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The Unhonored Graves of Baptist Pioneers
William Hickman, John Taylor, Ambrose Dudley,
Lewis Craig, John Gano

By Rufus W. Weaver
The Baptist Argus, 1898
      The recent meeting of the Franklin Association with the Forks of Elkhorn Baptist church brought to mind the fact that just one hundred years had passed since the Elkhorn Association met with this church for the first time. A review of the names who composed the Association then showed that it was the last time that the Association was attended by all of the great pioneer Baptist preachers - Hickman, Taylor, Craig, Dudley and Gano. When next they met, Gano had been stricken with paralysis and never attended the Association again.

      William Hickman is remembered as the first Baptist preacher of Kentucky - preaching in Harrodsburg in 1776, and r3eturning later from Virginia, to give forty years of his life to the Master's service in this State. He is buried near Frankfort and, although the family burying ground has passed into the hands of strangers, his grave is still carefully attended.

      John Taylor, who conducted the first revival in Kentucky, is burried [sic] near Woodlake. according to the directions given in his will - in a Blue Grass pasture where the cattle would graze and keep clean his grave.

      The burial place of Ambrose Dudley, who for many years was moderator of Elkhorn Association, is unknown to the writer.

      Among the older ministers present at the Elkhorn Association a century ago, was one of middle stature, rather stooped shouldered, jet black hair sprinkled with gray, a pleasing and attractive face. He was not a great expositor of the Scriptures; but he reached the hearts of men. In exhortation, Kentucky has never had his equal. His persecutions in Virginia suggest the First Century and the Apostolic Days. Soon after his conversion, he began to preach and this he was indicted by the grand jury under the charge of "holding unlawful conventicles and preaching contrary to law." Furnishing the jurors with a hot bowl of punch, he was enabled to secure a more sympathetic and appreciative hearing. In his defense, he said: "Gentlemen, I thank you for your attention to me. When I was about the court-yard, in all kinds of vanity, folly and vice, you took no notice of me; but when I have forsaken all the vices and am warning men to forsake and repent of their sins, you bring me to the bar as a transgressor. How is all this?" The young preacher who uttered these words was Lewis Craig. His case was dismissed. But on June 4th, 1768, he was again arrested together with two companions while conducting public worship, and arraigned as disturbers of the peace and committed to jail. They passed down the streets of Fredricksburg, Va., singing:

"Broad is the road that leads to death."

"During the confinement, Elder Craig preached through the grates to large crowds and was the means of doing much good." He was kept in jail one month and upon his release preached with greater zeal and power.

      In 1781 he moved to Kentucky. So strongly were the members of Upper Spottsylvania church attached to him that most of them accompanied him. Wherever they encamped, divine services were held, and on the Sabbath the entire day was given to worship. Upon their arrival in Kentucky, the church was promptly reorganized under the name of Gilbert's Creek Baptist Church, better known as the Pilgrim or Traveled church.

      Lewis Craig, pioneer, patriot, preacher, a man of God, fearless and faithful in an age dominated by infidelity and low moral ideals, bearing bonds and afflictions in the spirit of Christ, lies in an unmarked, unhonored grave, ten miles from Augusta.

      The oldest preacher present at the Elkhorn association, 1798, was John Gano, then in his seventy-second year. He preached the introductory sermon. "Small of stature yet he was very athletic and of a remarkable constitution." He was born at Hopewell, N.J., July 22, 1727. His great-grandfather, Francis Gano, fled from France in the night to escape martyrdom. His father, Daniel Gano, was a strict Presbyterian and his mother a devout Baptist. Early in life he professed Christ and joined the Baptist church in Hopewell. For a long time he was under the pastoral care of Rev. Isaac Eaton. While in Virginia, in 1751, although he was not then licensed, he preached. For this he was arraigned before Mr. Eaton's church, charged with walking disorderly. He had studied some under Mr. Eaton; and soon after took up Latin and Greek under a Presbyterian clergyman; and when at last ready to enter Princeton, his health failed. Upon his recovery, he resumed his studies, was ordained and supplied the Morristown Baptist church. In 1754 he was sent by the Philadelphia Baptist Association to Virginia. He preached with great power and many were converted. His mission field extended from Maryland to Georgia.

      Upon his return to the North, he married Sarah Stiles, sister-in-law to Daniel [James] Manning, first president of Brown University. He removed to his inviting field at Morristown, N.J., but the needs of North and South Carolina were so deeply impressed upon him, that he asked his church to accept his resignation in order to give his entire time to missionary work. He remained in the South two years; and during this time organized and served the Jersey Baptist church in Davidson county, North Carolina, still in a flourishing condition. He removed to New York City, and for twenty-six years was its pastor. During part of this time, Mr. Gano was pastor of the First Baptist church of Philadelphia, giving each church two Sundays in the month.

      At the outbreak of the War of the Revolution, Mr. Gano became a chaplain under General Washington and remained in the army seven years. More than once he was under fire. Part of the time he served as aide to General James Clinton. He participated in the capture of the Hessians at Trenton, the overthrow of the English allies - the Pennsylvania Indians, and reached Yorktown just too late to witness the surrender of Cornwallis. When peace was at last concluded, and the happy event celebrated at Washington's headquarters, near Newburgh, N.J., April 19th, 1783, Joh Gano was selected by General Washington to offer the prayer of thanksgiving on that joyous and memorable occasion. After the War, Washington said: Baptist chaplains were the most prominent and useful in the Army." General Washington and Mr. Gano were close friends and this compliment applies especially to Mr. Gano.

      Dr. Stephen Gano, now in his ninety-second year, gave the writer the facts regarding the current tradition which asserts that John Gano immersed General Washington. These facts were related to him by his uncle Colonel Daniel Gano - son of John Gano, who was an eye-witness of the event. The Army was encamped near a river. John Gano had concluded his Sunday morning service and remained to speak with a number of Baptist soldiers who were in the congregation. General Washington drew near and entered into conversation. This turned upon the proper mode of baptism. General Washington expressed the belief that immersion was the apostolic mode.

      "General Washington, if you believe that you have been improperly baptised, why don't you secure proper baptism?" asked Mr. Gano.

      "Do you think that I am a fit subject of baptism?" responded the General.

      The examination was entered into at once, and at the end Mr. Gano announced his readiness to baptize General Washington. They repaired to the river and the solemn ordinance was administered by Mr. Gano. Both returned dripping to their tents.

      When peace was restored, Mr. Gano returned to his New York pastorate. In 1788 he resigned to come to Kentucky. Here he took charge of the town Fork Baptist Church, near Lexington. He became at once the leading preacher of Kentucky and for ten years rendered the most efficient service. A few weeks after the meeting of the Elkhorn Association, he fell from his horse, breaking his shoulder. Soon after he was stricken with paralysis. During the Great Revival, 1800-1803, his speech was restored and he preached, as a contemporary describes him, "in an astonishing manner."

      The territory covered by Mr. Gano's labors was larger than Apostle Paul's - extending from Connecticut to Georgia and reaching as far west as the Kentucky River. He was interested in all of the denominational enterprises of his time. He was one of the first home missionaries sent out by the Philadelphia Association, the first American Baptist chaplain, a loyal supporter of Hopewell Academy and Rhode Island College. He was present encouraging the movement, when the South Carolina Baptists set apart the first money for the education of their young preachers. From this beginning has come the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He gave sound Calvinistic coloring to the theology of the Virginia Baptists, stirred all the churches to whom he preached with missionary zeal, fought heresy in New York and Philadelphia and in his declining years made an heroic assault upon infidelity and Socinianism then rampant in Kentucky.

      This hero of our faith now lies in an unhonored grave. Weeds and thick undergrowth cover the ancient churchyard. Beneath the destroying hand of Time, the headstones have crumbled, and to-day only three remain. Two of these mark the graves of John Gano and his sainted wife. In a few years every trace of their last resting place will be lost, and with this, there will have passed the stimulus and enthusiasm which comes from remembering the deeds of valor performed by one of whom the world was not worthy. For denominations as well as nations who build no monuments to their dead, are equally indifferent to their history and indifference to their history is the concomitant of decline.

      A movement is now being inaugurated under the direction of Drs. John R. Sampey, Z. T. Cody and Colonel Thomas L. Rodman for the purpose of reclaiming the grave and erecting a suitable monument. It is the privilege as well as the duty of every loyal Kentucky Baptist to co-operate with them.
      Louisville, KY.

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[From The Baptist Argus, October 6, 1898, p. 3. Transcribed and formatted by Jim Duvall.

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      The Baptist History Preservation Society has placed grave-markers on some of these men's graves: William Hickman - John Taylor - John Gano. Lewis Craig's grave-marker is here.



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