USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky Baptists : From 1769 to 1885, including more than 800 biographical sketches, Vol. II > Part 3
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
30
History of Kentucky Baptists.
pastor, returned to the body from which it had scceded, and a happy union was effected, in 1836. This year, Dr. Fishback was a messenger to Elkhorn Association, for the last time. He was soon afterwards called to give an account of his steward- ship.
Dr. Fishback was a fine scholar, an excellent speaker, and an easy, fluent writer. But he was unstable in all his ways, ever learning, and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. Otherwise, he bore a good character for piety and morality.
MORDECAI BOULWARE was several years a preacher among the churches of Elkhorn Association. He was licensed to preach, in North Fork church, as early as 1813, and was or- dained not long afterwards. He succeeded John Ficklin in the pastoral care of North Fork church, about 1816. He continued to minister here till 1825, after which we have no account of him.
MAREEN DUVAL united with McConnel's Run church-now Stamping Ground-in 1807. He had a fair education, and was a devoted and useful church member. He was advanced in life when he was ordained to the ministry, about 1824, and ap- pears never to have become very active in his holy calling. It is probable he was never pastor of any church. He died Decem- ber 21, 1844.
JOHN LUCAS was a member of the same church, and was also advanced in life when he was set apart to the ministry, about 1830. His gifts were very meagre, but he was much loved by his brethren, for his deep toned piety and earnest de- votion to the cause of Christ. He was ever ready to do what he could in the Lord's vineyard. He died, at an advanced age, in March, 1848.
RHODES SMITH, one of the " constituent members " of Mc- Connel's Run church, although not a preacher, was, for many years, one of the most valuable members of Elkhorn Associa- tion. He was liberal, intelligent, and of great integrity and de- vout piety. He was a member of the State Senate eighteen con- secutive years, and was always a leading member of that body. Near the close of his long and useful life, he selected the follow- ing words, from which he requested his pastor, James D. Black, to preach, at his funeral : "Unto you, therefore, which believe,
.
31
Elkhorn Association.
he is precious." He died at a ripe old age in October, 1845.
JAMES SIMS was a native of Virginia, and was born about the year 1768. He moved with a large family to Bourbon county, Kentucky in 1812. Here he united with the church at Paris. He afterwards joined Lower Bethel church, where he was an or- dained minister as early as 1822. He was cut off from the Bap- tists with the Campbellite faction in 1830. After this he moved to Oldham county, where he died, April 26, 1856, in the 88th year of his age. Of his life and ministry little is now known.
GUERDON GATES was born in New London, Conn. in 1796. At the age of sixteen he started to go South, but being detained on his journey by a slight accident, he entered Washington College, where he graduated with honor. He afterwards studied theology, but at what institution is not known. He then filled a professorship in the college from which he had graduated, two or three years. Having been set apart to the ministry, he moved to Bourbon county, Kentucky, about 1823, and was soon after- wards called to the care of the Baptist church in Paris. Here he preached and conducted a female seminary about ten years. In 1833 he moved to Mayslick in Mason county, where he remained two years. In 1835 he moved to Louisville. After this, he only preached occassionally. He maintained an exalted Christian character, and was prominently connected with the benevolent institutions of the city more than twenty years. He was a man of great simplicity of manners, and was much loved by a large circle of acquaintances. He died about 1858.
GEORGE BLACKBURN was one of those men, whose strong plodding minds develope slowly. He was a member of Big Spring church from its constitution in 1813, and was one of its first messengers to Elkhorn Association. He was ordained to the ministry in 1825. Soon after his ordination, John Taylor wrote of him : "He is a pretty good preacher ; his delivery is not quite so ready as that of some men, but his ideas are very good." He continued to develope his powers till he came to be regarded a strong preacher, and was one of the leading ministers of his day, in Kentucky, in the benevolent enterprises of his de- nomination. He was chairman of the meeting that organized the Kentucky Baptist Convention in 1832, and was a member of its first executive board. He continued to act as a member of the board till the convention was dissolved, but his ministerial
32
History of Kentucky Baptists.
career was brief. The General Association, at its first meeting in October, 1837, adopted the following preamble and resolu- tions:
Whereas, We have learned with emotions of sorrow, that Elder George Blackburn has finished his course and has gone to receive his heavenly reward, Therefore
"Resolved, That we affectionately cherish the memory of our deceased brother, and retain a vivid recollection of his zealous and successful labors in the cause of God.
"Resolved, also, that we sympathisingly condole with the family of brother Blackburn, in their melancholy bereavement, and with the churches formerly enjoying his pastoral supervision, in their deprivation of his efficient ministerial services."
EDWARD DARNABY was the son of John Darnaby, an early emigrant from Virginia to the Western wilds, and was born in Fayette county, Kentucky, April 28, 1793. He received a very limited education, and was very thoughtless concerning the interests of his soul till about his 36th year, when he was awakened from his slumbers under the preaching of Ryland T. Dillard. He was approved for baptism in March, 1829, and was baptized by Jerimiah Vardeman into the fellowship of Bryant's Station church, the following month. He was licensed to exercise his gift in June, 1838, and was ordained at Bryant's Station, by Ryland T. Dillard, James M. Frost and Josiah Leake, July 10, 1839. He was now in his 47th year, but he de- voted himself to his holy calling with the ardent zeal of a young man. Being chosen pastor of Bryant's Station church, he con- tinued to fill that position till he was called away from earthly cares. He also preached to the churches at Paris, Providence, Upper Howard's Creek, Mt. Pleasant, Indian Creek and Mt. Olivet for different periods. In addition to his pastoral work, he labored extensively among the destitute. His ministerial life was an extraordinarily busy one, and was full of good fruits. He accomplished more in the gospel ministry in the brief period of about thirteen years, than many a preacher of equal advantages has wrought in a ministry of two score years. He died of para- lysis, May 14, 1852.
JACOB CREATH, JR., a nephew of the eloquent pioneer preacher of the same name, was a Baptist minister within the bounds of Elkhorn Association, several years. He had a fair
33
Elkhorn Association.
English education, with some knowledge of the Greek and Latin languages. He commenced preaching quite young, and gave promise of usefulness. After preaching a year or two, during which time he served South Elkhorn church, he left the State, in 1826. In the Fall of 1828, he returned to Kentucky, having fully imbibed the sentiments of Alexander Campbell. He gave his membership to the church at Versailles, and commenced preaching one Sunday in the month at Clear Creek church, George Blackburn being the regular pastor. This arrangement resulted in a division of the church. In 1830, Mr. Creath, with the aid of his uncle, constituted a church of the faction he had
led off, and then served it as pastor. About the same time, South Benson church divided on the subject of Campbellism. The Campbellite faction was formally constituted a church, and called Mr. Creath to its pastoral care. By this time, he had become the leading champion of "the Reformation," in that part of the State. He "was distinguished," says John A. Williams, in his Life of John Smith, "for the boldness and severity of his character." He was exceedingly active, and traveled extensively among the churches, proclaiming the doc- trines of Mr. Campbell. Meanwhile, early in 1830, he became co-editor of the Christian Examiner, a Campbellite paper, con- ducted by a Mr. Norwood, at Lexington, and, in connection with the same gentleman, established a quarterly magazine, styled the Budget, also published at Lexington. The latter periodical was made the vehicle of the most bitter, personal invective, against such Baptist preachers as opposed Mr. Campbell's innovations. It is probable that no other man in the State stirred up so much bitterness and strife among Christians, during that stormy period, as did Jacob Creath, Jr.
At the beginning of the eventful year 1830, memorable in the religious history of Kentucky, the three leading champions of Campbellism, in the central part of the State, Jacob Creath, Jr., Jacob Creath, Sr., and Josephus Hewett, were members of the Baptist church at Versailles. But as it was anticipated that Elkhorn Association would take some action in regard to the pre- vailing heresy, in the churches of which it was composed, these shrewd leaders of the budding " Reformation " deemed it prudent to represent a larger constituency in that body. Accordingly Jacob Creath, Jr., and Josephus Hewett obtained letters of dis-
34
History of Kentucky Baptists.
mission, and the former united with Providence church, while the latter joined South Elkhorn. Jacob Creath, Sr. remained at Versailles. Each of these three churches sent ten messengers to the Association, at its meeting in the fall, contrary to an ex- press ordinance of that body, enacted the year previous, allowing only three messengers from each church. The Association re- fused seats to the supernumerary messengers. On conviction of heresy and disorder, the churches at Versailles and Providence were dropped from the fraternity. That at South Elkhorn was laid under censure, for the present, and dropped the next year. This resulted in a general separation of the Campbellites from the Baptist churches, and the former became a distinct sect. Jacob Creath, Jr., became one of the leaders of the new denomination. After preaching several years among his brethren in Kentucky, he moved to Missouri, where he established a periodical, styled the Christian Pioncer, which he conducted for many years. Though at a good old age, he was still living, when last heard from.
JOSEPHUS HEWETT was raised up to the ministry, in the church at Versailles. He was ordained about the year 1825. His education was neglected in his childhood; but having a sprightly mind and a commendable ambition, he acquired a fair English education after he attained his majority. He was a young preacher of good abilities ; but being intimately associated with both the Creaths, who early adopted the religious system of Alexander Campbell, he also fell into that heresy. In com- pany with the Creaths, he was active in dividing churches, and in constituting churches of factious minorities. In 1830, in ac- cordance with the plan referred to in the sketch of Jacob Creath, Jr., he took a letter of dismission from Versailles church, and united with South Elkhorn. In the fall of that year, South Elkhorn church was laid under censure "for having departed from the faith and constitution of the Association, and for having disregarded her rule, relative to an equal apportionment of repre- sentation in this body." The following year that church was dropped from Elkhorn Association. From this time Mr. Hewett was identified with the Campbellites, among whom he was an active preacher.
YOUNGER R. PITTS was born in 1812, and raised in Ken- tucky. He united with Great Crossing church, in Scott county,
35
Elkhorn Association.
then under the pastoral care of Silas M. Noel, in 1833. He was licensed to exercise his gift, in July, 1836, and was ordained at Great Crossing, by R. T. Dillard, B. F. Kenney, W. G. Craig, J. D. Black, Howard Malcom and J. M. Frost, Novem- ber 17, 1841. He was immediately called to the care of the church in which he had been ordained, and served in that capa- city four years, when he resigned. What churches he served afterwards does not appear. He acted as missionary within the bounds of Elkhorn Association for a short time. About 1860, he moved to Howard county, Missouri. Here he took a more active part in religious affairs than he had done in Kentucky, where he had unduly hampered himself with the affairs of this life. He took an especial interest in the educational institutions of the Baptists in his adopted State. As agent, he raised near $10,000 for Mt. Pleasant College. He was several years a member of the Board of Trustees of William Jewell College, and had accepted an agency to raise money for the completion of the endowment of that institution, when he was called away from his earthly labors, while attending the General Association of Missouri Baptists at Clinton, in 1871. 1386797
WILLIAM G. CRAIG was a son of William Craig, and a grand- son of Toliver Craig, a brother of the famous Lewis and Elijah Craig, and was born in Scott county, Kentucky, October 10, 1803. When about three years old, he was so disabled in one of his legs by a severe illness, that he walked on crutches the re- mainder of his days. He was educated at Rittenhouse Academy, in Georgetown, with a view to the practice of law. While pur- suing his literary studies he read the writings of Tom Paine and Voltaire, and became for a time a confirmed infidel. But the power of God overturned what he deemed his impregnable fortress. During a most wonderful revival at Great Crossing, under the ministry of Silas M. Noel and Ryland T. Dillard, dur- ing which 359 were baptized into the fellowship of that church within one year; Mr. Craig yielded to the power of the Spirit and was baptized by Mr. Noel, April 20, 1828. He abandoned his former purpose to practice law and gratefully gave himself to the service of that God who had "snatched him as a brand from the burning." He was licensed to exercise his gift in July, 1836, and ordained by J. D. Black and John Lucas, in 1840. He was immediately invited to preach, one Sunday in the month, at 3
36
History of Kentucky Baptists.
Great Crossing church, of which he was a member. This he did for about five years, giving the remainder of his time to neigh- boring churches. He afterwards moved his membership to Buck Run church in Franklin county. At that church, and others in the vicinity, he continued to labor in the gospel till the Lord took him home on the 8th day of September, 1853.
William G. Craig was not a great man, in the ordinary mean- ing of that term. His mind was sprightly and well cultivated, and his gifts, though scarcely above mediocrity, were used with a zeal and dilligence that made them effective in the accomplish- ing of much good. His death was peculiarly triumphant. On the third day of his last brief illness he spoke to his family and some friends that were near his death bed to the following effect: "I have come to the conclusion that the Mighty Architect of this machine (his body) intended it to run only fifty years; and as that time has nearly expired, it cannot be wound up again. It must stop. It has run after a fashion-halting, defective, irregu- lar-many times during a half century; but now it must stop. But glory to God in the highest for the implantation of the blessed hope, that it is going to that brighter world, to partake of that higher nature. When in the presence of God and the Lamb it will run on forever and ever. My beloved wife, the companion of all my joys and sorrows, baptized together with me in the beautiful Elkhorn-my dear boy-my aged and afflict- ed mother-all, all must be left. But, oh! delightful thought, left only for a few brief moments to be reunited forever around the throne of God." Referring to an absent friend, a few moments before he expired, he said : "Tell him all is right. I am going home. All is well; I am not afraid to die."
GEORGE C. SEDWICK was a native of Virginia, from whence he moved to Zanesville, Ohio. Here he conducted a religious periodical, styled the Baptist Miscellany as early as 1829. Where, or at what time, he was set apart to the gospel ministy is not known. After preaching some years in Ohio he moved to Frankfort, Kentucky in 1837. He represented the Frankfort church in the convention that formed the General Association at Louisville in October of the same year, and was an active mem- ber of that body during his stay in the State. In 1840 he took charge of the Baptist church at Paris in Bourbon county. In 1843 he moved to Georgetown, where he remained a brief
37
Elkhorn Association.
period and then moved back to Zanesville, Ohio. Here he spent the remainder of his days. He was a good preacher, and was active in the benevolent enterprises of the denomination. His son, W. S. Sedwick, was a well known Sunday school mission- ary, in Kentucky about the close of the late civil war.
NAPOLEON B. WALLER, son of Elder Edmund Waller, and brother of the distinguished John L. Waller, was born in Jessa- mine county, Kentucky, March 24, 1826. He was educated at Georgetown College, with a view to the ministry, having pro- fessed religion and united with the Mt. Pleasant church, in his native county, in early youth, of which church his father was pastor. He was licensed to preach about 1849, and soon gave evidence of extraordinary talents. But God chose not to use him long in his vineyard below. He had recently finished his education, when the church at Owensboro invited him to visit them, with a view of becoming their pastor. He was on his way to that point, when, on arriving at Nicholasville, he found his brother ill, and deemed it duty to remain with him. Within a few days he was attacked with cholera. He died within a few hours after he was taken, August 1, 1855.
THOMAS HENDERSON was long a minister among the churches of Elkhorn Association, and appears to have been a man of good standing and fair preaching talent. It is regretted that materials for a more extended sketch of his life have not been obtained. He was a preacher in Great Crossing church, occupying the pul- pit on the third Sunday in each month, while James Suggett preached on the first, not long after 1812. This position he con- tinued to fill till 1827. In 1829 he went into the constitution of Pleasant Green church in Scott county. About this time, he had an epistolary correspondence with John Smith, commonly known as Raccoon John Smith, touching the tenets of Alexander Campbell. Pleasant Green church seems to have been dissolved after a few years. After this, Mr. Henderson was a minister in Center Ridge church, in Grant county, as late as 1842.
JAMES CHAMBERS moved from North Carolina to Jessamine county, Kentucky, about 1804. He was called to the care of Clover Bottom church, to which he ministered not more than two or three years. After this he returned to his native State, to take charge of a church which had invited him to its pastoral care. His children all being in Kentucky, he returned to this
38
History of Kentucky Baptists.
State, after two or three years. About 1818, he moved to In- diana, where he died at a great age. He is said to have been a good preacher, and a man of high respectability.
THOMAS SUITER was a good old brother, who was many years a member of Big Spring church in Woodford county. He was ordained to the ministry, about 1834, and was a preacher in that church as late as 1844.
JOHN W. KENNEY was a young man of fine talent, and was much beloved for his sincere piety. He united with the church in Paris, Bourbon county, in 1840, and was licensed to preach in April, of the following year. He was ordained in December, 1842. The following February, he was called to the care of the church in Paris, to which he ministered till the Lord bade him cease from his labors. He died June 6, 1852.
CADWALLADER LEWIS, LL. D. was the son of John Lewis, an eminent educator, and was born in Spottsylvania county, Va., November 5, 1811. He was raised by Presbyterian parents, and educated by his father, who conducted a classical school at Llangolen, Va., many years. In 1830, he entered the University of Virginia, where he finished his course in ancient and modern languages and mathematics. He came to Kentucky in 1831, and taught a select school at Covington. In the spring of the following year, he took charge of the prepara- tory department of Georgetown College, then under the presi- dency of Joel S. Bacon. In 1844, he commenced the study of medicine ; but his health failing, he went on a farm near the Forks of Elkhorn, in Franklin county, which he occupied the remainder of his life. During the same year that he moved on the farm, he made a profession of religion, and was baptized by B. F. Kenney, into the fellowship of Buck Run Baptist church. Very soon afterwards he was licensed to preach, and was or- dained by Abner Goodell, James E. Duval, B. F. Kenney, Y. R. Pitts, and F. H. Hodges, in September, 1846. The succeed- ing spring he was called to the care of the church at Frankfort. He refused to leave his farm, but agreed to serve them till they could procure a pastor. He preached to them till the following October, when the church secured the services of James W. Goodman. In 1848, he succeeded Wm. F. Broadus as pastor of Versailles church, and John L. Waller, as pastor of Glens Creek, both in Woodford county. He preached to each of these
39
Elkhorn Association.
churches, two Sundays a month, till 1858, when he gave up one Sunday at Glens Creek, in order to supply Providence, a church recently constituted near his home. The last named church, he served until his death. He served the other two till the 25th of December, 1865, when his right thigh was broken, near the hip- joint, by a fall of his horse, on ice, as he was going to Versailles to preach. This injury compelled him to give up pastoral labor. As soon as he was able to walk on crutches, he was elected Pro- fessor of Theology, in Georgetown College. He filled this posi- tion four years. Having sufficiently recovered from his injuries to be able to travel, he resigned his professorship, and accepted a call to the pastorate of Great Crossing church, in connection with that of Providence, which he had not relinquished. At the end of three years he was called from Great Crossing to succeed L. B. Woolfolk as pastor of Mt. Vernon church, in Woodford county, where he continued to minister till his labors on earth ceased. He died suddenly, of heart disease, at the house of a friend, near Mt. Vernon, where he expected to preach the next day, on the 22d of April, 1882. He had with him notes of the sermon he expected to preach, on the text : The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death, I Cor. 15, 26.
Dr. Lewis was a model preacher, of the highest order. He was a finished scholar, a close student, and a superior logician. As an elegant, forcible and instructive speaker, he had few superiors. The eloquent preacher and barrister, John Bryce, regarded him the first orator in the Kentucky pulpit. He was a model pastor, as well as preacher. His health was feeble during his entire ministry. He wrote comparatively little for the press, but enough to prove himself one of the ablest critics and logicians in the State.
LYMAN W. SEELY, D. D. was born in Scott county, Ky., November 21, 1814, but was raised in Lexington. He was educated at Transylvania University, and afterwards taught in the preparatory department of that institution. In 1834, he made a profession of religion, and was baptized by James Fish- back, for the church of Christ on Mill Street, in Lexington. He was licensed to preach soon after his union with the church; but was not ordained for several years, on account of his being compelled to teach school to aid in supporting a widowed mother. He, however, preached as opportunity was afforded. In 1840,
40
History of Kentucky Baptists.
he was elected professor of Latin in Georgetown college, but resigned the following year. In 1842, he was ordained to the pastorate of Mt. Vernon church, where he ministered ten years. In 1852, he moved to Maysville, where he taught a classical school, about three years. During this period, he was pastor of the churches at Washington, Lewisburg and Flemingsburg, in Kentucky, and Aberdeen, in Ohio. In 1855, he accepted a call to High Street church in Baltimore, Md. While serving this church, he was one of the four learned editors of the Christian Review. In 1857, he took charge of the second church in Rich- mond, Va., which he served seven years. After this he filled the chair of English in Hollin's Institute, about two years, preaching to a neighboring church, meanwhile. Afterwards he was pastor of a church, a short time, in Fincastle county, Va. In 1867, he returned to Kentucky, after which he was pastor at different times, at Cane Run, in Fayette county, and Frankfort and Buck Run, in Franklin county. He was Private Secretary to Governor Leslie in 1873. In 1878, he became so nearly blind as to be unable to read. This, together with other bodily afflic- tions, has rendered him unable to engage in active labor, since that time. *
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.