The following article provides a historical account of the beginning of the Kendall Springs Community.
"Kendall Springs and the Kendall Springs Precinct as it is known today derived their names from Ransom Kendall, an early emigrant from Virginia who settled in the area around 1815. He located and built a cabin on the site of the present store now operated by Ellis Carpenter where there was a large spring and still is spring with a bountiful supply of water, upon which in the dry season those then residing in that vicinity depended on for their water supply. By general usage the community became known as Kendall Springs.
I Think this is a picture of the old Kendal Springs Store taken in 1997. The picture was provided by Billie Hunt.
Along about the time of his coming there also came to this vicinity one Billy Frame, a Virginian, and the Kendall Springs cemetery as it is known today, was originally named for him, it being known for many years as the Frame Burying Ground, which was first established as a private cemetery, but which in later years by general usage became a public one. Many of the old markers in this cemetery consist simply of rough, simple stones, unlettered and undated, but which by their age give ample indication that interments were made there as long as 150 years ago.
To this area, around 1835, came John T. Craycraft and Jake Ginter of Pennsylvania Dutch stock and Squire Bill Ginter of German descent. Each of whom settled there, married, established homes, raised families, and each of whose descendants have been for many years prominent citizens of that community.
Other early residents of this community were Lige Hines, Matt McDonald, Rene Chastain, a Frenchman, James Hughes, John F. Johnson, Thomas Ewing, Shelby Carpenter, Sam Sharpe, Hugh Clarke, Press Mockabee, Billy Rayburn, George Carpenter, William Eldridge, Jake Kincaid and Peter Hart.
For many years the late W.C. "Bill" Ginter operated with marked success a general merchandise store in the community, and one is now being operated there by Ellis Carpenter and his son with like success.
Among the successful farmers and livestock raisers now residing in the community are Ollie, Ott, Matt, and Eli Craycraft, Bob Roberts, Howard Goodpaster, Emery Jones, Hughes Atkinson, Ellis Carpenter, Cleveland Carpenter, Bennie Craycraft, Charlie Honaker, Harold Jones, Raymond Craycraft, Buster Crouch, Edward Lee Hart, Russell Ingram, Espie C. Carter, Ewell Carpenter, Willie Carpenter, Jr., Silvan Foster, Virgil Hunt, Ramsay Ginter, and Henry York."
The church first organized in 1891 by this community was known as the Christian Church and having no building, services were held for twenty years in the country school house located on the lot where the present church is located. The actual church building was erected in 1911. Some 35 to 40 years later it changed to the Church of Christ. Today it is pastored by Bobby Blevins, Brother Pergram, Raymond Tipton and Vernon Goodpaster with a membership around 100 and approxiamately 40 active members.
This picture was taken by Chuck Gross, shortly before this building burned.
The congregation consisted of all of the prominent familes of the community, who, after meeting, elected the following as the first officers of the church: J.T. Ginter, Matt Craycraft, Sam Jackson, J.T. Craycraft, and Eli Craycraft.
Among some of those who served this church as pastor were J.E. Wilhoit, Henry Adams, Joe Adams, J.B. Battenfield, John Johnson, Robert L. Bailey, H.S. Ficklin, Taylor Lowery, Everett Estes, and Raymond Tipton, the present pastor.
The present officers of the church are Cleveland Carpenter, Bennie Craycraft, Henry Warren, and Matt Craycraft who has served on the board since the church was first organized, sixty eight years ago.
The present membership of this church is around eighty.
This is a history of a church in a small community near Owingsville, Kentucky, as told by one of its members and recorded by her daughter, Helen Craycraft Goodpastor. The Craycraft family greatly influenced the community to support the church, and were themselves a good example for setting a high standard of honest living and hard work.
This is the history of the Kendall Springs Church located in Bath County, Kentucky. This report was recorded, in September 30, 1969 by Mrs. Matt Craycraft, about 86 years old when she wrote it:
September 30, 1969: The history of the Kendall Springs Church as far back as I can remember. The church got its name from a family living close by, by the name of Kendall, and from the springs close by. I have heard others say that the church was started in the school house before I came here (we moved here about 1887). The elders and deacons were Mr. Sam Sharp, Mr. Pete Hart and Mr. "Tiff" Craycraft, and Bro. Kendall is the first preacher I ever heard at Kendall Springs. He was a son to the old ;man from whom the church got its name. They didn't have church services very often in winter time and in summer they had preaching services once each month and Sunday School every Sunday. Bro. Joe Adams preached for us a few years, Bro. J.E. Wilhoit and Bro. Henry Adams and others. Our new church building was built in 1911. They had been having services in the school house for years but the trustees got up one night and told us we would have to quit having services there. I will never forget how we all looked. Some one spoke up and said it couldn't be done but one of the trustees said the law required it. We all thought it. was awful! Mr. Sam Jackson said we would build us a church house, and some spoke up and said it couldn't be done, that we were not able to build. I spoke up and said it could be done if we would a11 try.
Matt took a paper and walked all day one Sunday to get the people to sign what they could give; he didn't get too much. Most people gave a little, but people didn't have much to give. Mr. Sam Jackson stood good for the rest of the money. So our church was started, and putting us out of the school building was the best thing to happen to us after all, as we were sure glad the church was done. Mr. Harvey Carpenter and Matt were overseers of the building and they worked every day. Mr. Carpenter was to get so much money for his work (but Matt said he didn't believe he got all he asked for), Matt worked free and gave more money than any of his family.
I would fix dinner and send it to them by the children. Mr. Sam Jackson was out quite a bit. Bro. Ben Battenfield came in August and held a meeting and they dedicated the church. They put in Matt and Eli (his brother) as elders and Matt served as one as long as he lived. I fixed the grape Juice and bread for the Communion Service for 50 years.
Sometimes they had church service on Saturday night and one time a long while ago some boys came from other places and Burt Charmichael was going around drunk, trying to break up meetings . He came here and shot right in the house. My Dad told the men he was going to town and get the sheriff, so he went home and got a horse. The other men told him not to go, that the men would shoot him if he found out he was going. He said he was going anyhow, and Mr. Sam Hughs said he would go with him. They got the sheriff and the sheriff got the man, and there was no more trouble. Dad said he wanted a decent place for his children to go.
Everybody walked them days and we didn't have much to go on. A lot of the time Matt would pay the Insurance on the church building and for the literature himself. A lot of the time he said he would take the last pennies he had and give for the church but something would come along to repay him.
Mrs. Helen Goodpastor copied this list of names of the members of the Kendall Springs Church of Christ from the records of the Church as well as from the records kept by her mother, Mrs. Matt Craycraft. She noted that there was no date for the first pages but that some were later dated from 1902. She copied the records up to and including 1916:
Deacon: Tilford Craycraft, Sanford Ingram, Shelby Carpenter Elder: Samuel P. Sharp Deacons: Dudley Hughes, Samuel Jackson Elder: Peter Hart Deacons: John T. Ginter, Matt Craycraft (later an Elder) Clerk: Sam T. Jackson
Members :Tilford Craycraft Bettie Craycraft Ruthy Ginter Sandford Ingram Ella Johnson Eddie Ginter Shelby Carpenter Mary Goodpastor Fannie Staton Samuel P. Sharp Berta Goodpastor Mollie Staton Peter Hart Nora Goodpastor Louisa Johnson Dudley Hughes Mary Crockett Alfred Ginter Rennie Carpenter Lucy Staton John M. Carpenter Susan Carpenter Catherine McCarty Hiram Carpenter Harvey Carpenter Louisa Carpenter Judy Carpenter John Ginter Susan Ginter Nancy Ginter William Donaldson Matt Craycraft William C. Ginter Maggie Hart Julia Ginter Franklin Carpenter Eli Craycraft Keller Jones Sudie Carpenter Andy Thompson Sarah Jackson William Williamson, Jr. Elizabeth Rodgers Smith Williams Robert Couchman Maria Crockett Craycraft Nancy Williams Annie Ginter Ardena Williamson Elizabeth Carpenter John Moore Polly A. Sharp William . Ginter Edward Green John Parks Oscar Goodpastor George Parks Pinky Flood Margaret A. Thompson Shelby Carpenter Jennie Johnson Armilda Williamson J ames Craycraft Rachel Copher Eugene Ginter Lucinda Crump Belle Myers Manda Copher John Johnson Charles Hughes William Williamson, Sr. Manda Rayborn Matt Eldridge Anna Manley Margaret Holland Henry Ginter John T. Ginter Thomas Stinson Nannie Ginter Samuel Jackson Mary Susan Ginter Alice Clark Effie Yarber William Clark Jencie Jones Evaline Stinson Martha Goodpastor Calla Jackson Jessie Carpenter George Pendleton Bertha Hatton Martha Manley Laura Jones Peachie Stull Maggie Eldridge Noah Parks Julia Jones Lizzie Ginter Ellis Hatton Elva Ginter Wesley Ginter Lillie Carpenter Kate Ginter Laura Carpenter Thomas Ginter Eller Jones Clem Hatton Mattie Hughes Lafayette Ginter Ellis Carpenter Jacob Ginter Minnie Goodpastor Janella Ginter Laura Ella Goodpastor Kern Carpenter Emma Carmichael Emmanuel Carmichael Anna Carmichael Milton Eldridge Maggie Thompson William Carpenter Cinda Copher James Goodpastor Georgean Jackson Bettie Ginter James Williamson Ann Donaldson Elizabeth Hart
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1902 Mrs. Fritz Carmichael Mrs. Effie Carpenter John M. Ginter ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1903 Ollie Craycraft Ottie Craycraft Ella Stull Annie Carpenter Narcissie Eldridge Chester Ginter Walter Carpenter Granville Stull Charles Crockett Alpha Belcher Lou Hicks ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1904 Kattie Thompson John Carpenter ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Between 1904 and 1910 Mary Frank Carpenter Nannie Craycraft Cordie Ginter Ellen Shultz Mary E. Hill Alice Shultz Lizzie Hart Anna Wiggington Martin Hart Arch Hovermale Terry Hill Retta Ginter Ola Johnson Jenny Donaldson Carl Goodpastor Emil Rodgers Jason Crockett Elmer Hill Ephrim Hill Windfield Karrick Mary Thompson Ida M. Ginter Anna Green George Carmichael Evert Sorrell Lucy Williamson R. E. Wood Mary Crockett Emma Carpenter Minnie M. Carpenter Lizzie Eldridge Mollie Ginter Jessie Ginter Millie B. Ginter Albert Ginter Clell Ginter Charles Jones Chester Jones Lillie Ginter Elva Staton William Carmichael Minnie Ginter Ida Ginter Millie Carpenter Pressley Belcher Ruthy D. Belcher Clay Jones Bill Carpenter Henry Green Ray Carpenter Charles Carpenter Emmie Ginter Ethel Ginter Alice Carmichael Omar Ginter Sallie Green Artie M. Carpenter Banks Hart Willie Williamson Vertnor Ginter Caleb Eldridge George Clark Willie Craycraft W. W. Goodpastor Henry Copher Emma Copher Chesna Ginter Timothy Warren Albert Ginter Minnie Jones ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1910 Ellie Donalson Elizabeth Carpenter Edward Goodan Jessie Wiggington Andrew Johnson Eli Ginter Milton Ginter William Carpenter John Green John Craycraft Matt Craycraft Jessie Copher Ida Eldridge Maggie carpenter Willie B. Johnson ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- August 27, 1911: The following officers were elected: Elders: J.T. Craycraft, Matt Craycraft, and J.T. Ginter Deacons: Henry Warren, Eli Craycraft, W.P. Ginter, John M. Carpenter, Tand homas Ginter 1911 James P. Ginter Loyd Warren Ed Hart Lillie Craycraft Clarance Donaldson Everett Snedegar Thomas Craycraft Nettie Carpenter Walter Craycraft Richard Eldridge Virgil Hunt Emory Jones Walter Maze Lillie Ginter Henry Copher Minnie Snedegar Joseph Snedegar Hoyt Barnes ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1912 Rose Carpenter Shelby Ginter Haley Donathan Evert Warren Henry Wiginton Alice Stull Ina Carpenter Amos Bailey Jess Carpenter Elmer Goodpastor ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1914 C.W. Warner Grace Parks Amanda Craycraft Vinnie Holder Callie Ginter John Wood Serepta Ginter ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1915 Mamie Couchman Lee Thompson Bill Wilson Goebel Parks May Jones Ollie Jones Jennie Craycraft Annie Craycraft Austin Jones --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1916 Carrie Lee Craycraft Ethel Stull Mayme Rodgers
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