First Presbyterian Church of Lancaster
Lancaster, Garrard County, Kentucky
Marker Inscription
First Presbyterian Church. When founded in 1816 by Presbytery of Transylvania, it had 22 members. The first minister was James C. Barnes, who also served Paint Lick Church. Congregation worshiped in the Republican (Union) Church until 1846; second building on Buford and Stanford Streets. They built on the present site in 1879. Gov. Wm. O. Bradley was a member. Presented by Members of First Presbyterian Church.
Erected by Kentucky Historical Society
The Story
Organized in 1816 by the Presbytery of Transylvania with twenty-two members, this Garrard County congregation was first served by the Reverend James C. Barnes, who also ministered at nearby Paint Lick Church. Worshipers met in the shared Republican (Union) Church until 1846, built on Buford and Stanford Streets, and moved to the present site in 1879. Among its members was William O. Bradley, later a governor of Kentucky.
Why it matters
The congregation's growth mirrors the spread of Presbyterianism through the newly settled Bluegrass country in the early 1800s, when frontier churches doubled as centers of civic life.
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Related people
- · James C. Barnes
- · William O. Bradley
Themes & tags
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