Dry Creek Baptist Church
By J. H. SpencerDry Creek Baptist church is located on the Lexington and Covington turnpike, about five miles from the latter city, in Kenton county. The church was gathered principally by the labors of Moses Vickers, and was constituted of twenty-two members by William Cave, Jeremiah Kirtley and William Conner, July 19, 1800. They had previously met for the purpose of being constituted a church, but through the influence of John Taylor the Presbytery refused to constitute them, because they were deemed "unable to maintain the worship of God without help from abroad." This stirred them up to improve their gifts, and they were soon afterward deemed "ripe for the constitution." The church united with Elkhorn Association, the same year it was constituted. Moses Vickers was soon set apart to the ministry, and became its pastor. During the great revival, which followed immediately after its constitution, it received, within two years, twenty by baptism, and its membership was brought up to eighty. In 1803, it entered into the constitution of North Bend Association, of which it is still a member. The church enjoyed a general course of prosperity, till 1830. In 1816, it resolved to aid in sending the gospel to the West. In 1819, it rejected soiree applicants for membership, because they refused to submit to re-immersion. In 1830, it had some confusion about Campbellism, and lost a few members by that heresy. In 1840, it lost fifteen members by the Antinomian schism.
During a revival, in 1829, the church received fifty-eight by baptism, which brought its membership up to 201. This was probably its maximum membership. But it has been a respectable and influential body during its entire history. In 1878, it numbered sixty-seven members.
Moses Vickers, the first pastor of Dry Creek church, was among the first settlers in North Bend. He was a native of Queen Anna county, Maryland, where he was born in 1764. His parents dying while he was a small boy, he was raised by an uncle. He was employed two years on a coasting vessel, on the Delaware Bay. This vessel being wrecked, he obtained employment on the Jersey shore, till he was about eighteen years old. At this time, he was married to Mary, daughter of Abel Carson.
In 1784, Mr. Vickers, with a number of other emigrants started to Kentucky. At a small settlement around Redstone Fort — now Brownsville, Pa. — they stopped and made a crop, and, in the fall moved on again. As was common in those days they came down the Ohio river in a flatboat, to Limestone, meeting with many adventures from attacks by Indians. From Limestone, Mr. Vickers went first to Clark county, and from there to Caneridge, in Bourbon county. Here he and his wife professed conversion, and united with the Baptist church. In 1795, he moved to Boone county, and settled near the mouth of Dry creek. The house he lived in the first year, on Dry creek, was built of one tree, the roof and floor being formed of the bark. In 1800, there were seventeen Baptists in this settlement. Desiring to have a church constituted among them, they invited helps to meet with them to effect that end. On examination it was found that none of those wishing to go into the constitution, held family prayer. On this ground the council refused to constitute them a church. "This very much afflicted them," says John Taylor, who was one of the council, "and before they parted, they agreed to meet the next Sunday, to counsel further what they should do." "When they met,” continues Mr. Taylor, "they had a very small, poor man among them. He was decrepit, for he limped as he walked. His name was Moses Vickers. He was a good singer, and a man of good religious fame. When they convened, Vickers began to sing and weep among them, and proposed to go to prayer; after which, he exhorted them in tears, to trust in the Lord. They had such a tender, weeping meeting, that they concluded to meet the next Sunday. A revival of religion soon took place among them, and they became constituted. Vickers became a respectable preacher among them. They soon called him to ordination, and he baptized many, that were the "fruits of his own labors." He continued pastor of Dry Creek and Bank Lick churches, till age and infirmity admonished him to retire from active labor. He was also pastor of Hopewell church in Hamilton county, Ohio, several years. He died at his home in Kenton county, Jan. 4, 1820.
Mr. Vickers was twice married, and raised ten children, of whom James and Robert became respectable Baptist preachers. Thomas F. Vickers, a grand son, and son of James Vickers, is regarded a good preacher.
======================== [From J. H. Spencer, A History of Kentucky Baptists, pp. 454-455. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
More on Kenton County Baptists
Baptist History Homepage