The first location of this church was on Lower Howards Creek, about 2 miles up the creek from Lower Howards Creek Church (Providence Church). It was a log house built soon after the division in 1790.
In 1802 we find the church located 5 miles south of Winchester on Stover Branch, on land now owned by A. Howard Hampton Jr.
The constitution of Unity Church was brought about by a division in Lower Howard's Creek Church (Providence). The trouble arose over a difficulty between Elder Robert Elkin, the pastor and ELder Andrew Tribble, a member of the church..... In 1802 a peace committee was called, composed of David Barrow and Joseph Redding in an effort to settle the difficulty. In 1801 Ambrose Dudley ws chosen moderator of a meeting to settle the difficulty ...
We gather from tradition and from Anderson Quisenberry's History of the Quisenberry Family that when Elder James Quisenberry lost his first wife in 1811, leaving 12 children he married again within 6 weeks - married his 2nd wife Chlow Shipp two days later (Clark Co. records). This so offended his son-in-law, John Haggard, that he and his brothers withdrew from Unity Church and constituted Indian Creek Church. The records of Clark Co. show that John Haggard did not marry Mourning Quisenberry until Dec 22, 1811, and that Elder Quisenberry married Chloe Shipp 2 days later.
Elder Quisenberry's son-in-law, John Haggard, remained a member of Unity Church until it united with Indian Creek Church in 1845, after which time it was known as Mt. Olive Church.
John Haggard Sr., the father of the above ....
Elder James Quisenberry was either the first pastor of Unity Church or succeeded Elder Andrew Tribble. Elder Quisenberry held the pastorate of this church until his death in 1830. He lived, died and is buried on the farm on which he settled when he left the fort at Boonesborough, 4 miles south of Winchester, on Tow Mile Creek, between Flanagan and Elkin Stations on the L&N R.R.
In 1810 he baptised Wm. Vaughn into the fellowship of Friendship Church (Clark Co.) and Vaughn who had been an infidel before his conversion, afterwards became one of the leading preachers and theologians in Ky. ....
Elder James Quisenberry was born in Va. on June 13, 1759 and imigrated to Ky. in 1783. His name appears on the memorial stove at Boonesborough as one of the defenders of the fort when besieged by the Indians. He married Jane Burrus, a daughter of Thomas Burrrus of Va., and by this union had 12 children. He was a brother-in-law to Capt. Wm. Bush and Elder Andrew Tribble, each of whom also married daughters of Thomas Burrus.
Thomas Burrus had 5 daughters and 3 sons among the early immigrants to Kentucky, and they all settled around Providence and Unity Churches.
Elder Quisenberry's second wife was Chloe Shipp and by this untion there were 11 children, the youngest of whom was a daughter Polly Ann, who married E.J.M. Elkin, a grandson of Elder Robert Elkin, pastor of Providence Church for 42 years. E.J.M. ELkin lived to the age of 96, born Dec. 12, 1823 and died Aug. 21, 1918. His wife Polly Ann was born jan 1829 and died Sept. 6, 1901. They became members of Providence Church early in their youth and were faithful members of that church until their deaths.
Jesse Hampton married Nancy Jackson, daughter of James Jackson and a granddaughter of Joseph and Milly Embree (Embry), the first 2 to join the "Traveling Church" (Providence) on their way from Va., while the church was stopping for a time at Craig's Station.
After the death of Elder Quisenberry, the church called Elder John M. Johnson who served only a few months. He was succeeded by Elder David Chenault, whose father Wm. Chenault was of French extraction, although he was born in V. and was living in Almermarle Co. Va. in 1771, when his son was born on Sept. 30 [1771]. The family immigrated to Ky. in 1786, and David Chenault married Nancy Tribble, a daughter of Elder Andrew Tribble, in 1793. His ministry began during the great revival of 1800-3, and continued for a period of nearly 50 years. During this time he usually served 4 churches. He was pastor of 3 churches in North District Association before they united with Boone's Creek ASsociation, namely, Unity, Lulbegrud and Union City. He was a Hyper Calvinist in doctirine He was moderator of North District Association for 17 sessions of that body, beginning 1817 until 1836, with the exception of 1824-25, filling this position during those trying times in 1829-30, when the so-called Reformers were becoming numerous in the Baptist Churches of that Association. While the North District Association was composed of 25 churches in 1829, the majority of the members were followers of the new sect. and the Association came very near losing her identity as a Baptist Association. But elder David Chenault, the moderator, and James French the clerk stood true to the Baptists .... In 1831 the North District Association was composed of only 11 churches, with a reduction in membership in these 11 churches of 484 from what it was in 1829.
Elder Chenault was a very successful and prospeous business man, ad at the ripe age psssed to his reward on May 9, 1851. May of his descendants are citizens of Madison Co. Ky. and most of them are Baptists.
Unity Church reported as belonging to South Ky. Assn. Dr. Spencer quoted "Aspuld claims, etc.".
The minutes of South Ky Assn. for 1799 show that Elder James Quisenberry was on the committee for arranging the program, also member of committee to look into the standing of Boffman's Fork Church .... he must have been a messenger to South Ky. Assn. from that church.
In the printed minutes of So. Ky. Assn for 1801, Unity Church reported to the Assn. with 4 messengers, Elder James Quisenberry and John Haggard Sr. being 2 of them. The next year Unity Church went into the constitution of No. dist. Assn., and remained until she unnited with Boone's Creek Assn. in 1842. At that time (1842) her messengers being John Haggard Jr., David Routt [Rout], James Cason and Eli Bruce.
Unity Church lost her identity as a Baptist church in 1845 when she united with Indian Creek Church, and the 2 congregations became known as Mt. Olive Church, Clark Co., KY.
The actual date Unity Church was constituted was Sept 1, 1790. Unity Church entertained 4 annual sessions of No. Dist. Assn. in 1802, 1820, 1829 and 1837, and one session of Boone's Creek Assn, in 1844. |
