A Comprehensive History of the Bap- tists of Virginia and Kentucky. The churches and associations were appealed to for aid in collecting materials for the work, and generally responded favorably. What progress was made, or whether the writing was actually commenced, is not known; but it is certain that the proposed work was never published. The next attempt of the kind was made in 1818, by one M. Smith, who proposed to publish A History of the Baptists in the Western Country. This enterprise was nipped in the bud by some of the associations, which resolved that they disapproved of the pretentions of M. Smith, believing him to be "unqualified for such service."
After this, no effort appears to have been made in this direction, till 1841, when John L. Waller, while acting as agent of the General Association, commenced gathering historical facts concerning the churches. He continued this work, inci- dentally, till about 1853, when he resolved to write A History of the Baptists in Kentucky. It was, at first, supposed that the work was about ready for the press; but, after his death, in
(5)
6
Preface.
1854, nothing was found written on the subject, and it is now generally believed that he had not commenced the writing. After the death of Dr. Waller, his surviving partner and co- editor, S. H. Ford, now the well known Dr. Ford, of St. Louis, commenced gathering materials for Kentucky Baptist History. About 1856 he began to weave these materials into historical sketches, which he published in The Christian Repository. His intention was to continue the work until he had brought the history down to the present, and then put it in a more perma- nent form. But the Civil War caused the suspension of his labors in Kentucky, in 1861, and the final removal of his peri- odical to St. Louis. However, he gathered much historical material, and left in print some matter that was useful to the subsequent historian.
In 1866, R. L. Thurman and the author of this work pro- posed to gather materials for A History of the Deceased Bap- tist Ministers of Kentucky. Mr. Thurman soon discovered that the proposed work interfered with his duties as agent for foreign missions, and abandoned the purpose. The author continued to pursue the work alone, in connection with his labors as an evangelist. In prosecuting this enterprise, he was brought to the conclusion that a change of his plan, so as to include the early history of the Baptist denomination in the State, would be an improvement on the original design. He was contem- plating this change in the arrangement, when, in 1870, W. Pope Yeaman announced his intention to write A History of Kentucky Baptists. Dr. Yeaman pursued his purpose two or three years, when his enterprise was lost sight of, it being sup- posed to have been abandoned. The author, remembering the repeated failures that had attended similar attempts, continued to prosecute his researches and collect materials, while preach- ing from 442 to 572 times a year.
In 1876, the General Association of Baptists in Kentucky adopted the following :
"The committee to whom was referred the subject of Ken- tucky Baptist History have considered the same, and beg leave to report :
"By the utter and continned failures heretofore to procure facts, and any person or persons to accomplish an end so desir- able as a history of Kentucky Baptists, your committee do not
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Preface.
feel inclined to continue the work in the hands of associational committees, but would most respectfully transfer the whole matter into the hands of Rev. J. H. Spencer, D. D., with the request that he at once proceed to prepare such a history of Kentucky Baptists as he is enabled from facts, documents, etc., now in his possession and [that he] may be able to procure, and that he report his progress at the next meeting of the General Association. GREEN CLAY SMITH, Chairman."
The author at once accepted the responsibility, not without feeling its great weight and some of the difficulties he would have to encounter, and gave to the work all the time he could spare from what he deemed the higher duty of preaching the gospel. The field had been gleaned of historic documents in the more easily accessible portions of the State, again and again, and the matter, so obtained, had either been destroyed, or those who had it in their possession esteemed it too highly to allow the author the use of it. He was also farther embar- rassed by ascertaining that very many of his brethren had the ineffaceable impression that the work, which he deemed a great sacrifice for the benefit of his denomination, was a promising pecuniary speculation. Letters and circulars, sent to all parts of the State, received very little attention. His final resort, therefore, was to get on his horse, and, at such seasons of the year as he could not be engaged in the work of an evangelist, thoroughly canvass the whole State. This required several years, and by the time it was accomplished, his health was so enfeebled that he greatly feared he could not live to finish the book, now that the materials for its composition were collected. Meanwhile he was so afflicted with rheumatism that he could handle papers only with extreme difficulty and was compelled to employ an amanuensis to do his writing. Through all these trials and afflictions, however, God has sustained him in his tedious labors, and the work finished, after nineteen years of excessive toil, is offered to the Baptists of Kentucky and the general public, without a reasonable hope of pecuniary reward.
Among many kind friends who have generously aided him, the author takes pleasure in naming the following :
Rev. John James, of Adair county; Rev. M. F. Ham, Rev. Y. Witherspoon, J. H. Collins and Wm. Spencer, of A len ; Rev, T. J, Hedger and Mrs. Judge Bell, of Anderson ;
8
Preface.
Gov. P. H. Leslie, Col. Wm. Ellis, Jas. Scrivner, Rev. John H. Baker, Rev. Jas. Brooks and Rev. E. Butram, of Barren ; Rev. J. A. Kirtley, D. D. and Rev. L. Johnson, of Boone ; Rev. Wm. Head, Rev, S. L. Helm, D. D., Hon. R. R. Pearce and Mrs. Harriet Moorman, of Breckenridge; Hon. Aaron Harding and Jas. Slaughter, of Boyle; Rev. T. E. Richey and Rev. R. W. Moorehead, of Caldwell; Rev. J. C. Spann, of Calloway; Rev. J. M. Jolly and Mrs. Jas. Spillman, of Camp- bell; Walton Craig and Peter Conway, of Carroll ; Prof. J. W. Rust and Kirtley Twyman, of Christian; Rev. Wm. Rupart, J. N. Conkwright and A. G. Bush, of Clark ; Rev. Taylor Gil- bert, of Clay; Judge P. H. Hopkins and Rev. J. C. Denton, of Clinton ; Rev. J. B. Hardy, of Crittenden ; Mrs. J. A. Mc- Clusky, of Cumberland; Rev. J. M. Dawson, Rev. W. H. Dawson, Rev. J. P. Ellis and Rev. J. B. Solomon, D. D., of Daviess; Rev. I. N. Brown, of Edmonson; Rev. R. T. Dil- lard, D. D., Rev. J. C. Freeman and J. W. Royster., of Fayette; Rev. Cad. Lewis, L. L. D., of Franklin ; Rev. Wm. Cook, of Floyd; Rev. W. C. Taylor, Rev. W. F. Lowe and Rev. Wm. Howard, of Graves; Rev. T. K. Reynolds, of Greenup; W. D. Hopper and J. H. Kemper, of Garrard ; Rev. J. E. Stone, of Hancock ; Rev. J. H. Fullilove, Rev. G. H. Hicks, Hon. Sam. Haycraft and Abram Lewis, of Hardin ; Rev. A. W. Richardson and John B. Edwards, of Hart; Rev. John Bryce and Rev. A. Hatchitt of Henderson; Rev. Willis White and Rev. Stephen Ray, of Hickman; Rev. E. G. Berry, Rev. D. N. Porter, M. D., Rev. J. M. Eaton and Mrs. Nancy Tingle, of Henry; Milton Sisk, of Hopkins; Rev. A. C. Cap- erton, D. D., Rev. J. L. Burrows, D. D., John Williamson and Mrs. Ann Netherton, of Jefferson; Rev. Wm. Jayne, of Johnson; Rev. J. G. Holcomb, of Jackson; Rev. Thos. Pritch- ard, G. B. Foley and J. H. Davis, of Knox; Rev. John Dun- can, of LaRue ; Rev. J. W. Moran, of Laurel ; "Rev. S. C. Caudill, of Letcher ; Rev. Jno. S. Higgins, of Lincoln; Rev. M. H. Utley, of Livingston; Jno. W. Jackson, of Lyon ; T. N. Lyne, Rev. Jas. Lamb, Rev. Sam'l Baker, D. D., Rev. Robert Woodward, A. L. Burks and Mrs. B. B. Piper, of Logan ; Rev. Jno. G. Pond, of Madison; Rev. C. W. Bailey, of Magoffin; Rev. D. M. Green and Rev. T. F. Harrison, of Marshall; S. S. Minor, of Mason; Rev. G. W. Dupee (col.),
9
Preface ..
of McCracken ; Rev. S. Cook and E. Burrus, of Mercer ; Rev. Wm. L. Givedon, M. D., of Morgan, Rev. Jas. Williamson, of Martin ; Rev. Wm. Vaughan, D. D., Abner King, J. S. Foxworthy and Wm. Taylor, of Nelson ; Jno. Simpson, of Owsley; Rev. Jno. W. Waldrop, Rev. J. V. Riley and R. S. Coats, of Owen; Rev. N. C. Pettit, of Pendleton ; Rev. H. B. Whiles, W. T. Hail and C. H. Mckinney, of Pulaski; Rev. R. M. Dudley, D. D., President of Georgetown College, of Scott; Rev. W. E. Powers, Prof. T. J. Doolan, Daniel Shouse, J. G. Farmer, Rev. T. M. Daniel and Mrs. Jane Collins, of Shelby; Rev. O. H. Morrow, of Simpson; Rev. T. H. Cole- man and Lummie Grigsby, of Spencer ; Prof. H. B. Wayland, M. B. Wharton, Rev. H. Smith and Robt. Goodwin, of Trigg; Rev. A. Smith and Miss Lizzie Arnold, of Trimble; Rev. J. B. Haynes and S. M. Martin, of Union ; Rev. W. W. Durham and Hon. George Wright, of Warren; Rev. Joel Gordon and Gabriel Kendrick, of Washington; Isaiah Bird and Jas. Mead- ows, of Whitley; Rev. W. A. Cooper, Jacob Cooper and T. J. Eads, of Wayne; Revs. Jonathan Wiseman, Robt. Norvell and A. D. Sears, of the State of Tennessee ; Rev. C. J. Kelley, of Illinois, and I. N. Wyman, of Kansas. Besides these, many others, whose names must be omitted for want of space, have rendered the author valuable aid, for which he begs leave to express his gratitude. He also desires to express his thanks to the editors of the Western Recorder, the Baptist Gleaner, and a number of other papers, both religious and secular, for timely words of encouragement.
The author's aim has been to record, as nearly as might be, all that is valuable and interesting in the history of the Baptists in Kentucky, from the time that Elder Squire Boone first set his foot on the soil of the unexplored wilderness, in the spring of 1769, down to the year 1885. Great pains have been taken to ascertain the facts, and nothing has been recorded as a fact without what the author deemed good authority. His principal sources of information have been the official rec- ords of churches and associations, though he has had access to nearly all that has been published on the subject, especially during the earlier periods, as well as the manuscript diaries and correspondence of a number of prominent ministers of the past. He has also visited, and conversed with many aged ministers 2
of y, of .),
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Preface.
and other persons, in all parts of the State, and corresponded with many of "the fathers" who have since gone to their re- ward. No pains have been spared in seeking every source of information, and especial care has been taken to have dates correct. But after all possible efforts have been made to secure exact accuracy, there will, doubtless, be some mistakes found in the book. There are discrepancies and contradictions both in official records and in what have been deemed the best his- torical authorities. From these causes some mistakes are in- evitable, but it is hoped they are few and unimportant.
The author has attempted the utmost brevity consistent with perspicuity, and an earnest effort has been made to render the book easily comprehensible to the common reader.
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