The Lebanon Presbyterian Church
Grant, County, Ky.
Researched by Robert Weis Sr.
The Lebanon Presbyterian Church had its inception in the living rooms of some founders, until they built a small log church somewhere near the Lebanon Road( Ky. 491) and Bullock Pen Creek confluence. Shawnee Indians burnt this building after they obliterated the Brann family a short distance up the creek in 1805.There is a historical Marker on Ky. 491 it reads
" Three miles west, reputedly one of the last massacres in Ky. McClures and Kennedy's lived on hills above Bullock Penn Creek and the Brann family occupied a cabin on the creek at the foot of hills. Around 1805, a party of Indians burned the Brann home after scalping parents and children. All died except the mother who crawled to the Kennedy house. She eventually recovered".
Nathaniel, Alexander, and Moses McClure along with Andrew Kincaid, Alexander McPherson, Joseph Canady and Alex Meyers rebuild the log church building and a log school house in 1806 where the present Lebanon cemetery is found.
According to an article written by Eleanor Rouse, Alexander and Nathaniel McClure gave the land,. This building also burned in 1822 and was reconstructed by some of its members in its present location 1824. The burials in Lebanon corroborate this,20 there are no burials before 1829 in the upper segment, earlier burials are on the sloping hillside to the west of the old toll road that would have been the side of the log structure.
Actually Alexander McClure and Joseph Meyers gave the land to the church on a deed dated 10 August 1824 here are the contents of the deed:
" Joseph Meyers and Alexander McClure both of Grant County to Alexander McPherson Sr. and Nathaniel McClure, both of Boone County, Ky. Who were appointed trustees of the Presbyterian Congregation called Lebanon Congregation, for $ 1.00 -a said tract of land part of which is a meeting house, built by said congregation said tract bordering on Joseph Myers field consisting of one acre. 7 June 1824" Witness: Robert B Vickers, Joseph Kennedy, and Jacob Meyers. ack. 22 August 1822 by Joseph Meyers and on 10 Aug. 1824 by Alexander McClure. Book A Page 255 Grant County Ky.
The map taken from Thomas H. Hutzelmans Atlas of Grant County Kentucky 1858 located in Appendix A of this book, shows how Alexander McClures and Joseph Meyers land met at the church site with the tollroad between them. The toll road may still be seen today in the Lebanon Cemetery.
The members of Lebanon in 1828 were Nathaniel and Jane McClure, Jane Preston, Rev.J.C.Harrison(Pastor), Jos., Jos.Jr., Wm . and Anne Canady, Alexander McPherson, Rebecah McPherson, Alexander McPherson Jr., John Canady, Joseph Meyers, Nancy Meyers, Alexander McClure, Jane McClure, Hannah McClure,20 Betsy McClure, Patsy Meyers, Kitty McClure, Jane McClure, Moses McClure,20 John McClure Jr., Rebeccah McClure, Hannah Finley, Patsy Stevenson, Betsy Gibson, Lewis Rose, Patsy Rose, Lewis Lacker, Eunice McClure, Ellen Berksshire, Polly Ratcliff, Thomas Williams, Isabella Williams, Alex Mann,20 Elizabeth McClure, Mary Brown, Jane Ratcliff, Catherine Percival, Smith Mc Ginnes, M. J. McGinnes, Margaret Marrow, John Gibson, Polly Gibson, Sophia Rice Harrison, Elisha Ratcliff, Robert B. Vickers, Melisa Waller, John McClure,20 William McClure, Betsy McClure, Polly Campbell, Alex, Campbell, Elizabeth Campbell, Alex. Campbell Jr., M. Coleman, Sally Locker, John Campbell, Rugh Hamilton, Jane McPherson, Phoebe Ballard, Isabell Carr, Patsy Hudson, Joysey Leonard, Nancy Ann McClure, Sallie Kanady, Jane McClure, Elisha Hudson, James Canady, James Gibson, Margaret Sayers, Judith Collins, Cynthia Hudson, Sarah Lacker, Sally Anderson, Nancy Wharton, Betsy McClure, Halbert McClure, Martha Myers, Elizabeth Gibson, Jonah Harrison and Nathaniel McClure Jr.
In 1828 Nathaniel McClure was the Clerk of Sessions of the church. He held this position until October 2, 1842 when he and several of his children and friends withdrew and organized a new church at Crittenden.
1833-1834 Reverend Joseph C. Harrison served the church. Its membership in 1883 was reported as fifty-six. In 1834 as seventy. The pastor from 1843-1864 was Reverand George B. Armstrong was the pastor, and the pastor of the Crittenden Church. He died in 1865 and is buried in Lebanon Cemetery along with his wife and two of his infant children. The Church membership grew and by 1879 was reported as one hundred ten. The last minister was Reverend Robert Mc Callester.
Lebanon Presbyterian church was evidently the oldest or second oldest church in the county, probably predating the county itself by nearly ten years. Lebanon closed its doors in 1968 the remaining members going to nearby churches in Crittenden and Verona in Grant and Boone counties.
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Lebanon Presbyterian Cemetery
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