History Of The Presbyterian Church In Ky.

 

This article appeared in The Crittenden Press Sept. 4, 1953.  It didn't say who it was written by.

The history of the Presbyterian Church in Kentucky dates back to the year 1773.  Twenty-four years later in 1797, the Rev. Terah Templin helped to organize the first Presbyterian Church in Western Kentucky in a community known then as Old Centerville, located on Livingston Creek where today is the boundary line between Crittenden and Caldwell counties.  Old Centerville did not exist for too many years and the records do not tell us what happened to the church.

Six years later in 1803 the Rev. William Dickey organized the Bethany Church, commonly called the "Old Log Church" on Crooked Creek, about one and one-half miles north of Marion.  (Located where Crooked Creek Baptist Church is today).  This was the first Presbyterian Church to be located in what is now Crittenden County.  It is back to the founding of this church that the First Presbyterian Church of Marion traces its history.  At this time this section of Kentucky was known as Livingston County.

The location of the church has moved several times since the founding.  It first moved from Crooked reek to the part of  Marion where the Old Marion Cemetery is located.

In 1881 the church moved to its present location at the corner of College and Bellville Street. (which today is the home of the Crittenden County Historical Museum).

(The picture to the left is an artist drawing of the church done in 1894, and appeared in The Crittenden Press.) 

 

In 1906 the church adopted the name First Presbyterian Church in order to distinguish it from other Presbyterian Churches in the community.

The following are some of the early Presbyterians in this area, among whom some where charter members of Bethany Church; Samuel Henry, David Hill, William G. Pickens, George Elder, David Dickey, James Rice, William Sewart, Robert and John Phillips, and John Traivs.  Mr. Dickey was the first known clerk of the session and Mr. Henry was the first delegate to attend a meeting of Presbytery. 

In the year 1854 the first Sunday School was organized within the church.