Barren County African-American
Church Histories
Courtesy
Barren’s Black Roots Volume 3,
Michelle Gorin Burris,
Gorin
Genealogical Publishing,
(c) May 1993. Source: The
Jubilee History and Biographical
Sketches of Liberty Association,
by G. RE. Ford, Printed and
Published by Times Publishing
Company of Smiths Grove, Ky.,
1916.
Little Blue Spring Church
Barren County
“Little Blue
Spring Church was organized in
the year 1868 at Brother Bluford
Wilcoxson’s by Rev. Peter
Murrell and Rev. Tolbert Rogers.
Rev. Rogers was the pastor from
the time the church was
organized until his death in
1887.
“The first
deacons were Brother Henry
Taylor and Brother Hudson Davis.
We believe that Brother Nep
Watkins was the first secretary.
The church at that time was a
hickory log house daubed with
red mud. It had one window on
each side. The window which gave
light for the minister was a
small space cut in the logs and
had a rough board shutter. Rev.
N. P. Pierson is our pastor at
present and has been since 1888.
We now have a very fair house.
It is weatherboarded, partly
papered and partly painted on
the inside. Brother Peter Helm
and Brother R. E. Siddens are
the deacons and Cora L. Rowe is
secretary.
Loving Springs Baptist Church
Barren County
“The Loving
Springs Baptist Church was
organized July 23rd,
1914, with seven members, whose
names are as follows: N. Y.
Edmond, Zachariah Duvall, Frank
Francis, Sisters Ida Shannon and
Mary J. Smith.
“Rev. N. P.
Pierson was the moderator of the
council: Rev. A. L. Webb the
first secretary; Rev. G. R.
Ford, the catechiser; Rev. J.
Garnett gave the covenant; Rev.
C. M. Dunn gave the chares; Rev.
C. H. Green prayed the
ordination prayer.
“Rev. J. Francis
was the first pastor of the
church and Rev. W. H. Duvall the
firse secretary. Rev. J. Francis
pastored the new church for
three years and proved a
successful pastor, the church
increasing in membership and in
spiritual power. The second
pastor, Rev. T. B. Fant has
charge and the church is in a
very healthy state. They have
lost three members by death, and
the present membership numbers
39.
“This church is
the latest organized in the
association, and at the present
time there are but few that have
a better building. It is a nice
weatherboarded building with new
pews, which cost about $250.00.
The church and property are
valued at $1,500.00. Rev. T. B.
Fant, Pastor, Brother Logan
Burton, Secretary.”
Mt. Olla Baptist Church
Barren County
“Mt. Olla
Baptist Church was organized in
1872 by Rev. Ben Rogers, who
served as its pastor for 22
years. The oldest deacon is Bro.
Noah Franklin. In 1986 Bro. Y.
W. Stark was chosen pastor and
served for a year. The deacons
at that time were: Brothers W.
M. Strange, Mason Crow, Thos.
Dunn and Henry Hunt. Rev.
Thomas Swan was chosen pastor in
1987 and served as pastor for
one year. Rev. J. Ingram was
pastor for 4 years and in 1901
Rev. Ben Vant was selected as
Pastor and served for 8years.
Rev. N. P. Pierson was pastor
for 4 years, beginning in 1912.
Rev. Logan Starks was pastor,
beginning in 1916. The deacons
at present are C. A. Cosby and
Thomas Dunn.
“Mt. Olla has
been built five times since she
was organized 46 years ago.
Poplar Grove Baptist Church
Barren County
“The Poplar
Grove Baptist Church was
organized in AD 1877, under care
of Rev. J. F. Lewis, the first
pastor. The deacons were Bros.
Dick Bush, Nelse Wilkerson and
Ben Fortune.
“The church was
organized with forty members.
The first building was a log
house worth about $50.00. The
secretary was James Martin.
“The church has
had seven pastors, namely: Rev.
Elzy Lewis, G. W. Sample, J.
Ingram, J. W. Willis, T. B.
Fant, Y. W. Start, J. Murrell,
and L. Shobe, the present pastor
of 1918.
“The present
deacons are S. M. Whitney, J. M.
Neal and C. G. Mansfield. The
membership now numbers 127
members and the church is a
frame building worth about
$1,500.00. W. M. Bridges is
secretary.”
Queen’s Chapel Baptist Church
Barren County
“The Queen’s
Chapel Baptist Church was
organized in the month of July,
AD 1874, by the following
brethren: Rev. Daniel Wilson,
who became the first pastor;
Bros. James Freeman and Logan
Martin, the first deacons; and
Morgan Douglas, clerk. There
were in all about eighteen
members.
“This church
under the guidance of the
Master, was located one mile
east of Hiseville, Ky. The names
of those in the organization
were Rev. Daniel Wilson, Peter
Murrell and Ben Rogers; deacons,
Robert Everett, Jackson Whitney
and other members in all about
eighteen.
“R. C. W.
Bransford is the present pastor.
The church is prospering
spiritually and financially,
with church and property valued
at $1,800.00.”
Rocky Hill Baptist Church
Barren County
“The Rocky Hill
Church, near Game, Ky., in
Barren County, Ky., was
organized in 1870 with the
following members: Bros. Jim
Hudson, Edd Hudson, Walter
Hudson, Huber Davidson, Alex
Hudson, Revs. B. Rogers and J.
F. Lewis, and Sisters Julie
Hudson, Adeline Martin, Dicey
Hudson, Louise Edmond and Nancy
Lewis.
“The church was
organized at Old Rocky Hill,
taking the name of Steam Mill.
“Rev. B. Rogers
was the first pastor and
moderator. He served from 1870
to 1897. Rev. L. Shobe was the
second pastor; he served from
1887 to 1902. The third pastor
was Rev. C. Dunn, who served
from 1902 to 1903. They were
without a pastor in 1905. Rev.
T. B. Fant, the fifth pastor,
served during 1906. The sixth
pastor, Rev. L. Shobe, served
from, 1907 to 1915. Rev. G. R.
Ford, the seventh pastor, has
served since 1916, and is the
present pastor.
“The deacons who
have served since its
organization are as follows:
Bros. Herbert Davidson, Preston
Lewis, Gilbert Dodd, Thomas
Page, Levi Rhodes, Jim Hudson,
Richard Houchin, Sam Starks, Rob
Rogers, Sam Hibbitt, Sam Duvall,
John Whitney, T. B. Barkley and
Lewis Edmond.
“The preachers that started out
from this church are as follows:
Elders B. Rogers, J. F. Lewis,
E. Lewis, Will Page, C. C.
Davidson (pictured
at right),
Jack Lewis, J. P. Hudson, S. W.
Rhodes, J. B. Daugherty, S. W.
Duvall, L. G. Starks, W. T.
Lewis, Cal Page, C. V. Landrum,
T. B. Fant, Eugene Rogers,
Lafayette Stone. Clerks: Ed
Hudson, Mitchell Edmond, J. W.
Stovall, J. P. Cosby, J. P.
Hudson, A. B. Barkley, J. B.
Daugherty, W. T. Lewis and
Reubin Hibbitt.
“The church has
been rebuilt three times; the
present building is valued at
$3,000.00.”
Courtesy Barren’s Black Roots,
Volume 3, Michelle Gorin Burris,
Gorin Genealogical Publishing,
(c) May 1993. The following
written in 1992, citation at
end.
History of
First Baptist Church
Glasgow KY
The First
Baptist Church, in Glasgow –
Barren County, was organized
under the leadership of Rev.
Peter Murrell in April 1867 with
sixty-nine (69) members. This
small group of members were once
worshipers at the Glasgow
Baptist Church, which was white.
After the Civil War, the
Emancipation Proclamation, and
the Reconstruction Period, a
committee was formed in the
Glasgow Baptist Church to make
plans for the segregation of the
former Negro slave worshipers.
The Rev. N. G.
Terry, then pastor of Glasgow
Baptist Church, officiated in
the organization of this group
of Negro worshippers. Rev. Terry
ordained Peter Murrell for the
gospel ministry to lead the
members in the completion of
their organization. In the
middle of April, on the second
Saturday of said month 1867,
this little band of devout and
desirous ex-slaves met for the
first time in a house. This was
the first organized Negro church
in Barren County. With the help
of the interested white church
men, Pastor Terry’s plans were
then put into execution to erect
a place of worship for this
group of Negro members who had
been set apart for them. The
first edifice was erected and
worship continued in the first
church building on this plot of
ground until the second edifice
was erected. The second edifice
was begun under the leadership
of Rev. Nathan (Pap)_ Pearson
and was completed under the
leadership of Rev. N. Starks.
This church celebrated its
anniversary on the second Sunday
in May. The church anniversary
was later moved to the fourth
Sunday in May.
Some chartered
members are Brother & Sister Tom
Page; Brother Reese Childress;
Brother & Sister Howard;
Brother & Sister Armstead Lewis;
Brother & Sister Bob Everett;
Sister Marcia Terry; Sister Ann
Garnett; Brother & Sister Bill
Edmunds; Brother & Sister George
Scrivener; and Sister Jane
Landrum.
Some early
deacons were Clay Everett, R. H.
Button, Robert Everett, Alex
Martin, Tom Page, Ras Hatfield,
Hugh Lee, Dennis Gillenwater,
Carl P. Bridges, C. D. Murrell,
G. V. Curry, Amos Childress, L.
J. Twyman, and James Bailey. The
present deacons are John Paul
Childress, J. D. Bush, Herschel
Caudle, Horace Greer, Jr.,
Theodore Ellis, and Thelbert
Grainger, Jr.
Some of the
early trustees were Jim Depp,
Steve Landrum, Emma Mansfield,
Lewis Matthews, Tom Childress,
William Maupins, Oscar Craft,
Charles Parrish, William Parker,
Joe W. Shirley, William Quinn,
Guy Gillenwater, Orville
Stockton, Early Dickey, and
Luther Yates (Emeritus). The
present trustees are Fred
Bailey, Eddie Lee Chambers,
Ervin Edmonds, Andy Hayes, Jr.,
Joe Wayne Shirley, Tony Shirley,
Erron Trigg and Sherman Webster.
The first clerk
was Henry Ritter. Others clerks
wee Charlie Smith, S. C.
Murrell, Pearl Wilson, Nellie
Murrel, Susie L. Curry, James M.
Bransford, Lucille S. Wood, G.
V. Curry, C. P. Bridges, Minnie
L. Boles, and Estelle B. Lasley.
The present clerk is Carrie
L-Hayes Thornton.
The first
treasurer was Bob Everett. The
present treasurer is Sherman
Webster.
Some of the
Sunday School superintendents
were Rev. John Garnett, Garrett
Mansfield, C. L. Smith, S. C.
Murrell, H. C. Mitchell, Ernest
Byrd, R. P. Lewis, Nellie
Murrell, and Estelle B. Lasley.
The present superintendent is
Deacon J. D. Bush. We also have
bestowed the title of Emeritus”
(1991) on Sister Lucille S. Wood
for two positions: Senior
Missionary President and Sunday
School teacher.
The pastors of
this church in succession were
Peter Murrell, Nathan (Pap)
Pearson, T. M. Duff, N. Starks,
C. W. Bransford, W. B. Wood, G.
H. Murrell (acting), C. H.
Thomas, T. P. Richardson, and C.
W. Bransford. Our pastor for the
last 41 years is James M.
Bransford. This year (1992) we
have taken an assistant to the
pastor, Rev. Raymond Crenshaw.
Ministers
produced from this church are
John Garnett, Paul Lewis,
Marshall Gardner, G. H. Green,
G. H. Murrell, H. C. Mitchell,
R. P. Lewis, R. B. Lewis, T. M.
Duff, J. M. Bransford, Dennis
Gillenwater, Carl P. Bridges,
Sewell Bridges, Fred E.
Gillenater, and Kenneth Turner
This church owns
a plot of ground 1 ½ miles south
on 31-E in the amount of five
(5) acres, more or less known as
the Barlow Cemetery. This church
also owns the house and lot
adjoining the church and the
land known as the Reed property
which is used as rental
property.
In 1960, we
built and furnished an
Educational Annex and we
redecorated and refurnished the
sanctuary. During this period
the church adopted the State
program for Kentucky Baptist and
became a member of the National
Baptist Incorporated.
In the early
hours of October 27, 1972, our
church was destroyed by fire. On
the following Sunday, we began
worship in Ralph Bunch Sixth
Grade Center through the
courtesy of the Glasgow Board of
Education. On February 10, 1974,
we returned to our new church
edifice. Many renovations have
been made to this edifice. In
1988 the dining room was
enlarged; in 1990 the carpet was
replaced; in 1991 the painting
above the baptismal pool was
repainted; and in 1992 we padded
the pew seat (front and back).
We are proud of our church.
However, we are everso thankful
to our Heavenly Father who doeth
all things well. Humbly
submitted, Mrs. Carrie Thornton,
Church Clerk
*******************************
Contributed by
Dr. Peter C. Murrell
(abstracted):
"I am the son of Samuel C and
Nellie Murrell; the grandson of
Rev. Peter Murrell; was born in
1920 and spent the first twenty
years of my life as a member and
the donor of a portion of the
land upon which the present
edifice stands. As I realized
how many names I recognized it
became difficult for me to
consider these members as being
representative of the early days
of the church. I realize that 80
years ago is a long time, but
this is a 137 year old
institution.
"The first four paragraphs are
history of the Church as I
remember it from my youth.
However, when we get to the
deacons, the picture for me
changes a bit. Of the deacons
mentioned I was personally
acquainted with eleven of them.
Raz Hatfield was a deacon during
my early youth. I remember the
ordination of C. D. Murrell, who
was my uncle, G. V Curry & Hugh
Lee, which if I remember
correctly, was in the late
1930's. Of the other seven, who
were ordained since I was an
active member there; I remember
Amos Childress, L. J. Twyman,
James Bailey, and J. D. Bush as
young men while Dennis
GIllenwater, Carl Bridges and
John Paul Childress were
childhood friends of mine.
"Seven of the trustees have
served in the years since I was
a member there. I find that I
was acquainted with all the
clerks with the exception of the
first and last one. Of course
two of them were my parents. Of
the SS Superintendents, I am
happy to say I knew all of those
listed. Of course, I knew two of
them better than the rest
although C. L. Smith also always
seemed like a member of our
family. He seemed like the
paternal grandfather I never
knew.
"Of the pastors of the church,
Peter Murrell's death preceded
my birth. I am happy to say I
knew all the rest to and
including James Bransford who
was a life long friend of mine.
"Of the ministers produced from
the church, I knew all except
Kenneth Turner. G. H. Murrell
was my uncle.
"I remember when the church was
destroyed by fire in 1972 and
was present when the present
structure was dedicated in 1974.
"My vague memory tells me there
were three daughters from Rev.
Peter Murrell [referring to his
biography], but I can only
remember the names of two, and
therefore, can not vouch for a
third. I do recall two
daughters, Martha & Malinda. His
second marriage produced four
children: John, James, Samuel
(my father) and Josephine.
"It is a pleasure to hear from
someone who has a connection
with Rev. Terry. During my
early childhood there was
several of the elders in the
Afro-American community who
remembered Rev Terry and Rev
Peter Murrell with great
affection.
" Rev Garnett and Mrs. Mary
Wilson Reed who was my first
teacher. I was also interested
in
the story of Uncle Steve
Landrum. I was a little too
young to remember him
personally, but I certainly
remember the legacy of Uncle
Steve and his vast land
holdings. Also, the house in
which I was born sets on land
adjacent to that on which one of
his houses was built.
"I am enclosing a photograph of
two of the early deacons of the
First Baptist Church that may be
of interest. The gentleman
seated is Charles Smith and the
one standing is my father,
Samuel C. Murrell. Charlie Smith
lived across Highway 31 from
Samson Hospital and owned the
closest thing to a library that
was available to me at the time.
He owned several books, dozens
and dozens of National
Geographic Magazines and dozens
of sets of sterio-optic pictures
from all over the world. He
always made me welcome to use
his "library", so I spent many
happy hours there."