JUDSON SLADE TAYLOR

JUDSON SLADE TAYLOR, the second child and son born to Pastor-Evangelist Alfred Taylor (1808-1865) and Mary Ann (Mahon) Taylor (1812-1852), was born in Ohio County, Kentucky, on July 24, 1838 and died at Eureka Springs, Carroll County, Arkansas, on February 10, 1889. He is buried in the I. O. O. F. Cemetery, located 3 miles east of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, on Route #62. 

Judson S. Taylor was converted to Christ under the ministry of his father, as was his younger sister, Alice Taylor, and both were baptized by their father, the Pastor, into the fellowship of the Beaver Dam Baptist Church, in February, 1854. A full account of his real and abiding Christian experience is related by him in a twelve page, single spaced, account of his life for fifty years, owned by the writer. He had attended the schools at hand near his home; and, in the Fall of 1856, he entered Bethel Baptist College for men, at Russellville, in Logan County. Graduating in three and one-half years, he responded to the call of the Lord immediately to enter the ministry. In fact, his heart had been inclined in that direction ever since his conversion, but had intensified while in the process of securing a college education. 

Having wooed and won the heart and hand of Sophiah Brown, the daughter of John Gratton Brown, Junior, and Susan Ann (Dixon) Brown, they were married on June 22, 1860, on an Ohio County license and in the County. She was born in Ohio County, Kentucky, on April 20, 1838, and died at Keifer, Creek County, Oklahoma, on April 17, 1909, more than twenty years after his death, at nearly seventy-one years of age. They became the parents of 10 children, all of whom reached adulthood except a little boy, Jeddie Taylor (b. September 16, 1863-d. October 20, 1865), who is buried in the Slaty Creek (Taylor) Cemetery, Ohio County, Kentucky. She was buried alongside her husband in the I. O. O. F. Cemetery, near Eureka Springs, Arkansas. 

Having been previously licensed to preach, he was ordained to the Baptist Ministry by pastors H. B. Wiggin, J. G. Brown and his father, Alfred Taylor, at the Rochester Baptist Church, Butler County, Kentucky, in the year 1861, where he held his membership from 1861 through 1863. He served as a Messenger from Rochester Church to the Gasper River Association in 1862-1863. He and his wife were members at Green River Church in 1864-1869, and he appeared as a Messenger to the Association during that entire time. His pastorates included: Mt. Carmel (1861-1863) and Nelson Creek (1862-1864), in Muhlenberg County; Providence (1862-1865), in Warren County; Walton's Creek (1863-1869) and Pond Run (1864-1865; 1867-1868), in Ohio County, exclusive of Green River Church. He became Pastor of the Green River Church in January, 1864, succeeding his father, Alfred Taylor, who had resigned. He served through December, 1865, and declined receiving another annual call. He was called to succeed pastor John F. James and accepted in March, 1867, and served one year, through February, 1868, declining to accept another call. His second pastorate was followed by the third pastorate of Pastor James F. Austin. 

In October, 1869, Brother Taylor and wife were lettered out from Green River Church. They moved to Cowley County, Kansas, to live near his brother, Wilson Kelley Taylor. He served Churches in Crawford County, Kansas, in 1871-1875; and, in Bourbon County, Kansas, in 1876-1879. Returning to Kentucky, he served the Auburn Church, Logan County, in 1879-1882; the First Baptist Church, Clinton, Hickman County, Kentucky (now Carlisle County), in 1882-1884. While living in Clinton, he pastored also the First Baptist Church of Murray, in Calloway County, Kentucky, in 1883-1884. In 1886 and 1887 he served the First Baptist Church of Fulton, in Fulton County, Kentucky. Shattered health led him to move to Eureka Springs, Arkansas, in 1887 to recover it, if possible. He began serving the First Baptist Church at that place. After showing some improvement, he died there on February 10, 1889, in his fiftieth year. 

Judson Slade Taylor was a man of great brilliance of intellect, an author of several books and pamphlets, a writer of many articles for religious papers, a co-editor of Baptist papers, and in his early years a school teacher. He never lacked for places to preach for the glory of the Lord who had called him into the Gospel Ministry. He was noted, especially, for his evangelistic and doctrinal zeal and integrity.

A Sesquicentennial History of the Green River Missionary Baptist Church 1836 - 1986, Written and Compiled by Wendell Holmes Rone, Sr., For the One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the Founding of the Church, 1987.

William Brooks Leach

Went by nickname "Brooks." Nickname taken from newspaper article regarding death of infant child.

Ohio County Court Records: Will Book D,  p. 265, Will of W. B. LEACH, of Horton, Ohio County, KY, gives to wife Lizzie LEACH and his children Francis J. LEACH, Mary W. B. LEACH, James S. LEACH and Decota (sic) B. LEACH, his entire estate, both real and personal, each to share equally with the other. Appoints James F. SULLENGER as Guardian for his three oldest children, Francis, Mary and James. Appoints H. C. LEACH, L. L. TAYLOR and T. H. FAUGHT as executors, to serve without bond, and at their discretion, they may sell and convey any and all of the estate, real and personal, at such time on such terms as they may desire. Asks that the executors make no return of any appraisal or sale bill, all laws to the contrary notwithstanding. Asks that wife, Lizzie LEACH, be Guardian for fourth child, Decota (sic) B. LEACH. Executors to have three years, if necessary, to wind up his estate, and that no suit be brought against them for any legacy herein given until after that time shall have expired. January 16, 1889. J. T. MUIR and William B. DeHAVEN, witnesses. Statement signed by wife, same date, that she has this day had the will of her husband read in her presence and that she is and will be satisfied with the said will and will in no way object or give any trouble after his death. Signed before T. J. SMITH, County Clerk. Probated February Court 1889.

Note: First wife was Mary F. Sullenger, who died 9 May 1884 (Hartford-Herald: May 14, 1884.  The wife of W. B. Leach of Elm Lick died on Fri. last after long illness). Second wife was Elizabeth (Lizzie) H. Atherton. Six children born to first marriage; one child to second marriage. Home was near Rosine, Ohio County, KY.


William Brooks Leach fought for the North in the Civil War. There is a W. B. Leach listed as a member of the Cromwell Home Guards, a volunteer unit that protected Ohio County during the Civil War (June 1861 -  about Jul 1862).  He is listed as a Pvt.  Later, he was in the 17th Kentucky Infantry. Rank: Private; Company or Division: H; Unit/Regiment/Flight: 17th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry; Military Service began: 4 Jan 1862, Calhoon (sic) KY; Military Service ended: 23 Jan 1865, Louisville KY; Source: The Kentucky Adjutant General's Report, p.84.

William Brooks Leach is buried near Horton in an old Family Cemetery with his father Talbott, his first wife, small children and a Kinchen Martin believed to be his Brother- in-Law.  A military headstone was provided by the US Government.

STEPHEN SLADE TAYLOR

STEPHEN SLADE TAYLOR (1804-1883) also united with the Church on the day it was organized, coming by letter, as did Alfred and Mary Ann (Mahon) Taylor, from the Sandy Creek Church, in Butler County. Mrs. Taylor died while in the membership, on May 29, 1852. Alfred Taylor was a member in 1836-1857 and again in 1864-1865, dying while a member on October 8, 1865. SARAH "SALLIE" (WHITAKER) TAYLOR, the wife of Stephen Slade Taylor, became a member of the Church by Christian experience and baptism in the revival of 1838, at age thirty-three (b.c. 1805). They had been married on March 19, 1824, on a Butler County license, by Pastor Joseph Taylor, the groom's father. They became the parents of seven children, six sons and one daughter, as follows: Milton Taylor (b.c. 1825); Melvin Taylor (b. February 22, 1827); Tabitha (Taylor) Kahn (b.c. 1829); Alfred Warder Taylor (b.c. 1834); John Robert Taylor (b.c. 1836); Frank M. Taylor (b. September 4, 1838); and Curran Slade Taylor (b. December 13, 1845). The first four were born in Butler County and the last three in Ohio County. Melvin (about 1848), Alfred Warder and Curren Slade (both about January, in 1864,) and Tabitha (Taylor) Kahn (about 1848) became members by Christian experience and baptism. The latter died in April, 1851. The three sons and the mother and father became Charter Members of the Slaty Creek Church, in December, 1870, and were lettered out from the Green River Church, in January 1871. Melvin Taylor served as the Church Clerk from December, 1860, through July, 1863. Stephen Slade Taylor served as a Trustee of the Church for nearly eighteen years - from July, 1853, until January, 1871. Brother Taylor had been a member of the Church over thirty-four years. 

A Sesquicentennial History of the Green River Missionary Baptist Church 1836 - 1986, Written and Compiled by Wendell Holmes Rone, Sr., For the One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the Founding of the Church, 1987.

THOMAS L. TAYLOR

DEACON THOMAS L. TAYLOR: Thomas L. Taylor, the subject of this sketch, was born in Fairfax County, Virginia, on August 10, 1795. He was in the War of 1812 and participated in the siege of Baltimore in the year 1814. In the year 1816 he moved to Shelby County, Kentucky, where, in 1818, he married the daughter of Elder Samuel Vancleve, a Baptist minister in that county. In the year 1823, Mr. Taylor moved to Ohio County, Kentucky. The following year tragedy entered the home which resulted in the death of his wife, on June 24, 1824, she leaving two sons to the care of her grief stricken husband. The youngest child died in infancy, while the other grew to manhood and became a Baptist preacher, Elder J. S. Taylor, whose sketch is also included in this history. In 1828, Mr. Taylor married Miss Sallie McCrocklin, who lived to survive him. 

Brother Taylor became a Christian early in life and in the year 1831 placed his membership in the Bell's Run Church. In the year 1833 he was ordained as a deacon of this Church. To his energy and promptness as a deacon may be attributed much of the success of this historic Church during his lifetime. He was also a prominent member in the organization of the Association, in 1844, and always cooperated and urged his Church to faithfulness in cooperating with the Association in its work. He was active in every good work, and about the last thing that he did was to deed to the Bell's Run Church a lot of ground upon which to build a new house of worship. His death prevented him from seeing the new house completed. Brother Taylor raised seven sons and four daughters, nine of the children being born after his second marriage. He saw them all take up their cross and follow him as he followed Christ. On February 7, 1877, he was stricken with paralysis, from which he did not recover, but died at his home on July 18, 1878. Daviess County Association and Bell's Run Church lost a valued and loved member in the death of Deacon Thomas L. Taylor. "Mark the perfect man and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace."

"A HISTORY OF THE DAVIESS-McLEAN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION IN KENTUCKY, 1844-1943" by Wendell H. Rone. Probably published in 1944 by Messenger Job Printing Co., Inc., Owensboro, Kentucky, p. 475. 

CHRISTOPHER C. THOMAS

CHRISTOPHER C. THOMAS was of English descent, with the Virginia Branch of the Thomas family being derived from a single immigrant who arrived in America from England about the year 1635 and took up 3,400 acres of land in Culpeper and neighboring Counties of Virginia. He was mentioned first as William, son of Thomas. His sixth generation descent, also named William Thomas, became the father of Massey Thomas (b. March 23, 1760 - d. March 23, 1818). The latter was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, and at age 16 (1776) enlisted in the American Army (Virginia Militia) during the American Revolution, serving about seven years. He was in a number of engagements, and was a participant in the siege of Yorktown (1781). 

Massey Thomas was united in marriage to Dicey Talbert (b. March 24, 1763 - d.c. 1856) in Culpeper County, Virginia, on June 3, 1783. They had five children by 1795, as follows: Rhoda Thomas (b. September 24, 1784); James Thomas (b. August 27, 1786); Benjamin Thomas (b. September 20, 1788); John Thomas (b. December 29, 1792); and William Thomas (b. May 12, 1795). About 1798 Massey Thomas and family came from Virginia to Kentucky and settled in Ohio County. He is listed on the Ohio County Tax list for 1799, as Clerk of the Beaver Dam Baptist Church in 1802-1805, and as foreman of a 21-man grand jury sworn in at the March 28, 1803 Session of the Circuit Court of Ohio and Breckinridge Counties. He died on March 23, 1818, his birthday, and in the beginning of his fifty-eighth year. His wife lived to the advanced age of ninety-three years, and was never ill until the day of her death, sometime in 1856. Their earthly remains rest on a farm plot (owned in August, 1971 by Miss Ruby Daniel) near Axton Cemetery near Olaton in Ohio County. 

William Thomas, their fifth child and fourth son, married Sarah "Sallie" Jackson, the daughter of Christopher M. Jackson and Catherine (Rhodes) Jackson, on an Ohio County license on November 18, 1824. Mr. Jackson appears to have been a first cousin to President Andrew Jackson. They became the parents of fourteen children. One daughter, Corrina Thomas (b. August 5, 1825) became the wife of James F. Austin, three times Pastor of the Green River Church. Mr. Thomas was a man of considerable wealth and influence, who died in 1862 at age sixty-seven. He was the grandfather of Christopher C. Thomas. 

Christopher Thomas, the son of William Thomas and Sarah "Sallie" (Jackson) Thomas, was born in Beaver Dam, Ohio County, Kentucky, on August 13, 1834, and received such advantages as were afforded by the public schools of the day. In November, 1856, on a Butler County, Kentucky license, he married Miss Harrriett Kuykendall, the youngest daughter of Matthew Kuykendall (1794-1865) and Martha B. (Gilbert) Kuykendall (1804-1873) of Butler County. She was born about 1839. They became the parents of eight children before her death on September 16, 1872, in her thirty-second year of age and fifteenth year of marriage. 

On December 20, 1875, Brother Thomas married Mrs. Sally (Shultz) Taylor, widow of Moses Taylor. She was born on March 16, 1850, in Cromwell Precinct, Ohio County, Kentucky. He was a prosperous farmer and lived about two miles west of the Big Bend of Green River in Ohio County and near Cromwell. He and his second wife united with the Green River Church by letter in November, 1888. He died on March 4, 1904 in his sixty-ninth year, and his body was consigned to the grave in Green River Cemetery. We have no information as to the burial site of his two wives. 

Christopher C. Thomas was the sixth child and third son of the eight children born to Christopher Thomas and Harriett (Kuykendall) Thomas, and was born in Ohio County, Kentucky, near Cromwell, on November 10, 1868, a few years after the Civil War. He grew up on a farm and attended the public schools at hand. On September 3, 1894, he was united in marriage to Miss Cordia Edmonds on an Ohio County license. She was a native of Butler County and was born on November 4, 1874. They became the parents of at least three children, as follows: Robert C. Thomas (b. August, 1895); Eva Mae (Thomas) Burgess (b. November 5, 1897, who became the wife of Cleve Burgess (b. April 5, 1886 - d. July 20, 1951); and Ruth (Thomas) Rone (b.c. 1901). 

Brother Christopher C. Thomas united with the Green River Church by Christian Experience and Baptism in October, 1903, being baptized by pastor A. B. Gardner. His wife, Cordia (Edmonds) Thomas, had come into the Green River Church prior to their marriage by Christian Experiance [sic] and Baptism in November, 18l88. She was fourteen years of age at the time. He was one of the five men selected and ordained as Deacons by the Church on April 23, 1909. The others were: J. P. Miller, Warren Shields, Martin Flener and Benjamin Benton. Pastors G. W. Gordon, A. J. Snodgrass and A. B. Gardner served as the ordaining Presbytery. He filled the office until his death, on November 26, 1937. His wife died on July 9, 1944. Both of them were buried in the Green River Cemetery. He had served as a Deacon for twenty-eight years. She had been a member of the Church for fifty-six years.

A Sesquicentennial History of the Green River Missionary Baptist Church 1836 - 1986, Written and Compiled by Wendell Holmes Rone, Sr., For the One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the Founding of the Church, 1987.

RUSSELL WALKER

RUSSELL WALKER: Russell Walker is perhaps one of the best Bible expositors in this Association at present. He was born at Fordsville, (Ohio County,) Kentucky, on July 2, 1888, and is the son of Clinton H. and Lula May Walker. He attended the common schools at hand and also graduated from High School and State Normal School. After being called to preach he spent two years at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where he studied English Bible under the great Dr. B. H. Carroll. For about three years he taught school. 

Our subject was converted in a revival held by Rev. H. D. Burch at the Pleasant Grove Church, Ohio County, Kentucky, in November, 1901, and was baptized into the fellowship of that Church by the pastor, Rev. W. R. Oldham. This same Church licensed him to preach the Gospel in July, 1909, and in September, 1911, he was ordained to the Gospel Ministry by Revs. C. M. Corley, W. R. Oldham, and W. W. Williams. He had been called to the pastorate of the Macedonia Baptist Church in Breckenridge [sic] County, Kentucky, and this same Church requested the Pleasant Grove Church to ordain him. He has served the following Churches: Macedonia, Clover Creek, Hite's Run, Stephensport, and English, in Breckenridge [sic] County; Caneyville and New Hope in Grayson County; Pleasant Hill, Adaburg, Hartford, and Barnett's Creek in Ohio County; Buck Creek and Basin in McLean County; Friendship in Hancock County; Whitely City in McCreary County, Panther Creek, Bethabara, and Seven Hills in Daviess County. All of these pastorates were either one-fourth or one-half time with the exception of Hartford, from November, 1917, to December, 1922; Whitely City, from October, 1928, to October, 1930; and Seven Hills, from January, 1932, to March, 1936. He was in the ministry from 1911 to 1938, over a quarter of a century, and nearly all this time was spent in village and rural Churches. 

Our brother served as Assistant Moderator of the Breckenridge [sic] County and Ohio County Associations; as Chairman and Clerk of the District Mission Board of the Ohio County Association; as the Assistant Chairman of the District Mission Board of the Daviess- McLean Association; and as a member of the State Mission Board from McCreary County Association in 1929-1931. He preached the annual sermon before the Breckenridge [sic] County Association in 1914 and 1917; the same before the Ohio County Association in 1914 and 1938; before Goshen Association in 1937; and before the Daviess County Association in 1925. Thomas Todd, formerly of Fordsville, Kentucky, entered the ministry under his preaching and is at present the Secretary of the Anti-Saloon League, State of Oregon. 

Mrs. Walker was formerly Miss Vava A. Duncan, the daughter of James P. and Elmina Duncan. They have five children, John Carroll, Dorothy Page, William Russell, James Hart, and Anna Jean. The two oldest boys are at present in the armed forces of the United States. Both have majored in the field of Radio with much success. Brother Walker has been serving as a guard at the Ken-Rad Corporation since about the year 1939.

"A HISTORY OF THE DAVIESS-McLEAN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION IN KENTUCKY, 1844-1943" by Wendell H. Rone. Probably published in 1944 by Messenger Job Printing Co., Inc., Owensboro, Kentucky, pp. 410-411. 

SYLVESTER FOREST WHITELY

DEACON SYLVESTER FOREST WHITELY: This brother beloved was born at Deanefield, Ohio County, Kentucky, on April 18, 1866, and is the son of Henry and Lucy Hobbs Whitely. He attended the grade schools at Aetnaville, Kentucky, and has followed the occupation of farming all of his life. Our brother was converted in the year 1878 and was baptized into the fellowship of the Zion Baptist Church by Elder Gabbert. He was ordained as a deacon of the Zion Baptist Church in the year 1898 and has served that church and the Whitesville Baptist Church in this office for the past forty-five years. He has also served his Church as Sunday School Superintendent, Assistant Sunday School Superintendent, as Moderator, and for the past fourteen years has served as the representative of the Whitesville Church on the Executive Mission Board of the Association. In all the above offices he has given faithful and devoted service and has gained the acclaim of the brethren as a Christian gentleman of the first order. Mr. Whitely is the brother of D. B. Whitely, lately deceased. On November 21, 1891, he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Whiteler. She died in 1937. They had no children.

"A HISTORY OF THE DAVIESS-McLEAN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION IN KENTUCKY, 1844-1943" by Wendell H. Rone. Probably published in 1944 by Messenger Job Printing Co., Inc., Owensboro, Kentucky, pp. 481-482.