Edmonson Co., African-American Church Histories 

Courtesy Barren’s Black Roots Volume 3, Michelle Gorin Burris, Gorin Genealogical Publishing, (c) May 1993. Source: The Jubilee History and Biographical Sketches of Liberty Association, by G. RE. Ford, Printed and Published by Times Publishing Company of Smiths Grove, Ky., 1916.

Little Hope Baptist Church

Edmonson County

“The Little Hope Baptist Church was organized March 15, 1886, by Rev. John Jones, Rev. P. Murrell, deacon, J. W. White, and others.

        “The council was called from Icy Sink, Glasgow, Mt. Union and Rocky Hill. Rev. P. Murrell was moderator of the council and Sister Sarah White was secretary of the council.

        “The members upon which the church was constituted were Brother Daniel Rountree, Rev Nathan Pierson, Sisters Julie Ford and Millie Pierson; these four were from Stoney Point Church by letters; then Sisters Matilda Wood and Nettie Rountree by experience and baptism. Then the church chose Brother Daniel Rountree for deacon and the council ordained him. They then called Rev. N. P. Pierson for their pastor and he was ordained by the same council. After giving the new church and its officials the right hand of fellowship, the council motioned to adjourn.

        “The church has had eight pastors up to the present time, namely: Revs. N. P. Pierson, T. H. Swann, B. Carter, J. Ingram, T. H. Brown, C. H. Dunn, C. W. Bransford, N. P. Pierson and J. W. Willis.

        “The church is a frame building, weather boarded and in very fair condition. The church and property are worth $1,000.00. They have an enrolled membership of about thirty. There are two ministers belonging to this church. Revs. N. P. Pierson, and G. R. Ford. Rev. J. W. Willis is the present pastor, O. T. Ford secretary.”

Pleasant Union Baptist Church

Edmonson County

        “Was organized at the home of Matt Bransford in the year 1868 by the following white brethren: Rev. Jim Smith, Dim Davis, Oliver P. Shackleford, Bob Gillock and John Slemmons, and Rev. Tolbert Rogers.  The charter members were: “Nick” Bransford, Warren Coats, Sr., Champion Dennison, Adam Martin, Davy Brown, Matt Bransford, Virginia Martin, Sarah Dennison, Mariah Bluford, Nancy Bluford, Rhoda Hodge, Alice G. Coats and Virginia Coats.

        “The log church was built late in the fall of 1868. Warren Coats, Sr., and Richard Mansfield sawed off the corners of the building Thursday, March 4, 1869. Nick Bransford, Warren Coats, Sr. and Matt Bransford were our first deacons. Rev. Tolbert Rogers was our first pastor. This is the list of her pastors as they succeeded each others as the years went by: Rogers was succeeded by Ike Owens, Charley Cheatham, Newton Gassaway, Luther Shobe, T. H. Brown, Y. W. Stark, G. R. Ford, and T. B. Fant, the present pastor, who took charge of the church Saturday, June 8, 1912.

        “After worshipping in the log church twenty-seven years, the structure burned in February, 1895. The members went ahead and built another house and worshiped in it until July 10, 1910, which was the last time they sent up their prayers in that house. In the year 1909 the church invited the Liberty Baptist Sunday School Convention to come here. The house being too small and located in such an awful out-of-the-way place. And they laid the foundation of the present house in July 1910. Here are the names of the young ministers who have gone out from this body to preach: “Little Ben” Rogers, T. H. Brown, Richard Lively, and C. W. Bransford. The association has never been held with this church. We have outgrown the log church of our forefathers, it is true, but we still believe as they did, “You must be born again.”

Note: The Bransford’s mentioned above were guides at Mammoth Cave National Park.