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Research notes

Father David Rice and Kentucky’s first Presbyterian churches

Father David Rice organized Concord Church at Danville in 1784, argued for gradual emancipation in 1792, and later preached from his home near Greensburg.

Updated

Arrival and churches

  • Rice came to Kentucky in 1783 and organized Concord Church at Danville in 1784; the church counts it first of four that year, marker 754 says one of three. Congregation moved to Main Street in 1789. Pres KHS 754

Teacher and presbytery

  • Founded Rice's School / Transylvania Seminary near Danville in 1785 (marker 844); first moderator of the Transylvania Presbytery. KHS 844 Pres

1792 convention

  • Delegate to the 1792 convention; argued for gradual emancipation in Slavery, Inconsistent with Justice and Good Policy; failed; Article IX protected slavery. EKH Pres

Green County

  • Church history: moved to Green County 1793. Marker 844: came to Greensburg area 1798, formed two churches. Died 1816 in Green County, buried at Danville. Pres KHS 844 WP

Timeline

  1. 1733 Born in Hanover County, Virginia WP
  2. 1783 Comes to Kentucky Pres EKH
  3. 1784 Organizes Concord Church, Danville Pres KHS 754
  4. 1785 Rice's School / Transylvania Seminary KHS 844
  5. 1792 Constitutional convention; argues gradual emancipation EKH
  6. 1793 or 1798 Moves to Green County (sources differ) Pres KHS 844
  7. 1816 Dies in Green County WP

Open questions

  • Move to Green County: 1793 (church history) or 1798 (marker 844).
  • Concord Church: first of four congregations in 1784 (church) or one of three (marker 754).
  • Brief's McAfee's Station first-sermon tradition and convention resignation not used: not in the cited sources.

Sources

web