Maysville weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1864-1866, 1864-09-29
From the Owensboro Monitor.
REV, EDWARD STEVENSON, D

KEW. 6O" AhD SI6S dlNSONI l. O'
Rev. Edwurd Stevenson, D. D., of the
Louisville Conference, Methodist Episcopal
Church, South, died at his residence in Rus.
sellville, Kentucky, on the 9Th day ofJuly,
1864, aged nearly sixty-seven years.
| DIR. Stevenson was the son of Thomas and
Sarah Stevenson, who were numbered among
! the early Methodists of Ameri and early
pioneers of Kentucky. They united, in the
| State of Maryland, with the second soeietv
Of M eth odists orga nzed in America in 1853,
! when that denomination mum bered less than
! two hundred members on this continent
! Soon after their marriage they migrated to
Kentucky, descending the Ohio river in the
second fiat boat that left Fort Duquesne.
| (now Pittsburgh for the wilderness of Ken
! lucky. The voyage was perilous one, the
country on either shore being infested by
hostile savages. The next boat which fol-
! lowed them was attacked by Indians, fifty
miles above Maysville, lost soma of its pas
| sengers, and narrowly escaped capture.-
| Mr. Stevenson and his friends however, ar
rived safely at the mouth of Linn estone, and
| found refuge in block house." or fort, in
1 the narrow bottom where Mavsville now
stands, and a few weeks after removed to
| Kenton Station, a few miles distant.
During their stay in Kenton Station, Rev.
/ BaEi min Ogden Methodist preacher, ar
rived there, he having been appointed, with
Jam Haw, Presiding Elder, to travei
I"Kentuckv Circuit." The missionary found
4 cordial welcome to the cabin OF Mr. Steven
son. Soon after this, Indian hostilities
ceased aud Mr.. Stevenson erected a cabin a
few miles distant, on tract of land he had
Purchased, and there removed his family;
and in that cabin, within the same year,
1856, James Haw and Benjamin Ogden or
ganized the first society Of Mtthodsts estab-
lished in the wilderness of Kentuckv.-I
From that time to his death. covering a
period of forty years, his house was regular
preaching place, and there the weary timer
ant preachers found days of pleasant rest
from their ariuous labors. To the prim tive
cabin first erected, other and larger buildings
we're added; but rothing now remains to
m ark the place notable in the early history
OF Kentucky Methodism. save the adjacent
buryiug ground where sleep the remains Of
Thomas and Sarah Stevenson, and many of
their pioneer peighbcrs, the old spring, tn he
foundations of destroyed houses, aud a mas
s:ve stcae chimney, which stands, or did
stand a lew years since, monument alike
OF early Methodism, and Of the mechaGjoa!
skill of Governor T. omas Metcalfe, who
erected il, and who su ubsequantly distinguish
, ed himself In the war of 1872 was nine
years in Con gresS from kentucky, and four
years Governor of the State, and through
ou h pc itical career was familiarly known
as "Old Stone Hammer"
/ Upon a tomb stone in the neigh boring
graveyard is the following record: SACRED
/ To THE MEMORY OF SARAH STEVENSON, WHO
WAS B ,RN OCTOBER 7TH, 1856, UNITED WITH
THE METHODIST CHURCH. AND EMBRACED
RELIGION IN 1853. LIVED THE GOSPEL HALF
CENTURY, AND DIED IN PEACE MAY 9TH,
/ 1928" aud beside n er rests the body of her
! husband, who also died in peace Edward
Stevenson, the subject OF this sketch, was
born at the place described above October
! 81 1897, was converted in his youth, and
/ identified himself with the C,urch of his
parents. He early became a minister, and
/ preached his first sermon in his fathers
! house, in the presence Of father, moth er
other members OF the family, and number
! of irreligious neigh bors. The circumstances
attending the Preaching of that sermon.
! were detailed TO the writer Of this sketch by
/ DR.. Stevenson himself several Yeas ago
/ The recent conversion and earnest zeal Of
young Edward in participating in prayer
meeting ex xerciseS, attracted to a prayer
meeting at his fathers house a large num-
| ber of rreigious persons, among whom
were many of his young associates. By a
singular circumstance all of the members
accustomed to participate in prayer meetings
I were absent; wnereupon, an irreligiouS man
importuned Edward to preach for them =
Scarcely knowing what he did, be arose
took the bible and hymn book, sang aud
! prayed, and announced his text: Prepare
to meet Thy Cod and preach ed with power
| aud great success. Seven persons made pro-
/ fession Of conversion that night, some of
| whom were known to be shining lights of
! the church a few years ago at an advanced
! age. DIR Stevenson said in his old age Of
that frs; effort at preac ing 81 am disposed
to regard that among the best sermons l ever
! preached"
DR. Stevenson became a mem Der Of thu
Kentucky Conference in 1920, and romaiu-
! ed in connection with it till its division in
| 1916, after which period ne was connected
with the Louisville Conference. He was
stationed IN most of the large towns aud
cities of the State: as Mt. Sterling, Harrods
burg, Dauville, Hopkiusville, Russeivlle,
Bowling Green, Snelbyville, Frank tort,
Maysville, Lexington, and Louisville, and
was four years presiding elder of the
Hopkusvlle district. He was member of
the General Conference of 1914, and was
| among the protestants against the Abolition
policy inaugurated there, which rent the
Church in twain. He was mem Der Of the
! Convention which met in Louisville in 1916,
and organized the Methodist Episcopal
Church, South, was a member of the first
General Conference which met the ensuing
ing year at Petersburg Va, aud was mem
ber Of every General Conference held after
that time. In 1916 he was elected By the
General Conference Missionary Secretary"
and Assistant Book Agenr OF the Church.
with his residence and office at Louisville.
In 1850 he reelected Assistant Book
Agent, and III 1854 was elected by the Gen
eral Conference Chief A gent of the Publish
ing House. located at Nashville, Tennessee,