Red Hill Baptist Church

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For a number of years prior to the organization of the Church services were conducted regularly in the Red Hill School House by Elders Daniel E. Yeiser and B. Y. Cundiff who lived in the immediate vicinity. Revival meetings were conducted on several occasions and the converts of these meetings united with the Sugar Grove, Green Brier, and Oak Grove (Utica) Churches. On September 9th, 1893, the following members from the above mentioned Churches were constituted into a Church:

Members from Green Brier Baptist Church:

J. E. Rummage Louetta Rummage Nannie Ruby J. R. Ruby Rachel Ruby Eliza McCormick
G. G. Ruby Comma Ruby Mrs. S. B. McCormick Fannie T. Cundiff Nancy May John Mahoney
Emma Wellman Frank May Mary Ruby Enos Cundiff Rev. B. Y. Cundiff Fannie Cundiff
Mary D. Cundiff John McCormick Judith McCormick

Members from Sugar Grove Baptist Church

Rev. D. E. Yeiser Helen Yeiser Tinney Hazelrigg Sally Hazelrigg Edna Hazelrigg
N. W. Salmon Frank Mayfield Hattie Mayfield Daniel Mayfield Charley Camp
Bettie Camp Robert Ware Lensey Persell Isabell Persell Price Ryan
Emma Ryan Maple D. Yeiser Katie Yeiser Nannie Yeiser

Members from Oak Grove Baptist Church:

Helen Magruder Louisa Mayfield
Odie Cundiff Daisy Cundiff

Joined by Certificate of Baptism"

Eugene Christian Frank York Fannie Hinus
Ida Percell Charley Salmon Joseph Puckett
Lila Salmon Thomas Jones Oscar Lloyd

The following persons also united with the Church under watchcare pending a receipt of their letters from their respective Churches:

Richard Wells Dicy Wells John Mayfield Hilus Christian Berna Wells

Thus the membership of the Church totaled 58.

The new Church was recognized by Elder W. P. Bennett and deacons from Sugar Grove, Oak Grove, and Green Brier. The Church took the name of Red Hill after the school house nearby. Brother Maple D. Yeiser was elected as the first clerk. A meeting house had previously been built on this site and was dedicated on the second Sunday in October, 1893. This is the only house of worship this Church has ever possessed and is now in a good state of repair.

In November, 1893, the Church called Elder B. Y. Cundiff as the first pastor and elected Brethren Frank Mayfield, Johnny McCormick, and Ed Rummage as the first deacons. These brethren were ordained in February, 1894, by Elders Cundiff and Yeiser. The land on which the house of worship was erected was secured from Rev. J. B. Salmon and in 1894 another plot was secured and added to the property. In June, 1900, the Church secured the cemetery lot across from the Church to be used as a public burying ground. Since the time of her organization the Church has been served by the following pastors and clerks :

Pastors

Pastor Years
B. Y. Cundiff 1893-1895
Daniel F. Yeiser 1895-1897
W. H. Bell 1897-1898
B. F. Jenkins 1900
Daniel E. Yeiser 1901-1902
J. C. Craig 1903-1905
L. H. Voyles 1905-1906
Clay O. Bennett 1907-1908
M. J. Cox 1908-1909
Frank Farmer 1909-1910
John A. Bennett 1910-1911
R. E. Fuqua 1912-1919
Albert Maddox 1919-1920
Frank Farmer 1920-1921
George R. H. Gass 1921-1926
Foster Howard 1926-1930
F. W. Malone 1930-1931
W. S. Shipp 1931-1933
T. M. Chastain 1934-1935
E. L. Skiles 1936-1938
L. M. Chapman 1939
George C. Lovan 1940
W. P. Reeves 1941-1942
Robert Lashbrook 1943

Clerks

Clerk Years
Maple D. Yeiser 1893-1904
W. M. Davis 1904-1905
Maple D. Yeiser 1906-1911
Ira McCormick 1911-1920
F. H. Riddle 1921-1922
Rollie D. Salmon 1923-1925
E. R. Yeiser 1926-1943

This Church has recently gone to one-half time preaching and is enjoying one of the most prosperous periods in her history.

In March, 1902, Brethren R. F. Sands and Maple D. Yeiser were elected as deacons of the Church. There is no record of their ordination but it did take place. In March, 1904, Brother J. W. Taylor was elected to this office and was ordained later but the record is not given. In January, 1928, Brethren Ira McCormick and Roy Taylor were ordained deacons by Revs. Foster Howard and J. H. Chissom.

On April 24th, 1919, the Church ordained J. H. Chissom to the work of the Gospel ministry through Elders John A. Bennett, O. M. Shultz, R. E. Fuqua, and Russell Walker. He had previously been licensed to preach by the Oak Grove (Utica) Church. The Church licensed Harry D. McCormick to preach in October, 1919, but it is not known by the author whether he was ever ordained or not.

The Church has been a member of the Association since the session of 1894 and entertained the body in 1922.

Source: A History of the Daviess-McLean Baptist Association in Kentucky, 1844-1943. Wendell H. Rone, Messenger Job Printing Co., Inc., Owensboro, Kentucky, 1944.