USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky Baptists : From 1769 to 1885, including more than 800 biographical sketches, Vol. II > Part 51
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EPHRAIM BURTRAM is among the most prominent preachers in this body. He is of a numerous and reputable family, of his name, in Wayne county, where he was raised up to the minis- try, in Pleasant Hill church. After peaching, several years, among the churches of South Concord Association, he moved to Barren county, and settled a few miles south of Glasgow, not far from the year 1854. Here he united with Mt. Pleasant church, and thus became identified with Original Barren River Association, which is of the same faith and order of South Con- cord. Among the churches of this fraternity, he has been an
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active laborer, about thirty years, and is held in high esteem by his brethren and the people generally, among whom he preaches.
GREENUP ASSSOCIATION.
This fraternity is located in the extreme north-eastern cor- ner of the State. The first Baptist preacher that settled in this region, was John Young. He united with a church in the ad- jacent border of Ohio. After a time, he induced this church to extend an arm to a point on Little Sandy River, about ten miles above the mouth of that stream, in Greenup county, Ky. This arm was fostered by Mr. Young, and ultimately became an in- dependent church, under the name of Palmyra. Two other churches, one of which was called Union, were raised up in ad- jacent neighborhoods, and the three were united with Ohio Association, which was constituted, in Lawrence county, Ohio, Nov. 11, 1820. In 1841, these three churches, having obtained letters of dismission, met at Palmyra meeting house, and con- stituted Greenup Association. The ministers in the organiza- tion were John Young, Thomas Reynolds, Thomas Abrams and John Howell.
In March, 1845, the General Association sent H. F. Buck- ner, subsequently the distinguished missionary to the Creek Indians, to labor within the bounds of the young fraternity. In August of that year, the Association comprised the following churches : Palmyra, Union (now Unity, ) East Fork, Liberty, Chadwicks Creek, New Bethel, Bethany and New Salem. These churches aggregated 369 members, and T. K. Reynolds had been added to the list of ordained ministers. The licensed preachers of the body were Charles F. Crook, James P. Rey- nolds, Hiram Hastings and James Bush. The Association welcomed the missionary of the General Association, in the following language :
"Rsolved, That our beloved brother, H. F. Buckner, visit and preach the gospel to the most destitute parts in the bounds of our Association." Mr. Buckner was requested to make col- lections for the General Association, and cach church in the As-
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sociation was advised to appoint a solicitor for the same purpose. It was also, "Resolved, That this Association disapproves the intemperate use of ardent spirits." Mr. Buckner labored about two years in this wide and destitute field, and then entered upon his great life work among the Indians of the far West. Through its own feeble efforts, and the aid of the General Association, the body kept up its missionary operations a portion of the time, from year to year. But its growth was very slow, for a long time. The intemperate use of strong drink was a crying sin among the churches. Elder Thomas Reynolds labored earn- estly to reform the evil. But he succeeded only with a small party. The result was a rupture in the body, and the formation of a small fraternity, of the temperance element, called Friend- ship Association. This breach was afterwards healed, but still the body did not prosper. In 1860, it reported only II churches, aggregating 455 members, and, seven years later, only 8 churches, with 320 members. But, in 1868, a revival com- menced within its bounds, and continued several years. The increase was now so rapid that, in 1876, the body numbered 31 churches, with 1,581 members. This year it dismissed 8 churches, aggregating 291 members, to form Enterprise Asso- ciation, on its southern border. In 1879, the Association ex- pressed some displeasure with Mt. Pleasant church for receiving alien baptism, and, in 1830, adopted the following :
"Resloved, That we will not correspond with other Asso- ciations who will receive alien immersions."
The body has been quite prosperous since the beginning of the revival, in 1868. In 1880, it numbered 23 churches with 1,761 members.
JOHN YOUNG may be regarded as the father of Greenup Association. At what date, he settled within its present bounds, has not been ascertained, but he is supposed to have been among the earliest settlers on Little Sandy River. Mr. Yonng was a native of Virginia, and was born near Fredericksburg, June 24, 1764. He had chosen the occupation of a sailor, and was preparing to take command of the ship Abbyana, when he was pressed into the service of the United Colonies, as a bearer of dispatches for General Washington. In this position he con- tinued to act, till the close of the Revolutionary War. Soon after the return of peace, he was married to Mary, daughter of 35
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Elder Shadrack Moore, and moved to Kentucky. According to the custom of the period, he came down the Ohio River in a flat boat. Landing at Limestone, he traveled across the country to what is now Jessamine county, and there settled.
At what time he united with a church, or commenced his ministry, does not appear. But. in 1801, he was sent by Elk- horn Association to preach to the Indians. When, many years afterwards, a dispute arose between Licking and Elkhorn As- sociations in regard to the early practice of the latter, with regard to missions, the venerable missionary gave the following cer- tificate :
" I, John Young, certify that I was ordained and sent as a missionary to the Indians, by Ambrose Dudley, David Bar- row, George S. Smith, Joseph Redding, Austin Easton, John Price and Lewis Craig, in the month of September, 1801.
"Given under my hand, this 2d day of November, 1842. John Young."
According to a tradition among his descendants, when Mr. Young met a council of the Indian tribe to which he was sent, he was received in a friendly manner by all except a fierce young warrior, who walked back and forth, in a very angry mood, with a huge knife in his hand. Finally the missionary induced him to sit down by him; they smoked together, and peace was made. As to how long Mr. Young remained among the Indians, or what degree of success attended his labors, we have no know- ledge. But soon after his return to Kentucky, he moved to what is now Greenup county. It was then an almost unbroken wilderness, for, according to Collins' history, there were, in 1802, only six families living on the territory afterwards includ- ed in Greenup county. Mr. Young first located on Tigerts creek; but after a short time, moved to the mouth of Little Sandy river, and from thence to a point two miles up that stream, where he spent the remainder of his days. Here he possessed himself of a large arca of land. As the country filled up with people, he traveled far and wide over the mountainous region to preach the gospel to them. His large body of land was sold, piece by piece, to support himself and family, while he broke the bread of life freely to the poor settlers. He con- tinued these faithful labors to a ripe old age, and laid a broad
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foundation on which others have built. The Lord called him to his reward, Feb. 25, 1855, in his gist year.
JOHN HOWELL, one of the pioneer preachers in Greenup Association, was born in Bedford county, Va., about 1783. He was baptized into the fellowship of Meadowfield church, and li- censed to preach, at Stone Road meetinghouse, in his native county. In 1834, he moved to Lawrence county, Ohio, and, a year later, settled in what is now Boyd county, Kentucky, near the present site of Ashland. Here he labored with much zeal in the Master's vineyard, and was instrumental in gathering Union (now Unity) church, about 1838. This was the second organization of the kind, formed within the present limits of Greenup Association. In this church, he was ordained to the full work of the ministry, by John Young and John Kelley. He, however, took charge of no church, but devoted himself to la- boring among the destitute, with great zeal, for about twenty years. In 1854, he moved to Illinois, whence the Lord called him to his final reward, the following year.
THOMAS REYNOLDS was born in South Carolina, in 1875. When he grew up, he became very dissipated, and continued in the paths of sin, till he was past middle life. In 1825, he moved to Pike county, Kentucky. Here he was converted from his evil ways, in 1836, and was baptized by Ezekiel Stone, for the fellowship of Union church, in what is now Johnson county. Two years after this, he moved to what is now Boyd county, and united with Union church, which was gathered, about that time, by the pious and zealous John Howell. Soon after this, he began to exercise in public exhortation, and was ordained to the ministry, about 1840, being then 55 years of age. He was called to the care of Union and Bethel churches, in Kentucky, and South Point, in Ohio. Having experienced the great evil of drunkenness, he became an earnest and intel- ligent advocate of temperance, in his gospel ministrations. But in this region, where the principal occupation of the people was making iron, dissipation abounded, even among the compara- tively few professors of religion among them. Mr. Reynolds became disheartened in his attempt to work a reform in the iron district, and, in 1846, moved back to Pike county. Herc he raised up three or four churches, to which he ministered till the Lord called him home, June 28, 1851. After his death,
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the churches he had served fraternized, under the style of "Friendship Association."
THOMAS KELLEY REYNOLDS, son of Elder Thomas Rey- nolds, was born in Rutherford county, N. C., December 29, 1815. He received a moderate common school education, in- cluding a fair knowledge of English grammar. After the re- " moval of his parents to Kentucky, he obtained hope in Christ, and was baptized for the fellowship of Union church in what is now Boyd county, by John Kelley, in 1838. In the same year, he was married to Letitia Crum, sister of the well known Elder J. D. Crum of Boyd county. He began to exercise in public prayer and exhortation, in 1844, and was ordained to the minis- try, by Thomas Reynolds, H. F. Buckner and W. W. Daniel, in 1845. Immediately upon his ordination, he assumed the care of New Salem church, and subsequently became pastor of Bethel, Union and Friendship churches. From that period, he was among the most active and efficient preachers in Greenup Association, for about thirty ycars, when his health failed. He was pastor, at different times, of about twenty churches in Ken- tucky and the adjacent borders of Ohio and Virginia. For about three years, he was missionary of the General Associa- tion in Boyd and adjoining counties. He has baptized 1, 147 per- sons, and, on account of his failing health, secured the services of other ministers to baptize about 500 others, who were con- verted under his ministry. Except during the three years that he served the Board of the General Association, he labored in his holy calling, almost entirely without pecuniary compensa- tion. In the prime of his ministry, he served five churches, preaching to one of them on week days, for a period of six years, for which he received only two dollars and fifty cents. Meanwhile, he supported his family by digging iron ore out of the hills around him. It is hardly to be wondered at, that his health gave way, and he became unable to labor, at an age when he should have been scarcely beyond the prime of man- hood. He has sometimes been clerk, and sometimes modcra- tor of Greenup Association. He is still living, but his emacia- ted form and shattered nerves forbid the hope that he will per- form much more labor.
His son, R. N. Reynolds, who was baptized by J. D. Crum, and was ordained to the ministry, in 1879, is a promising
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young preacher, and is acceptably occupying the field vacated by his father.
THOMAS ABRAMS was among the pioneer preachers of Greenup Association, and was reputed a faithful, good man. It is regretted that few particulars of his life have been received, He appears to have been raised up to the ministry, in old Palmyra church, in which he was a licensed preacher, in 1839. He was in the constitution of Greenup Association, was one of its first moderators and frequently presided over its meetings, for a period of twenty-five years.
Of several other useful preachers, who have long labored among the churches of this body, no particulars have been re- ceived.
SOUTH FORK ASSOCIATION.
This fraternity was constituted in 1841, and was located in Owsley and some of the adjoining counties. Joseph Ambrose was much the most active and effective preacher among its churches, and was its moderator from its constitution till his re- moval to Gallatin county, in 1855. Under his zealous and et- ficient labors, and those of John Ward and some others, the Association enjoyed a good degree of prosperity. In 1852, it reported sixteen churches, aggregating 593 members; four years later, it reported nineteen churches, but a slightly de- creased aggregate membership. After Mr. Ambrose moved away, the body began to decline rapidly, and, in September, 1862, was formally dissolved. The territory it vacated has since been occupied by Irvine, Jackson and Booneville Associations.
JOHN WARD was quite an active and useful preacher in this Association, and acted as its moderator after the removal of Mr. Ambrose. Mr. Ward was, for many years, one of the most influ- ential preachers in that portion of the State. But he finally commenced the practice of medicine-that curse of many of the mountain preachers-which greatly diminished his useful- ness. He is still living, at a venerable age, but is now known as a doctor, rather than a preacher.
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SOLDIERS CREEK ASSOCIATION.
This small body of Antimissionary Baptists is located prin- cipally in Graves, Marshall and Calloway counties, in the west- ern part of the State. It was constituted, in 1842, under the style of Soldiers Creek Association of Regular Baptists, and was composed of the following churches, which had been dismissed from Clarks River Association, and two others : Soldiers Creek, Rough Creek, Panther Creek, Mt. Pleasant and West Mayfield. These seven churches aggregated 197 members. The body was prosperous at first, and, at its second meeting, reported ten churches with 290 members. The same year, the peace of the fraternity was disturbed by the preaching of one Hicks, who led Elder Inman into the non-resurrection heresy. This affair was adjusted by deposing Inman from the ministry. But, in 1844, a more grievous disturbance agitated the young fraterni- ty. Two of its churches were arraigned before the body for having received members from the " Missionary Baptists" with- out rebaptizing them. Being unable to adjust the difficulty, the Association agreed to dissolve. The next year it was reconsti- tuted of the following churches: New Hope, Mt. Zion, Mt. Pleasant, Union, Concord and Zion, leaving out the offending sisters. The body now numbered six churches with 196 mem- bers.
On its new foundation, it has usually enjoyed peace and a small degree of prosperity. In 1870, it reported nine churches with 233 members, and, in 1880, fifteen churches, with 45 1 members.
PANTHER CREEK ASSOCIATION.
This small fraternity, which assumed the name of United Baptists, originated in a difference of sentiment in regard to the proper method of supplying the destitution of preaching within the bounds of Goshen Association. The opposers of mission-
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ary societies, in Panther Creek church, Ohio county, seccded from that body, in October, 1840. The seceding faction formed two small churches, one at what is now Pellville, and the other at the present site of Roseville. These, with another small church, occupying similar grounds, constituted Panther Creek Association, in 1842. At its first anniversary, in 1843, it re- ported three churches, aggregating 96 members. Its growth was very slow till after the Civil War. Since that period, it has had some increase. In 1870, it numbered six churches with 210 members, and, in 1880, ten churches with 470 members.
SOUTII CUMBERLAND RIVER ASSOCIATION.
This fraternity originated in the following rather singular manner: In 1840, South Concord Association was in corres- pondence with Stocktons Valley and Russells Creek. The lat- ter fraternity was in correspondence with the General Asso- sociation, for which Stocktons Valley had declared a non-fel- lowship. The last named complained of South Concord for this breach of fraternal relations. Upon receiving the complaint, South Concord immediataly withdrew correspondence with all her neighboring fraternities "for the present." In 1842, Big Sinking, Cedar Sinking, New Salem, White Oak, Welfare, Big Creek, and Pleasant Grove churches, requested South Concord Association, of which they were members, to resume corres- pondence with the neighboring fraternities, or grant them let- ters of dismission. The latter alternative was accepted. The seven churches thus lettered off, together with those of Liberty and Harrolds Fork, met, by their messengers, at Pleasant Grove, in Wayne county, November 5, 1842. A sermon was preached by Matthew Floyd, and the meeting was organized by the election of Matthew Floyd as moderator, and R. Semple as clerk. The proposed Association was formally constituted under the name of South Cumberland River. The churches of which it was constituted aggregated 454 members, and were located in Wayne, Russell, and Pulaski counties.
The real cause that gave birth to this fraternity was a differ- ence of sentiment among the churches of South Concord As-
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sociation, on the subject of missions, the membership being near- ly equally divided on that vexed question of the period. The mother fraternity retained the Anti-mission churches, while those which favored Missions entered into the new organiza- tion. Matthew Floyd was by far the most influential and ef- fective preacher in South Concord Association, and became the leader of the missionary party, and, in the new organization, exerted the measure of his influence in favor of missions.
South Cumberland Association has shown much interest in home missions, from the time of its constitution, and has usually kept one or more missionaries employed within its bounds. It has enjoyed peace, and has had a steady, though not very rapid growth. In 1850, it numbered 10 churches with 546 members; in 1860, 14 churches with 962 members, in 1870, 22 churches with 1,610 members; in 1879, 22 churches with 1,708 members, and, in 1883, 24 churches with 1,856 mem- bers.
MATTHEW FLOYD was one of the most popular, beloved, and efficient preachers in Kentucky, in his generation. His grandfather, Col. Matthew Floyd, came to America in com- mand of a regiment of British soldiers, in time of the Revolu- tionary War. Being in sympathy with the cause of the Colonists, he succeeded in winning his regiment to his views, during the voyage across the ocean. Accordingly, on landing at Charles- ton, South Carolina, he, with his entire command, entered the service of the United Colonies, and fought on the side of Ameri- can independence, during the War. His son, Abraham, who, as was his father, was a native of Ireland, came to America in command of a company in his father's regiment, and continued in the service of the Colonies, during their struggle for liberty. After the close of the War, Captain Floyd moved to Madison county, Kentucky, where he followed the occupation of school teaching. He finally moved to Indiana, where he died, at the age of 104 years.
Matthew Floyd was the son of Captain Abraham Floyd, and was born in South Carolina, in the year 1778. In 1796, he migrated with his parents to Kentucky. He was brought up in the Episcopal church, of which his parents were devout members He received a common English education, probably under the tuition of his father, and, in early life, joined the
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Methodist society as a seeker. Subsequently, he professed con- version, and united with a Baptist church near the residence of his parents. Coming home from the baptizing without having changed his garments, his father was so angry with him for having joined the Baptists, that he drove him from his house, with his wet clothes on. However, he continued firm in his new faith. Arriving at manhood, he married Susannah, daught- er of Charles Warren, and settled in Pulaski county, near the present location of Old White Oak Baptist church. Here he commenced his long and eminently successful ministry, about the year 1811. White Oak church was probably the fruits of his first labors in the gospel. He was called to the pastoral charge of this organization about the time of its constitution, and served it with great acceptance, about 51 years. He also served with equal acceptance the churches at Monticello, New Salem, Big Spring and Beaver Creek, all in Wayne county. The churches he served belonged to the old Cumberland River fra- ternity, till that body became so large as to render attendance on its meetings inconvenient. In 1825, Mr. Floyd's charges, with seven other churches, entered into the constitution of South Concord Association. Mr. Floyd had now become the leading minister in the Cumberland Valley. His great popu- larity was evinced in his being elected Moderator of the new Association, seventeen years in succession. Meanwhile, he preached the introductory sermon before the body, as often as three times in succession.
Soon after the constitution of the General Association, in 1837, the subject of missions began to agitate South Concord Association, and there are good reasons for believing that it would have followed the example of Stocktons Valley, in de- claring unanimously against missionary operations, had it not been for the influence of Mr. Floyd, who exerted his entire en- ergies in favor of missions. The opposition in the Association had a small majority, including all the preachers of any con- siderable influence, except Mr. Floyd, whose personal popu- larity still gave him the moderato:ship. But it became manifest to him, that the two parties could not live together in peace. His prudence secured a peaceable and orderly separation, by the dismissal of the missionary churches, by letter. He imme- diately secured the calling of a convention of these churches,
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and South Cumberland River was constituted, in 1842. He had been Moderator of South Concord from its constitution, and he was now elected Moderator of South Cumberland River As- sociation, a position he continued to occupy, until his death, a period of 21 years.
Besides his pastoral labors, Mr. Floyd preached abundantly among the destitute in Wayne, Pulaski and Russell counties, during his entire ministry of 52 years. He is believed to have been, at least, one of the first missionaries employed by the General Association in his part of the Sate. His success in the ministry was extraordinary, and he baptized a great many peo- ple. He was a wise man in council, as well as an efficient la- borer in the field. But his work was finished at last, and, on the 19th of August, 1863, he answered the summons to come up higher. His son, John W. Floyd, entered the ministry and labored in that capacity for a time, but, anon, yielded to the temptation that has destroyed the usefulness of many of the preachers in the mountain counties-the practice of physic.
JOHN KEITH was a pious, unassuming minister in this As- sociation. He was born in Virginia, July 25, 1778, moved to Kentucky, in 1812, and united with First Liberty church. In 1842, he went into the organization of Coopers Delight church. He labored in the ministry, about 48 years. From his home in the south-east corner of Pulaski county, the Master called him to his home, above, Feb 13, 1875.
WILLIAM REXROAT was one of the most active and useful ministers of this fraternity. He was born in what is now Rus- sell county, November 17, 1817. At the age of 17, he was baptized by Wm. Smith for the fellowship of Welfare church. In 1847, he was ordained to the ministry, and, from that time till his death, devoted himself with great zeal to the duties of his holy calling. He was a fair preacher, a fervent exhorter, and an excellent singer. His time was devoted principally to the work of a missionary and an evangelist. He rode nine years as missionary, under the appointment of South Cumberland River Association. As a revivalist, he was never excelled in his field of labor. During his ministry, he baptized over- 2, 300 people. He died on the field of labor, twenty miles from his home, December 30, 1875, leaving a wife and five children, all of whom were members of a Baptist church.
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