SOME SCOTT COUNTY, KENTUCKY CHURCHES Baptist Churches in Northern Scott County, Kentucky Mount Pleasant Baptist Church: Founded in 1872, the oldest church in Sadieville occupies a maple-shaded hilltop on Pike Street. In its backyard is the frame structure which was used for many years for the education of the town's black youngsters; and within its walls numerous services, funerals, baptisms and homecomings have taken place. The lot was deeded to the congregation's trustees, John Harrison, George Washington and William Hurley, on November 13, 1884 by J.J. and Josie Burgess "for the purpose of erecting a house of worship." Elk Lick Particular Baptist Church: "On the first day of the year in the year one thousand and eight hundred, John Hawkins party of the first part, and Jacob Mulberry, trustee of the Baptist Church on Eagle Creek in the county of Scott, party of the second part, witnesseth that for and in consideration of the current money to him in hand paid, whereof is hereby acknowledged in consideration of promoting the interest in said society, has given grants bargained by these present, doth give and grant to this said Jacob and John Mulberry aforesaid and their successors for a place of divine worship, a certain tract and being in the county containing four acres. Bounded by the lands of John Bows on two sides and Abram Fields and Charles Malery on the other two sides." The history of Kentucky Baptists states Elk Lick Church was organized in 1799 and united with the Elkhorn Association the same year. At the time ere listed six members, two of whom were Jacob and John Mulberry. Mr. T.D. Riley of Sadieville, Kentucky, says two more who were probably charter members were his great-grandfather, Jimmy Riley, and Taylor Noel, along with Edward Caesar Burgess. Early members also the Davises, Dudley and John, and Richard Pendleton. The church was located about six miles from Sadieville, east-southeast, one and a half miles south of Davis, Kentucky, on what is now the Hinton- Turkeyfoot Road. It stood on a hill near the east fork of Eagle Creek. An old graveyard is located on a portion of the original four acres where several of the Burgesses were buried and later removed from the site. But many graves are still there. Some of the logs of the original church are still in use in a barn building near the site of the first church, according to Mr. Riley whose family came from Virginia in 1775 and settled in northern Scott County. The Rileys and Noels were related through marriages. According to Gaines' History of Scott County, Elder John Cannon was the pastor and moderator from 1809 to 1824. That September Elder Whitfield Collins became pastor and moderator for many years. "In 1801, the church received twenty-nine by baptism which brought its membership up to forty. In 1809, it entered into the constitution of the Licking Association, at which time it numbered about thirty-three members. In 1818, it enjoyed a refreshing from the Lord when twenty-seven were baptized into its fellowship. This gave it a total membership of fifty-nine. This was its maximum. At two subsequent periods it reached the same number, the last in 1843. Since that time it has gradually declined. In 1876 it numbered thirty-nine members. That it belongs to the Licking Association is sufficient evidence of its opposition to all benevolent societies." (The above paragraph is quoted from the History of Baptists in Kentucky.) According to a deed recorded in Scott County on the fifteenth of October 1849, an indenture was made September 18, 1848, by "the society of Particular Baptist Church lately meeting at Elk Lick Church." At this time, the church was relocated, according to Mr. T.D. Riley and other descendants of the church, and was called "Flat Rock Baptist Church." The new site was on the Sadieville-Cynthiana road about one and three-quarter miles east of Sadieville on the Pack land just across the road from the lands of Jacob Mulberry and the late W.V. "Bunk" Mulberry, son of Jacob Mulberry, grandson of the Jacob Mulberry mentioned in the first deed of 1800. Jacob Mulberry I had sons named Joel and William, who stayed in Scott County, plus James, who moved to Illinois, John, Betsy, Lucinda, Nancy, Elizabeth and Catherine. Joel was the father of Jacob Mulberry II, plus William, Martha, Lucinda, John Vance, Catherine, Mary, and Louvina; Jacob II had a son, Jacob III. This old church was actually sitting on a large flat rock according to tradition; thus the name chosen was "Flat Rock," but the membership derived from the original Elk Lick Church of record. From 1799 until the original church was constructed in 1808, meetings were held in the homes of the early members, Jacob Mulberry, John Mulberry, Sr., and John Pack. Captain William Penn's family was another of the earlier meembers. One of the early pastors was Elder Thomas P. Dudley, born in Fayette County, Ky., May 31, 1792, son of Ambrose Dudley who came to Lexington, May 3, 1786, preached at Bryant's and David's Fork Churches. Ambrose married N. Parker, had eleven sons, three daughters, and over 100 grandchildren at death. Ambrose Dudley was born in Spottsylvania County, Virginia in 1750. Other members of Flat Rock were the brothers Joel and William Mulberry. Joseph Burgess joined in 1835 and was a member until his death in 1892; he was born February 5, 1809. He was called the Squire of Stonewall, and it was he who bought the first Elk Lick Church site in 1848. Many more of the Mulberrys of the families of Joel and William belonged to this church. Flat Rock, and the successor, the new Elk Lick of 1874. Elder Beebe appeared in 1871 from New York. Ray's Fork Primitive Baptist Church: The Ray's Fork Primitive Baptist Church, earlier called by some the Particular Baptist Church, is located in the northernmost portion of the county of Scott, sitting majestically on a high hill overlooking to the south and northwest Big Eagle Creek, where in years gone by ran the old water mills of Mollory, Parker, and Taylor. The church is positioned on the south side of Stevenson Chapel or Leaning Oak Road (it is called by both names) a quarter mile north of Frogtown Road not far from the adjoining counties of Owen and Grant. Constituted in 1791 and again in 1811, the church's first meetinghouse was log. It was rebuilt in 1811 by S. Jones. The present house was built in 1902. Many repairs have been made in the last few years, and the interior of the old church is very beautiful and cheerful and accomodates a goodly number. Information about the new organization of 1811 was copied from an old manuscript by Weldon Hamilton, church clerk in 1903, and follows: "A meeting was held at Brother Randol Seforce's on the 29th of November, 1811. Those present were Brethern John Conner and Joseph Redding (both high standing ministers of the Licking Association). Called on to help by John Pullen, Molly Pullen, Rebeka Pullen, John W. Jones, Elizabeth Jones, Jennie Marshall, Molly Jones, Rouiah Green, Nancy Marshall, Mary Ann Marshall, Randol Seforce, Robert Hendricks, and William Marshall. Total, fourteen . . . proceeded to constitute the above names as Members on the Doctrines of Faith with the exceptions made by the Elkhorn Association. Therefore we above members being constituted and hereafter proven by the Rays Fork Baptist Church, do jointly and severally agree to unite under the following covenant and rules . . . " From Spener's History of Kentucky Baptists, we learn of John Conner, first preaching elder of Rays Fork Church from November 29, 1811 to September 1824, that he "was one of the early preachers of the Licking Association. He probably began his ministry in Virginia, whence he moved to Kentucky, and settled in Harrison County not far from 1811. He gave his membership to Mill Creek Church of which he remained a member and probably the Pastor the remainder of his days on earth. He preached the introductory sermon before the Association in 1812, and appears to be well esteemed by that body. He died at a good old age September 26, 1824." Joseph Redding, the other minister who helped constitute the church at Ray's Fork, came to Kentucky from Virginia in 1789, and was the second minister at Great Crossing's Church (1793-1810). An interesting study of an early member is that of William Linn. A member of a New Jersey family of German extraction noted for their ability as cabinetmakers and builders, Linn was born in 1821 and died in 1904. He was the son of David Linn (1781-1832), the pioneer, and his wife Mary Frances Force, who were married in 1805 and had ten children. He married Mary "Polly" Jones in 1843 and had seven children. Although he kept records for Ray's Fork Church for a number of years and was a deacon, William Linn's conversion came hard. Around 1875 he was persuaded to write an account of his conversion for publication; the unfinished confession is still owned by his descendants. Sadieville Baptist Church: The Sadieville Baptist Church was organized in the Sadieville Methodist Church in 1899 and was accepted into the Elkhorn Assoicationn in the same year. The lot for the building of the newly organized church was on Church Street and was given by a Mr. Wilson. The building was erected and dedicated in the year of 1902. Rev. I.J. Stamper was the first pastor and served two years. Since 1902, twenty-seven pastors have served the church. The highest nember of years served by one pastor was Henry C. Walters, who served six years. The largest number of baptisms was during the ministry of Henry M. Downing, a total of seventy-nine. Stonewall Baptist Church: Begun as a mission of Sadieville Baptist Church, Stonewall Baptist Church had its origins in a tent set up on the lot now occupied by the frame Sunday School building which actually was the first permanent church house. Stonewall is an ancient community in the Rays Fork area, and according to B.O. Gaines' History of Scott County was named in honor of Gen. Andrew "Stonewall" Jackson or because of the stone fences in the area. Muddy Ford Baptist Church: After meeting in a trailer on the Muddy Ford property of pastor Brother W.H. LeMay for two years, the congregation of the Muddy Ford Baptist Church began digging a foundation for a meetinghouse in the summer of 1979. Begun as a mission of the Richmond Road Baptist Church of Lexington, the congregation of about 21 members had its inception in June, 1977. OTHER CHURCHES IN NORTHERN SCOTT CO. AND IN HARRISON CO. [ON THE LINE] Boyers Chapel Methodist: Located just across the road from Scott County in the sister county of Harrison is Boyers Chapel, a large frame meetinghouse which dates from circa 1874 and which replaced an earlier building which was destroyed by fire, possibly during the Civil War. Boyers Chapel is located at the intersection of Boyers Chapel Road and Dividing Ridge Road. Hinton Methodist Church: Hinton became an imnportant shipping point when the Cincinnati Southern Railroad was completed in the late 1870s. Already a crossroads community, it wasn't long until it was bustling town with five stores, a hotel, post office, several novelty shops and about 200 shoppers in the town square on every Saturday afternoon. The Hinton Methodist Church lies within a bend of the road which crosses the railroad and is officially in Scott County (on the Harrison County line). It operates within the circuit of Scott County Methodist Churches. The church dates from 1883. Trustees listed in 1951 were Jack Wright, Ben Faulconer, Milton Penn, Lydia Balden, Joe Bates and L. Scott. Beard's Presbyterian Church: Beard Church was organized on September 12, 1828 by Reverend John Moreland. There had been preaching in the forest on the Straight Fork of Eagle Creek during several days by the Reverends John R. Moreland and William H. Forscythe. The site of the church is near Davis almost on the county line between Scott and Harrison Counties. A few members of the Mount Pleasant Church resided in the neighborhood, particularly Hugh and Easter Beard. During the meeting referred to above, a number of persons made a profession of their faith in Christ. These, together with many Presbyterians who lived in the area, were organized into a church named after Hugh Beard, who donated the land for the church building, and who, with Francis Adams, constituted the first bench of Elders. These are the names of the original members (as inscribed in original church records): Francis Adams, one of the meek of the earth America Adams, a pious youth, died in 1831 William Adams Hugh Beard, founder of the Beard Church Easter Beard, one of God's Elect Elizabeth Chapel, a good member J.W. Cogwell Sarah Line, a good Christian woman Vance Lemon Martha Lemon, one of the excellent of the earth all the way from Ireland, died in 1844 Martha Lemon, daughter of the former died in 1880 Lucy Mitchell Ann Mulberry Polly McCabe, one of the Mother's in Israel James McCabe James, Ann and J.B. Woods. The spot on which the organization took place is perhaps some two hundred yards from the present location. The first structure was of log construction located under the shade of forest trees on the bank of a creek. The log building was used for a number of years before it was weather boarded, plastered, and fitted with pews and equipped with a pulpit. From the times of its founding, the church was supplied with preaching by Rev. William H. Forscythe until his death in 1868. In a brief history of the church Rev. Forscythe described the first years: "The first meeting was a very precious one, the fruits remaining unto this day. The Beard Church has stood firm and prospered for thirty years. The church house was a logt house, forty feet by thirty-five feet, and was dedicated to God and his service by Rev. Nathan H. Hall on a Sabbath in May, 1830 while a large congregation waited on his ministry with great delight and consolation. There is not a church in all West Lexington Presbytery that has such a large territory around it not occupied by other denominations." The first record of a meeting of the Session of Beard Church was held on August 26, 1834. . . . The first statistical report found shows forty-nine communicants in 1852 and forty-two in 1855. . . . The cemetery on the hill back of the church contains graves of many former members, a number of whom have descendants who are members of the church today. Surnames listed in the Beard Cemetery at Davis include: Adams, Anderson, Annis, Antle, Arnold Bailey, Baird, Barnes, Bates, Beard, Blanton, Bryant, Burgess Carr, Case, Caswell, Chaney, Cheek, Chipley, Coleman, Cook, Courtney, Craig, Creighton, Crosthwait/Crosthwaite, Crupper, Curtis Dailey, Davis, Dawson, Dryden, Duncan, Dunn, Dutton Eads, Evans Feeback, Fields, Fightmaster, Fish, Fryman, Fuller Giles, Gillespie, Ginn Hamilton, Hatton, Havicus, Hedger, Henderson, Hiles, Hillard, Hiten, Houston, Hughes, Jenkins, Jones Kearns, Kidwell, King, Kitchen Lancaster, Lane, Laughlin, Lemons, Lyons Mallory/Malory, Mansfield, Marshall, May, McBee, McKenney, Merkle, Middleton, Miley, Mockbee, Moore, Moss Navarre, Norris Perkins, Petty, Price Ralston, Read, Reed, Ritchie, Rogers, Romans, Rosenblum Sadler, Sharp, Sheritt, Smith, Stanley, Swinford Tapp, Thompson, Tucker Vanhook Walker, Wells, White, Whitson, Wiggins, Williamson, Wilson, Woolums, Wright ---------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. 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