I37723: John CHANCELLOR (1760

Notes

He founded the Rittenhouse Academy in Georgetown. He was dead 11 years when, in 1829, a society was organized to create a Baptist College, and having a choice between Georgetown and Harrodsburg, accepted an offer that included the grounds and appurtenances (and perhaps the tradition) of the Rittenhouse Academy. So he is more a grandfather than a father of Georgetown College.

HISTORY OF KENTUCKY (1879), states that the first fulling mill in Kentucky was erected in 1789 at Georgetown by Rev. Elijah Craig, Reputed Inventor of Bourbon Whiskey, a current brand bears his name.

Deed Records Vol 3 p. 152 Elijah and Frances Craig of Woodford Col KY to John Warrick of Fayette Co., dated Mar 1790.

Elijah and Frankey Craig to Richard Foley and Elijah and Frankey Craig to Augustine Gatewood, brother to Andrew, dated June 14, 1791 and prior June 1791. Vol 5, p. 169.

At the start of the Biographical sketches it says distinguished Baptist Preachers who lived an died faithful in the cuase of God. this book is written with the f replacing s and p in places.
ELIJAH CRAIG: Mr Craig was one of the first converts to the Baptist preaching. He had been awakened through the preaching of elder David Thomas, previous to 1765; and at the time, viz. January, 1765, Mr. Allen Wyley procured the attendance of elder Samuel Harriss, by travelling to Pittsylvania. When Mr. Harriss came and preached an experience of grace, he found his heart could testify to the truth of it; having sometime previously experienced a change, which he had not viewed as convension, but only encouragement of heaven to go on to seek. He was now to strengthen, that, in conjunction with certain young converts in his neighbourhood, who were of the Regular Baptists, he undertook to exhort, &tc. and to hold little meetings in the neighbourhood. His tobacco house was their chapel. Being most of them labouring men, they used to labour all day, and hold meetings, almost every night, at each other's houses, and on Sundays, at the above mentioned tobacco house. By their little and exhortation meetings, great numbers were awakened, and several converted. For further account see page 8 and 9. ( they went to Rev. Harris, and they traveled into North Caroline to get James Read who was an ordained minister)

Mr. Craig was constitued into the first Separate Baptist church in those parts, viz Upper Spotsylvania; and was afterwards taken off with the constitution of Bluerun, to which he was consecrated pastor. He wa certainly a great blessing to Bluerun church: for under his care they flourished. He was accounted a preacher of considerable talents for that day; which, united to his zeal, honoured him with the attention of his persecutors. They sent the sheriff and posse after him, when at his plough. He was taken and carried before three magistrates of Culpeper. They, without hearing arguments pro or con, ordered him to jail. At court, he, with others, was arraigned. One of the lawyers told the court, they had better discharge them; for that oppressing them, would rather advance, then retard them. He said, that they were like a bed of camomile; the more they wer trod, the more they would spread.

The court thought other wise, and determined to imprison them. Some of the court wer of opinion that they ought to be confined in a close dungeon: but the majority were for giving them the bounds. Mr. Craig says they were fed on rye bread and water, to the injury of their health. After staying there one month, preaching to all who came, he gave bond for good behaviour, and came out. He was also confined in Orange jail, at another time. He was a preacher of usefulness for many years after he commenced; but finally falling too much into speculations, his ministry was greatly hindered. In 1786, he moved to Kentucky; whre continuing his speculations, he became obnoxious to the church; and was excommunicated, anno 1791. How long he stayed out, is not known. He was however, restored; and confinued in the church until the year 1808; when he died.

Elijah Craig, converted by David Thomas, was licensed to preach in 1770, establishing the Blue Run Church (halfway between Barboursville and Liberty Mills) and in the 1770's was jailed for preaching without Episcopal ordination: "They sent the sheriff and posse after him, when at his plough. He was taken and carried before three magistrates of Culpeper. They, without hearing arguments, pro or con, ordered him to jail....Mr. Craig says, 'they were fed on rye bread and water, to the injury of their health.' After staying there one month, preaching to all who came, he gave bond for good behavior and came out." In 1774 he and Aaron Bledsoe established the North Pamunky church. He emigrated to KY in 1786/7, purchasing 1000 acres in Scott County near Georgetown and laying out the town (then called Lebanon). He established the first classical school in Kentucky; his advertisement in The Kentucky Gazette reads: "Education. Notice is hereby given that on Monday, 28th of January next, a school will be opened by Messrs. Jones and Worley, at the Royal Spring in Lebanon Town, Fayette County, where a commodious house, sufficient to contain fifty or sixty scholars, will be prepared. They will teach the Latin and Greek languages, together with such branches of the sciences as are usually taught in public seminaries, at twenty five shillings a quarter for each scholar. One half to be paid in cash, the other half in produce at cash prices. There will be a vacation of a month in the spring, and another in the fall, at the close of each of which it is expected that such payments as are due in cash will be made. For diet, washing and house room for a year, each scholar pays L3 in cash, or 500 weight of pork on entrace, and L3 cash on the beginning of the third quarter. It is desired that, as many as can, would furnish themselves with beds; such as cannot may be provided for here, to the number of eight or ten boys, at 35s a year for each bed. ELIJAH CRAIG. LEBANON, December 27, 1787." (History of Bourdon, Scott, Harrison and Nicholas Counties Kentucky, Henry Perrin) The school was later linked to the Rittenhouse Academy and its successor, Georgetown College. Perrin also states that he, Joseph, and Lewis were "made famous in Virginia by religious intolerance and persecution. They all removed to Kentucky, and Elijah settled here. He was a man of decided character, a good speaker, an acceptable preacher, and of very considerable business qualifications, accumulating a large property."
Elijah seems to have enjoyed religious controversy.. He began preaching at the Great Crossing Baptist Church (where many of the Traveling Church joined, especially the Johnson family, after adopting the Philadelphia Confession of Faith) until the church decided that they preferred the services of Joseph Redding. Craig left with 30 members to organize the McConnell's Run Baptist Church. Toliver Sr. and Elizabeth Craig were among the charter members (Sept. 1795). They built at church where Duvall Road crosses McConnell's Run. William Hickman was called as pastor in 1796, Elijah kept his membership and his feud with Redding, but to keep some peace he moved his membership to Silas Church. In 1819 a new meetinghouse was built at Stamping Ground, and the church prospered. Both blacks and whites were members.
Elijah also established the first fulling and paper mill (in 1789), the first rope walk (for manufacture of hemp) and the first saw and grist mill at Georgetown and the first bourbon whiskey (so it was said Elijah Craig Bourbon is sold today and the bourbon industry likes linking their product to a Baptist minister) was made in 1789 at the fulling mill at the Royal Spring. His house stood on the west side of Royal Spring Branch.

"His preaching was of the most solemn style; his appearance as of a man who had just come from the dead; of a delicate habit, a thin visage, large eyes and mouth; the sweet melody of his voice, both in preaching and singing, bore all down before it."As he prospered, owning over 4000 acres and operating a retail store in Frankfort, he preached more infrequently and was chastised for his fault finding. Some Baptist sources say he sold out to the world, but the Kentucky Gazette eulogized: "He possessed a mind extremely active and his whole property was expended in attempts to carry his plans to execution he consequently died poor. If virtue consists in being useful to our fellow citizens, perhaps there were few more virtuous men than Mr. Craig."

"Evans Williams. Reportedly the oldest bourbon in Kentucky. Evan Williams came to Kentucky from Virginia about 1781 and settled at the Falls of the Ohio River. He opened his distillery in Louisville in 1783 and the bourbon is still produced using a 200-year-old recipe.

Elijah Craig: This was originally made by the Rev. Elijah Craig in the earliest days of Kentucky. He aged the bourbon in charred bottles which he felt enhanced the flavor."
(References:
Crowgey, Henry G, Kentucky Bourbon, The Early Years of Whiskey Making, Lexington, KY 1971.
Downard, William L., Directory of the History of America Brewing and Distilling Industries, Westport, CT, 1980.
Kentucky Encyclopedia, University of Kentucky, 1992, Betty B. Ellison.)

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My Southern Family

John CHANCELLOR

1760 - ____

ID Number: I37723

Sources

Rev. Elijah CRAIG Sr.

ABT 1738 - 18 May 1808

ID Number: I30869

Notes

Sources

Lucie ELLZEY

1886 - ____

ID Number: I18269

Sources

HERBERT "the Chamberlain" FITZ HERBERT of Winchester

____ - ABT 1130

ID Number: I28440

Notes

Sources

ARTALD V de FOREZ Count of Forez

____ - 1085

ID Number: I62927

Sources

John "Jack" Dinwiddie MCCANTS

6 Jan 1810 - 6 Jan 1864

ID Number: I7654

Notes

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Pauline V. MOSBY

20 Jul 1869 - 12 Jul 1951

ID Number: I89023

Sources

George W. PENDLETON

25 Nov 1869 - ____

ID Number: I66248

Sources

John Hardin PENDLETON

ABT 1820 - young

ID Number: I53644

Sources

Lucy T. RIFFE

1864 - AFT 1930

ID Number: I14948

Sources

John A. STOVALL

ABT 1902 - ____

ID Number: I85702

Notes

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Sarah Henry WALKER

4 Mar 1797 - ____

ID Number: I22185

Notes

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William WOFFORD II

1648 - 1680

ID Number: I70164

Notes

Sources