USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky Baptists : From 1769 to 1885, including more than 800 biographical sketches, Vol. I > Part 33
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70
W. E. Powers was born in Oldham county, Kentucky, June 26, 1824. He received a fair English education, with some knowledge of the Latin language. He professed conversion at a very early age, and was baptized into the fellowship of Dover church in Shelby county, by the now venerable E. G. Berry. Perhaps in his 21st year, he was married to Mary Jane Hurst- man, who has made him a most excellent wife. This marriage was blessed with six sons and five daughters, all of whom, except the eldest and the third sons, are living. Eight of them have been baptized into the fellowship of Long Run church. The other three are small children.
Soon after his marriage, Mr. Powers, who had been "a trader in produce down the Mississippi river," several years, entered into mercantile business, at Boston in Jefferson county. After a few years, he returned to his farm in Shelby county, where he still resides. In 1858, he became aroused to a more
361
Walter Ellis Powers.
lively sense of his religious duty, and in a feeling talk to his brethren, told the church at Long Run to which he had moved his membership, that he would try to discharge any duty they saw fit to lay upon him. In November of that year, he was licensed to preach. His great zeal and activity in the cause of the Master soon attracted favorable attention. On the 3d of November, 1859, he was ordained to the full work of the min- istry. The following year he was appointed missionary of Long Run Association. His labors in this field were crowned with extraordinary success. He visited most of the destitute points in his field, held meetings with the weak churches, encouraged the young preachers to active labor, and gathered two new churches. The same year he was called to the pastoral care of Beechland and Knob Creek-the two churches he had gathered -and the church at Jeffersontown. About 1863, he resigned the care of Knob Creek, in Bullitt county, and took charge of Mt. Washington church in the same county. Some nine or ten years after this, he resigned the care of Jeffersontown and Mt. Washington churches to give an additional Sunday to Beechland, and take charge of Sligo church, in Henry county. Since that time he has made no change in his pastoral relations, * except that he is at present supplying Fisherville church with monthly preaching. Besides his very successful labors as a pastor, he has held a great many protracted meetings, and it is supposed that not less than 2,000 people have joined the churches under his ministry. He is at present moderator of Long Run As- sociation.
HAZLE CREEK church, located a few miles from Greenville in Muhlenburg county, is the oldest now existing in the State, west of the Louisville and Nashville railroad, except Severns Valley in Elizabethtown. It was the second church constituted in all that portion of Kentucky lying south of Green river. Un- ion, in Warren county, long since dissolved, being the first. The history of the settlement from which the church was gath- ered is lost. There seems to have been a man of the name of [Walter?] Thomas, (father of the late Judge Walter Thomas of Allen county), an emigrant from North Carolina, among the first settlers. There was also a family of Downses among these
* Since the above was written he has resigned the care of Beechland and accepted that of Kings.
24
362
History of Kentucky Baptists.
pioneers. Among the members of Mr. Thomas' family was a young Baptist preacher of the name of Benjamin Talbot, a step-son of Mr. Thomas.
In 1797, Mr. Talbot gathered four Baptists, besides him- self, from among the settlers, and the five were constituted "the Regular Baptist church of Jesus Christ on the Hazle Fork of Muddy river, December 3rd." It has since been known as Hazle Creek church. The nearest church to it was at a dis- tance of fifty miles. It seems to have grown very rapidly, un- der the pastoral charge of Benjamin Talbot: For, in April, 1799, it established "an arm " at George Clark's on the west side of Pond creek. This year it first sent messengers to Mero District Association, a fraternity that had been formed in the northern part of Tennessee, in 1796. It remained in this Associa- tion, till 1803. At that period, Mero District Association was dis- solved, on account of the bad conduct of a notorious preacher of the name of Joseph Dorris. Dorris was a man of very considerable talents, and was a member, and the pastor, of one of the churches in this association. He was accused of grossly immoral con- duct. His guilt could not be proved, but was almost unani- mously believed. The association could neither get rid of him nor fellowship him. In this dilemma they resorted to the singular expedient of dissolving the association, and forming a new one of the same churches, leaving out those which adhered to Mr. Dorris. The new fraternity was called Cumberland. Of this association, Hazle Creek became a member. Three years after this (1806), the association became so large that it divided into two. The northern part took the name of Red
River Association. Hazle Creek church either remained a member of this body or went into Green River Association where it remained till it entered into the constitution of Gasper River Association, in 1812. It still belongs to this body. In 1801, the notorious "Jo Dorris " found his way to Hazel Creek church, and was excluded from [the pulpit of ] it, December 5, for preaching open communion. During this year, the pastor, with others, was sent to the settlement on Trade Water in Hen- derson county, to receive members into Hazle Creek church. In 1804, the church had become large enough to begin to send out colonies. Leroy Jackson was ordained to the ministry. "The arm " on the west side of Pond creek was constituted a
re sla
res
363
Benjamin Talbot.
church now called Unity. Eighteen members were dismissed to form the church now called Midway. These churches were constituted in 1805. In 1806, 18 members were dismissed to form the church, at first called Long Creek, but since known as Cana. In 1808, a council was appointed to constitute Cy- press church, and ordain Wilson Henderson for its pastor.
Hazle Creek church continued to prosper till 1834, when its first pastor died. Since that date, it has changed pastors at least seventeen times. It must have possessed great vitality to maintain an existence under such treatment. In 1876, it num- bered 133 members.
BENJAMIN TALBOT is supposed to have been a native of North Carolina. He was born about 1760. At what time he moved west is not known. He was among the early settiers of what is now Muhlenburg county, Ky. So far as known, he was the first preacher that settled in the lower Green river val- ley. He raised up Hazle Creek church in 1797, and at once became its pastor. He was a man of great energy and daunt- less courage, and, from his little spiritual fort on Hazle creek, sallied out in all directions, bearing the message of peace to the settlers in a strange land. He planted many of the oldest churches in the lower Green river valley, and ministered to them until God raised up other preachers to take care of them. There is a tradition that Mr. Talbot was in Kentucky during the Indian wars. At one time he was shot through the thigh by an Indian rifleman. It was only a flesh wound, and he soon recovered, but carried the scar to his grave. In this encounter with the savages, he was separated from his company, and re- mained in the woods seven days without any food, except one "Johnny cake," which he had in his haversack. It was dur- ing this period of privation and danger, according to the tradi- tion, that he was awakened to a sense of guilt before God. But where, or by whom, he was baptized and brought into the ministry, is unknown.
He continued to labor among the churches he had raised up, till the fall of 1834, when the Lord called him to his final reward, about the 74th year of his age. A handsome marble slab marks his resting place, near where stood his last earthly residence, in Butler county.
" Elder Talbot," writes Elder J. D. Craig, "was a man of
e t d a
on er In ek 5, or, en- ich. end try. ed a
364
History of Kentucky Baptists.
great decision of character. His purposes once formed were seldom changed. Heavy rains, hard winds and high waters were seldom obstacles between him and his churches. He was a man of rare talents. His gifts in exhortation and prayer were seldom equaled. He was a man of great earnestness, zeal and duration. He rarely delineated the sufferings of Christ except in tears. He traveled and preached much, and received very little compensation."
E. P. O'BANNON, a preacher of small ability, was one of the pastors of Hazle Creek church. He was raised up to the ministry in the lower Green river country, was a warm, zealous exhorter, and a very earnest worker in the cause of his Mas- ter. He labored seven years as a licensed preacher, and was ordained in 1852. He was quite useful as a missionary, and was a valuable worker in protracted meetings. The Lord was pleased to add many seals to his ministry. He died of con- sumption of the lungs, June 25, 1861, aged about fifty years.
VINEY FORK church is located in the eastern part of Madi- son county. It has, for more than four score years, been one of the leading churches in Tates Creek Association, and has had in its membership a number of the best citizens of Madison county. It appears to have been gathered by that famous old pioneer, Christopher Harris. It was constituted in 1797, and appears to have been first called " The United Baptist church of Christ on Muddy creek." If this appearance be correct, it united with Tates Creek Association the same year it was constituted, at which time it reported an aggregate membership of 20. It was represented in the Association, in 1799, under its present name, and numbered 45 members. The next year it was re- duced to 34; but during the great revival, it received, in one year, 221, so that, in October, 1801, it numbered 255 members, and was the largest church in the Association, except Tates Creek. After this, its membership was reduced, from time to time, by dismissals to form new churches, till, in 1825, it re- ported only 75 members. Again, in 1827-8, a refreshing from the Lord brought it up to 167. But now came a day of dark- ness and confusion. The leaven of Campbellism, so indus- triously and skillfully propagated by John Smith, Josiah Col- lins and others, had permeated all the churches in the Associa- tion. The Campbellite schism culminated, in 1830, and left
365
Viney Fork Church.
Viney Fork only 46 members. It rallied again, however, and enjoyed a gradual growth, till 1859, when it numbered 165. Ten years after this, the results of the War had reduced it to 50 members, since which time it has increased its membership to about 100.
CHRISTOPHER HARRIS probably gathered Viney Fork church, was in its constitution, and served it as pastor about sixteen years. ' He probably came from Virginia to Madison county, Kentucky, where he settled, about 1795. Here he united with Dreaming Creek (afterwards Mount Nebo) church. In May, 1796, he was chosen moderator of Tates Creek Association, and between this time and 1814, filled that position ten years. About 1816, he moved to the Green river country, and united with Mount Zion church, in Warren county. The next year, he was chosen moderator of Gasper River Association, and con- tinued to occupy that position, till 1820, when he, with his church, entered into the constitution of Drakes Creek Associa- tion. He was moderator of the latter fraternity five years. The time and circumstances of his death are not known, but he was probably called to his reward, about 1826.
Of the seven churches constituted in Kentucky, in 1797, at least six are still in existence, and some of them are leading members in their associations. Their builders have all long since gone to their reward; but, after 88 years have passed away, their noble work still remains. How many hundreds have borne tidings from these old churches, to Talbot, Morris, Kellar, Payne, Dupuy and Harris, in their home above !
CHAPTER XXII.
GREAT POLITICAL AGITATION-MOUNT TABOR, BEAVER DAM, AND OTHER CHURCHES GATHERED IN 1798.
The year 1798 was an exceedingly unpropitious time for the propagation of religious teaching, or the exercising of re- ligious influence, among the people of Kentucky. Perhaps poli- tical excitement never run higher than during that year. There were three principal causes, which produced this almost wild agitation in the popular mind.
First : The people had become disgusted with their State Constitution, and desired a new one. The proposition to call a convention, for the purpose of forming a new constitution, had been submitted to the legislature, and had passed the lower house, but was defeated in the senate. This enraged the people the more, because the senate, under the constitution, then in force, was not elected by the people, but by a college of electors. The excitement on this subject continued to in- crease, until the fall election decided in favor of the convention.
But discussion of the subject of forming a new constitution, and the emphatic decision of the people in its favor, brought the subject of emancipation before the people again. The ques- tion, as to whether the new constitution should require, and provide for, the gradual emancipation of slaves, in the com- monwealth, was propounded and warmly discussed. The bril- liant and influential Henry Clay boldly advocated the affirma- tive. Much of the perishable property of the people of the state consisted in slaves, and the owners were necessarily rest- less and agitated, until the question was finally settled. by the adoption of the new constitution.
But a third, and apparently more powerful cause of agita- tion, was the recent passage of two laws, by congress, known as the Alien and Sedition Laws. The cause of the passage of
[366]
367
Great Political Agitation.
these laws, and their purport, may be briefly stated. The west- ern people were enthusiastic admirers of France, on account of her people having aided the American colonies in their struggle for Independence, and were as strongly embittered against the Administration of the United States Government. Meanwhile, there were grave misunderstandings between the governments of France and the United States, and war between the two powers seemed imminent. Under these circumstances, French agents were sent to Kentucky to kindle the enthusiasm of the people in favor of "the French Republic," and fan the flame of their hatred against Mr. Adams' Administration. The temper of the Kentuckians was such that state laws could not be en- forced against the French agents. Under these circumstances, congress passed one law by which aliens should be arrest- ed and placed under the control of the President of the United States, and another, to use the powers of the General Government to punish and suppress slanders against the mem- bers of congress and the Adminstration. These laws were re- garded as alarming encroachments on the rights of the states. When the Kentucky legislature convened, it passed the famous " Resolutions of 1798." These resolutions, drawn up by Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, were offered by John Breckenridge and seconded by Colonel Robert Johnson.' They passed the lower house unaminously, and had but one vote against them in the senate. The resolutions set forth the Democratic, or Jefferson- ian theory of government, and virtually declared the Alien and Sedition Laws void.
While the people were so wildly excited on the subject of politics, the revival wave that had given such cheering hope to the friends of Zion the preceding year, had passed away, and the churches again settled down into their former apathy. The revival, however, seems to have had a more lasting effect on those preachers and churches more remote from political cen- ters. There was much religious activity on the frontiers, and an unusually large number of churches were constituted during the year.
LEES CREEK church, printed "Lewis Creck" and "Louis Creek," in Manly's Annals of Elkhorn Association, was a small body, located a few miles from Washington, in Mason county. It was admitted a member of Elkhorn Association in 1798. It
368
History of Kentucky Baptists.
then numbered sixteen members. The next year, it entered into the constitution of Bracken Association. In 1809, it em- braced a membership of thirty-six, and had Charles Anderson for its preacher. In 1815 William Vaughan took the pastoral care of it, and preached for it a number of years. On Mr. Vaughan's resignation, in 1827, Blackstone L. Abernathy was called to suc- ceed him. He adopted the views of A. Campbell, and carried most of the church with him. It is probable that the remnant of Lees Creek soon afterward dissolved.
FLOWER CREEK church was located in Pendleton county. It united with Elkhorn Association, in 1798. It then numbered fifteen members. In 1802, it had increased to thirty-one mem- bers. The following year it went into the constitution of North Bend Association. It remained in this fraternity till 1827, when it went into the constitution of Campbell County Association. It was dissolved in 1833.
MT. STERLING church was located in the county seat of Montgomery. It was constituted in 1798, and the same year, united with Elkhorn Association, to which it reported a mem- bership of thirty-nine. That great and good man, David Bar- row, came to Kentucky, in June, 1798, and took charge of this church the same year. Under his ministry it had a steady growth, for several years. In 1804 it took a letter from Elkhorn and joined North District Association. But the next year, it withdrew from that body, and joined a fraternity of emancipa- tionists. In this connection it continued till the death of Mr. Barrows, November 14, 1819, when the emancipation society fell to pieces. In 1823, the church returned to North District Association, and called John Smith to its pastoral care. Mr. Smith soon became a convert to Campbellism, and carried the church with him into the Campbellite schism.
.
The present Baptist church in Mt. Sterling was gathered by J. Pike Powers in 1870, and in 1878 numbered eighty-seven members.
RIDGE church was a small body, located within the original bounds of Long Run Association. It united with Salem Asso- ciation, in 1798. In 1803, it went into the constitution of Long Run Association. It was probably dissolved soon after this. It numbered only five members in 1803.
SALT RIVER church is located on the north side of the
to
369
Salt River Church.
stream from which it derives its name, in Anderson county. It was gathered by that famous "father of Salem Association," William Taylor, and John Penny, and was constituted by the former, February 3, 1798. The following persons were in the constitution: John Penny, Rawleigh Stott, Ann Tracy, Lucy Stott, Albert Plough, Benjamin Ellison and Stott's Nancy. The Philadelphia confession of faith was adopted with the exceptions made to it by Elkhorn Association. It was resolved that be- lieving in "redemption from hell," members permitting their children to attend dancing schools, and joining the Free Masons, were sufficient grounds of exclusion. At the April meeting, following, John Penny was chosen pastor, and continued to serve the church in that capacity until he was removed by death, in 1833. This church first joined Salem Association, the same year it was constituted, and, in 1803, went into the constitution of Long Run Association, with a membership of 138. The year after the church was constituted, it excluded a brother and sister for "taking up the occupation of tavern keeper." This is probably the first case of exclusion from a Baptist church in Kentucky, for keeping a grog-shop. Had all the churches, of that, and subsequent periods, followed the example, it would have saved the cause of Christ from much shame and confusion, society from much poverty, degradation and suffering, and the State from large expenditures of treasure. In 1801, ninety-five were added to the church, mostly by baptism.
In December, 1811, twenty-nine members were dismissed to form Goshen church, which was constituted January 4, 1812.
In 1815, the church was dismissed from Long Run, and entered into the constitution of Franklin Association. At this time, it numbered 115 members. In September, 1818, twelve members were dismissed to go into the constitution of Fox Creek church. In 1826, the church entered into the constitu- tion of Baptist Association. In 1828, a refreshing from the Lord added to the church fifty-eight by baptism. The next year, she sent out a colony of nine members, to form Little Flock church.
On the death of John Penny, in 1833, the church called to ordination Jordan H. Walker, and invited him to take the pas- toral care of her. He accepted the call. This was, unfortunate
370
History of Kentucky Baptists.
for the church. Mr. Walker was a speculator in "eternal de- crees," and soon led the church into the same misty labyrinths. Opposition to missions was a natural consequence. In April, 1838, the church appointed a committee of six brethren, of which Jordan H. Walker was one, "to draft resolutions againt benevolent societies, falsely so-called, etc." The committee re- ported at the next meeting, and their report, condeming theolog- ical schools and benevolent societies was adopted. The follow- ing year the church sent messengers to Baptist Association, of which she was a member, requesting that body to dissolve, and, in case it did not dissolve, to grant her a letter of dis- mission. The Association refused to do either. The letter of dismission was withheld because the church failed to put the re- quest for it in her letter. Feeling aggreived at the Association she resolved to withdraw from that body. In 1840 she was ad- mitted into Licking Association of Particular Baptists. At this time she numbered about ninety-six members. From this pe- riod, like all the churches in Licking Association, she began to wither. In 1876, Salt River church numbered only forty-eight members, but was the largest in Licking Association.
JOHN PENNY, one of the founders, and the first pastor of Old Salt River church, was among the most active and useful of the pioneer preachers. He was not only very diligent in spread- ing the gospel over a large area of country, but he was a man of excellent ability and practical wisdom. That he was ten years moderator of Long Run Association, while John Taylor, Wil- liam Kellar and George Waller were members of that body, shows in what estimation he was held among his brethren.
Mr. Penny was born in Hanover county, Va., about 1764, where he received a fair English education, for the times. He was converted under the preaching of Reuben Ford and Wil- liam Webber, and was baptized into the fellowship of Chicka- hominy church, in his native county, with about 60 others, in 1785. The first pastor of this old church was John Clay, the father of the distinguished orator and statesman, Henry Clay of Kentucky. He died young, about 1780. The church was then supplied by the joint labors of Ford and Webber. Under their ministry, Mr. Penny was brought into the ministry.
Soon after his marriage to Frances White, he moved to Kentucky, and settled on Salt river, in what is now Anderson
H
O
da Se
n
371
John Penny.
county, about the year 1790. There was, at that time, no church within many miles of him. He at once commenced cul- tivating the large, thinly peopled field around him, for his Mas- ter. Many Christians were comforted, many sinners were led to Christ, and a number of churches rose up under the ministry of this active and zealous young man.
About 1795, John Tanner, a man of good preaching tal- ent, but of a restless, aspiring temper, succeeded in persuading James Rucker, a good pious old preacher, whose daughter he had married, that the Baptists in Kentucky had become very corrupt. He and Rucker, therefore, determined to form "a new, pure and separate church." They induced a few members of Old Clear Creek church in Woodford county, of which they were members at the time, to join with them. They also pre- vailed on John Penny to join with them, in the new organization. They constituted a church on Salt river, not far from Mr. Pen- ny's residence, under the appellation of the " Reformed Bap- tist church." It held no correspondence with other Baptist churches, and received members only by " experience and good character." Mr. Penny was induced to take the pastoral care of this immaculate church. This was probably his first pastor- ate. It was not long before the church was rent with internal dissensions, and was dissolved, in 1798. During the same year, Salt River church was constituted, and Mr. Penny was imme- diately chosen its pastor. In this position he served with much satisfaction to the church, and with excellent success, about 35 years.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.