The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-08-02
Rev. William Sterling Lacy.

pecially in Virginia.-EDs. G. PRES.
Among the earlier ministers of the
Missouri Presbytery was Rev. w. S.
Lacy. He removed to Missouri in the
year 1921 from Prince Edward county,
Virginia. Before entering upon nara
tive of the ministerial labors of Mr.. Lacy
in Missouri, it will be interesting to refer
to his family and lineage. He was the
son of Rev. Drury Lacy, who for many
years was President of Hampden Sidney
College, Virginia, and one Of the Mod
orators of the old Assembly. Interest
ing accounts of his life and labors are
contained in Foote'S Sketches of Vir-
ginia, and "Sprague's Annals of the
American Pulpit" The maiden name of
the mother of Rev Drury Lacy was Rice,
through whom he was nearly related to
the distinguished ministers of that name
in the Church. An older sister of Rev.
Drury Lacy was the mother of Rev.
Joshua Lacy Wilson. The mother of Rev.
William Lacy was Ann Smith, who was
the aunt of Rev. B. M. Smith, now Pro-
fessor in Union Theological Seminary.
Rev. w. S. Lacy was the oldest of his
family, and had two brothers and two
sisters. One brother, James Horace
Lacy, M. D., married the daughter of
Rev. Matthew Lyle, and was the father
of Rev. Matthew Lyle Lacy, D. D., now
of Lewisburg W. Virginia. His Youngest
brother, Rev. Drury Lacy, D. D., of
North Carolina, is still living, at ven
cradle age, and is the father of Rev. VIM.
S. Lacy, Jr of North Carolina. Elizabeth,
the eldest sister, married Rev. Samuel
Davies Hoge, and was the mother of Rev.
Moses D. Hoge, D. D., of Richmond Vir-
ginia, and Rev. VIM. J. Hoge, D. D.,
deceased, and the grandmother of Rev.
VIM. H. Marques, of Fulton, Missouri
Judith, the youngest sister, married Rev
James H. Brookes, and was the mother
of Rev. James H. Brookes, D. D., of st.
Louis, Missouri.
Rev. VIM. S. Lacy married Sally G.
Graham, the daughter of Prof. Edward
Graham, of Washington College, Lexing-
ton, Virginia. She was the niece of Rev.
Archibald Alexander, D. D., of Prince
ton Seminary Mr.. Lacy was a graduate
of Hampden Sidney College, and for
time acting Professor of Ancient Ian
guages in that Institution. When Mr.
Lacy connected himself with the Presby-
terry of Missouri, he was a licentiate of
Hanover Presbytery, Virginia, and when
ordained in March, 1924, he was the first
Presbyterian minister ever ordained in the
State. At the time he entered the Pres
bytery, it included within its bounds the
two States OF Missouri and Illinois. Mr.
Lacy's first settlement was In St. Charles
county, where he remained only about
one year, and then removed to property
which he owned in ST. Louis county, near
the present site Of the Maline Creek
church. Here he remained about four
years, and was actively engaged in
preaching at different points in the coun-
ty, such as Bonhomme, Cold Water,
Bellefontaine, and other places After
this time he again removed to ST. Charles
county. A few years after Mr.. Lacy
came to Missouri he was commissioned
by the Board of Home Missions to travel
portion of the months of the summer
and fall season, to preach and organize
churches in counties lying on the Mis-
souri, and Upper Mississippi rivers
These portions of the State were known
as the Boonslick and Salt river sections
He was among the first Presbyterian
ministers to visit the counties of Galloway
and Boone. On one occasion he preached
at the house of Col. Sam. Dyer, within
the present bounds OF the Auxvasse con
gregation.
While living in ST. Louis county
warm and intimate friendship was formed
between Mr.. Lacy and Col. John S. Ball,
afterwards Rev. j. S. Ball. Mr.. Ball,
though his head was white with age, com
municated to Mr.. Lacy his desire to
preach the Gospel. Mr.. Lacy warmly
encouraged him, furnished him with The
illogical books, and gave him all the as
sistance in his power. The two were in
timately associated in their labors for
some eight or ten years, and made fire.
quent journeys together into the mis-
sionary regions of Boonsliek and Salt
river. On Mr.. Lacys return to St.
Charles county, he took charge of the
Dardenne church, where he remained
until he left the State for the South, in
1882. Mr.. Lacy preached twice month
at the Dardenne church, giving the rest
of his time to the church at Troy, in
Lincoln county. Members of his family
have no recollection of his ever spend
ing one idle Sabbath. He was a fine
horseman, was usually well mounted, and
delighted in riding over the wide prai-
ries in the new and sparsely settled
State
His house. and that of judge Beverly