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Crittenden
Presbyterian Church
Samuel Lynn, pastor of the Lebanon Presbyterian Church, began conducting Presbyterian services at Crittenden as early as 1837. In 1842, the Crittenden Presbyterian Church was organized with seventeen charter members and Reverend George B. Armstrong as the first pastor.
The church first met in the Kyes house at The Wells on alternate Sundays until 1846. Soon afterward, a meeting house was built in Crittenden just south of the Blackburn house. (Years later it was used as a storage building for the C. W. Harvey Lumber Company.) In 1884 a new sanctuary and manse was build just south of Schulte's Hotel. Constructed in the "carpenter Gothic" style, the sanctuary contained a stained glass window depicting Christ in Gethsemane. Over the years, the church was a staunch supporter of Union College and other local educational institutions. By taking a moderate view of drinking, dancing and card playing, the Presbyterian membership included tavern owners and merchants, who were not welcomed into church membership elsewhere.
At one time, several members complained they got tired standing on their feet during the thirty minute pastoral prayers. Reverend Bedinger proceeded to give a blistering sermon on "Rendering unto that which is God's". He reminded the grumblers they had not only stood on their feet for several hours at a dance the previous Saturday night, but had also engaged in a drunken brawl. Thus, standing for prayer for thirty minutes was indeed a light penance for their revelry. By 1928, membership had declined to the point that the church was dissolved.
Pastors |
Charter Members |
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| George
B. Armstrong Edward Eels L. B. W. Shyrock John A. Liggett Rev. Spillman Charles Hill W. W. Evans William Bailey William McElroy W. O. Cochran D. E. Bedinger Martin Luther J. B. Cochran Alexander Henry W. H. Davis I. P. Loose James M. LaBach H. R. Overcash A. B. Morrow Edgar Hubbard |
Jane
Barker Nancy Barker Catherine Champ Margaret Current Elizabeth Gibson Hannah Henderson Mary A. Hogsett Moses McClure Jane McClure Mrs. Jane McClure William McClure Eunice McClure Martha McKenzie Elisha Ratcliff Thomas Ratcliff Catherine Sayers Rebecca Stephenson
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History of Grant County, Kentucky
John B. Conrad Editor
Published by Grant County Historical Society
Williamstown, Kentucky
