Crescent Hill Baptist Church was organized officially on January 12, 1908, by members predominantly from Clifton Baptist Church. The members met initially in the home of N.C. Shouse [photo to left - now Heady-Cralle Funeral Home] with the official organizational meeting in the basement of the old Methodist Church (replaced by the present structure in 1927). After a few meetings in the Shouse home the church met at the Hartmetz Hardware Store until the first church building was erected at Birchwood and Frankfort Ave. in the latter half of 1910. 43 members of Clifton Baptist Church met at the Shouses house in late Dec 1907 and decided to organize the CHBC. At the time of the formal organization on January 12, seventeen additional members were added from various churches (including 7 more from Clifton) so that the original number of "charter members" was 60. This latter group and their church of origin are listed under their name with an asterix*.source for these 60 names: minutes of the church and 50th anniversary bulletin (Sunday, Jan 12, 1958)
(death date in parenthesis...followed by age at time of death)(sources: KY Vital Statistics, funeral home notes, obits, church minutes)
most photos were taken from the 1919 group picture of church members
Send any corrections or additions to John Arnett.
(Carpe diem)
Alexander Marshall (A.M.) Baker (4-2-37...86yo) ...[*from Clifton][photo to right..68yo in 1919]...Mr. Baker served as one of the first six deacons. His wife was Mary Griffith (relationship to 1st pastor unknown), and his son, Dr. Clinton Baker (7/16/1890-1/3/1963), was a physician who attended Crescent Hill Methodist Church.
Joseph S. Beale (1-29-51...85yo)...[*The Beales came from Clifton Baptist Church]
Miss Jenny Beale...Miss Lucy Beale...Thomas Beale
Charles E. Briscoe...[*from Clifton]
Russell Broaddus (5-26-46...72yo)
...[*from Broadway]...He served as one of the first trustees and chairman of the first Building Committee that selected the Birchwood-Frankfort plot as the site for the church building. He founded the Capital Laundry & Dry Cleaning Company in 1910 with his father Andrew Broaddus, Sr. and served there his entire life. He was a founder of Crescent Hill Lodge of Masons and the Kiwanis Club of Louisville and served as a director of the Louisville Board of Trade. He later rejoined the Broadway Baptist Church (where his father and son were members) and was a deacon and member of the finance committee there. He lived at 342 S. Birchwood. Russell Broaddus, Sr. was a 3rd cousin, once removed, of John A. Broadus of SBTS. Their common ancestor was Edward Broaddus (1672-1749) who m2. Mary Shipley.
Mrs. Russell (Julia Ely) Broaddus (6-8-61...85yo)
...[*from Broadway Baptist church]...At the time of her death she was a member of Broadway Baptist Church and a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Her son, Andrew Broaddus (b.May 1900), served as mayor of Louisville 1953-57, and would have been 7yo when CHBC began.
James A. Brown (3/3/1867-7/5/1956...89yo)...[Clifton]...He was a foreman at the Louisville Water Co, retiring in 1931 after 42 years. He and his wife, Fanny Inman, were married 69yrs. They lived at 2341 Payne St.
Sherley Dehoney...[Clifton]...(note: Ella Martins father was J.T. Dehoney)..According to Gaga Woodward, the Dehoneys lived in one of the houses to the south of the church that was torn down to make way for the present educational building
Marguerite Dohrman Dohrmann (3-30-76...82yo) [photo to left]...[Cllifton]...Marguerite was daughter of Sam Dohrman and sister of Howard Dohrman. In WWI her brother Howard met a Frank Dohrmann (unrelated) from Brooklyn, NY, and told him about his sister. Howard died in Germany, and after the war, Frank came to Louisville to console the family and meet Marguerite. They fell in love and were married; both remained active in the church especially the music program. They had no children but adopted Phyllis who married a Cowley.
Howard J. Dohrman (Jan 31, 1896 - Feb 16, 1919...age 23) [photo to right]
...[Clifton]
...Howard, son of Samuel Dohrman, made his profession of faith at age eleven uniting with Clifton Baptist Church and was a charter member of CHBC when almost 14yo. He attended Manual Training High School and at age 20 was appointed postmaster at Corozal, Panama Canal Zone. Although his government service rendered him exempt when war was declared in April 1917, he felt like a "slacker" and enlisted in the army. With the 2nd Div A.E.F. he survived numerous battles but died of pneumonia in Honningen am Rhein, Feb. 16, 1919.
Samuel J. Dohrman (3-23-30...62yo)[1919 and later photo to left]
...[from Clifton]...Samuel J. Dohrman was the first clerk and later financial secretary of CHBC and handwrote all the minutes of the early church meetings. He was one of the first six deacons selected by the church. Mr. Dohrman was a member of the Crescent Hill Masonic Lodge and worked as bookkeeper and later cashier at the Security Bank. During the early afternoon of Sunday, March 23, 1930, he was struck by a car (hit-and-run) while walking his dog near Brownsboro and Hite and died of head injuries before reaching the hospital.
They lived at 340 Raymond Ave [now Ewing]. At the end of this listing of Charter members is a newspaper account of Samuels parents.
Mrs. Samuel (Katherine E.) Dohrmann (10-1-49...78yo) [photo to right]...[from Clifton]...She and Samuel had nine children: Marguerite, Howard Judson, Clarence, William (the builder), Hugh Leavell, Samuel, Katherine, Virginia, and Ruth. Two of Katherines brothers were Edwin Horn and Lawrence Horn. She was survived by 15 grandchildren.
William J. Dutton (4-30-40...68yo)
...[The Dutton family came from Clifton]
Goldie Dutton (probably the wife of Wm. J. Dutton)
George Dutton (9-7-61...82yo Henry Co)[possible]
Howard Dutton....Mary Dutton... Sylvia Dutton
George L. Edinger (4-29-66...89yo)...[Clifton]...Mr.Edinger was an insurance man with Edward J. Miller & Sons, Inc., for 53 years. While at CHBC he served as one of the first five trustees and was a member of the Building Committee. He later joined Crescent Hill Methodist Church where he served as chairman of the board of directors and president of the Brotherhood Class. He also served as chairman of the finance committee of Methodist Evangelical Hospital. He was a charter member and one of the organizers of the St. Matthews Masonic Lodge.
Mrs. George L. Edinger
...[Clifton]
Columbus W. (C. W.) Grigsby (3-4-19...74yo)...[*from Walnut Street Bapt Ch]...C.W. Grigsby served as chairman of the first board of six deacons.William Basye Howell (1-13-47...66yo) [photo to left]
...[from Clifton]..Basye Howell was the manager of Rock Creek Riding Club since its formation in 1929. He was a member of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Breeders Association and trained both race and show horses. He was a 25 year member of the Rotary Club. The Howells were in the group that left the church in protest in Sept, 1912. Mr. Howell must have rejoined later since he appears in this 1919 photo. One of his surviving sisters was Mrs. Lucy Lee Netherton.
Mrs. William Basye (Adah A.) Howell (d.after Jan 1947)...[from Clifton]...The Howells daughter (d.bef 1947) and Rachel Bennet Warren were good friends in Sunday School because they each shared an interest in horses.
Charles Kellar "C.K." Johnson
(9-6-75...96yo)...[Clifton]
[1919 photo to right & 1958 Mens Bible Class photo below]
...C.K. was born in Louisville 9-23-1878. He was a veteran of the Spanish-American War and a member of the board of trustees at CHBC for 25yrs. The story is told that nary a nail could be driven into the walls of the church without approval of C.K. He served on the Committee for Rules and By-laws in the early days.
He worked 42yrs with Southern Bell Telephone, eventually becoming a district mgr, and retired 1943 age 65. After retiring from SBT he sold insurance with Penn Mutual for 25yrs until 90yo.
He and his wife Ruby lived at 214 Hillcrest Ave.
Mrs. C.K. (Ruby Van Arsdle) Johnson(1-31-82...94yo)
[1919 photo to left; 1947 T.E.L. class photo below]
...[*Elk Creek Baptist Church in Spencer Co, KY]
...(daughter was Mrs. Albert H. McKechnie). Mrs. Johnson, like most of her generation, did not work outside the home but was active in various church activities.
Ida May Johnson (5-23-66yo)[1919 photo to right]
...[*from Broadway Baptist Church]
.."Mrs. Ida" as she was known by the Bethany Class, who honored her eightieth birthday with a poetic salute, was the sister of Mr. C. K. Johnson. She also cared for an invalid sister during her latter years.
Mrs. N.L. (Scottie Carrico) Johnson (9-6-33...86yo)
...[*from Broadway Baptist Church]
...(note: Ella Martins mother was Nancy Carrico)
Milburn P. (M.P.) Kelley [photo to left]...[The Kelleys came from Clifton]...He served as one of the first six deacons
Vinnie V. Kelley (probably his wife)
Nannie Kennedy [possibly Nancy Kennedy 4-8-27...64yo]...[Clifton]
John Thomas Landrum (5-25-53...78yo) [photo to right]
...[Clifton] served on the Committee for Discipline...Gaga Woodward and Elizabeth Grawemeyer remember the Landrums. He operated a wallpaper hanging business.
...(Rev. William W. Landrum (from Atlanta but possibly related) was pastor of Broadway Baptist Church 1909-1926.). John T. Landrum was the son of Thomas Urvin Landrum (1847-1921) who married Sarah Elizabeth Broaddus (very distantly related to Russell Broaddus, Sr. above). Sarah was the daughter of John Broaddus and Sarah Byrum and a sister of Nancy Jane Broaddus who married George Birch for whom Birchwood is named. There is some evidence that John T. Landrum persuaded Mrs. George Birch (Nancy Jane Broaddus) to sell land on Birchwood to Crescent Hill Baptist Church in 1910 or so for a dollar. [Barry Creech]
Mrs. John T. (Matilda Berry) Landrum (7-8-60...78yo)...[Clifton[photo to left]...Mrs John T. Landrums mother was a Sarah Broaddus.
Wallace McKay (12-21-50...82yo) [photo lower right]
...Mr. McKay was 40 when he and his wife joined the group from Clifton in starting the church.
He was elected as one of the first five trustees and served on the Building Committee. McKay was a native of Bullitt County where he worked for a time as a newspaper editor in Shepherdsville. He attended the University of Virginia and received a law degree from UofL. From 1904 to 1909 he was attorney for the City Scohool Board and served as judge pro tem of the Jefferson County Court from 1914-1918. He was the first president of the Young Democratic Club and remained active in politics attending six national conventions and was a delegate to the 1928 convention that nominated Alfred E. Smith, a Catholic, for President. He served as a presidential elector several times and was active in numerous civic organizations and a member of the Crescent Hill Lodge of Masons.During World War II, he was a legal adviser to the Selective Service Board. Among his many other posts were general counsel and director of the Farmers Home Journal and attorney for the State Banking Department.
Mrs. Wallace (Margaret K.) McKay (4-3-61...85yo)
...[*The McKays came from 4th Ave Baptist Church in Louisville]..Mrs. McKay was also a charter member of the Crescent Hill Womens Club. When Mr. McKay died they were residing at 200 S. Birchwood. Their daughter, Frances, married A. Heradon Franke and moved to Tuscon. He died sometime before 1970 and she moved back to CHBC and is pictured in the 1970 directory. Frances died 12-8-73...68yo; she was a 3yo child when the church was organized.
William Lively Martin (d. before 1951 [12/4/38 or 7/31/34])...[from Clifton]..W.L operated a broom company. He served as one of the first five trustees and a member of the Building Committee. The Martins were among the group that left CHBC in protest in Sept 1912. Since they do not appear in the 1919 photo, they probably did not return and probably returned to Clifton. (In Mrs. Martins obit she is said to have been a charter member of Clifton Bapt. Ch.)
Mrs. William L. (Ella B. Dehoney) Martin (9-29-51...87yo)(father was J.T. Dehoney and mother Nancy Carrico)
Hazel L. Martin (d.after 1965)...(daughter of William and Ella Martin)
James Martin (d. after 1965)...(son of William and Ella Martin)
Paul R. Martin (1-23-65...73yo)...(son of William and Ella Martin; Pauls daughter married Ray Pierce)
William May(s) (1935) [photo to left]...[*from Fourth Ave. Bapt] Mr. May was selected to be the seventh deacon at the beginning of the church but withdrew because of the out of city travel requirements of his job.
Mrs. William (Leura) May (3-1-57...) [photo below right]
...[*The Mays came from Fourth Ave Baptist Church in Louisville]
...Gaga Woodward recalls being a 3yo flower girl in the wedding of one of their daughters.
Elliott L. Morris (12-21-22...68yo)...[from Clifton]...Elliott was a livestock broker and the brother of Sallie Morris who married N.C. Shouse. He was elected to the first group of five trustees and served on the Committee on Rules and By-laws. He was survived by his wife, Ellen, and a son W.Q. Morris.
Newton W. Paris (d. Jan 22, 1909)...[The Paris family came from Clifton]
...first moderator of the church and one of the first deacons. He also served on the Committee on Rules and By-laws.
Minnie Paris...(probably wife of N.W. Paris)
Guy H. Paris...Ray H. Paris
Cora E. Quinn (11-23-47...51yo)
...[Clifton]
Alpheus Edgar "A.E." Sampson (2-17-47...77yo)...[The Sampsons came from Clifton]...A.E. was president of A.E. Sampson & Son picklemakers. He was a former president and state director of the Travelers Protective Association and active at CHBC where he was the first Sunday School Superintendant.. He also taught a Sunday school class at Central Gospel Mission. A niece, Mary Sampson (member of Deerpark Bapt. Ch.), was a missionary to China. A.E. may have married twice. Mrs. H.O. Wieland was Clara Abbott and her sister married A.E. and had four children.
A.E. had a son A. Edgar Sampson who married Ethel Horton (d.11-21-70...61yo) who was a member of CHBC but not a charter member. Ethel and A. Edgar had a son, Stuart Sampson.
Mrs. A.E. (Emma L. Wiegel) Sampson (5-21-17...43yo)
...(In the minutes of the church she is listed as Emma L. Wiegel rather than Mrs. A.E. Sampson. She is listed as Emma L. Weigel [sic] on A.E.s death certificate)
Ruth Sampson (3-17-84...90yo) [1970 photo to left]
...Ruth taught at Ahrens Trade school for 48 yrs. She taught a class in auto mechanics even though, according to Rachel Bennett Warren, she never drove a car. Ruth may have been the last of the "baptized" charter members to die. She was about 14yo when church was organized. Ruth had two sisters: Ethel, and Katherine.
Katherine Sampson (Mrs. Herbert Cralle Mueller)(10-13-87...87yo) [1946 photo to right]b.1900 Katherine was not old enough to be a "member" of the church but, like Elizabeth Irving and others, was a charter "attender." Katherine married Herbert Cralle and later Herman Mueller. She taught intermediate girls SS and later was the teacher of the Friendship Class for young married war brides. Blanche Goetzman wrote a warm tribute to her.
Ethel Sampson...was probably Ruths older sister.
Lula B. Sampson (Mrs. Willie James) (1-17-70...72yo)...[from Clifton]...Mrs. Willie James, according to her obituary, was a native of Eastwood, KY and later joined the Lampton Baptist Church. She was nearly ten years old when CHBC was formed.
Amelia Wiegel
...[Clifton]...(She may have been the sister of Emma Wiegel who married A.E. Sampson)
Mary Satori (10-25-54...89yo)...[Clifton]
Newton Combs "N.C." Shouse (12-4-53...92yo)...N.C. Shouse, a native of Henry Co, worked in the wholesale tobacco business and later in the insurance business with his son. After giving their house over to Herbert Cralle for the use of a funeral home in April 1931, the Shouses moved to 2930 English Ave. N.C. Shouse was chosen to be the first treasurer and financial secretary of the church and was in the first group of six deacons and a member of the Building Committee.
(A Henry Allan Shouse m. Mary Botts whose daughter Linnie Allan Shouse was mother of Stoner Wiggintons wife Julia Shouse)
Mrs. Newton C. (Sallie Morris) Shouse (1-16-54...86yo)
...Sallie [photo to right from a 1950 Crescent Beams] grew up in Henry Co where she had nine siblings, one of whom was Elliott Morris, another charter member. She and N.C. were married 58yrs. She was the first president of the W.M.S. and served for two years. She held other offices and worked on various committees. She taught in the Primary Dept and was President of the Ladies Sunday School Class.
...N.C. and Sallies daughter, Elizabeth, married Willard A. Irving, a preacher trained at the SBTS, and moved out of town. After Rev. Irvings death, Elizabeth moved her membership back to CHBC. Elizabeth Irving [photo to left] died 12-29-1997 at 91yo. She would have been just over one yo when church was organized and was, thus, the last of the "attending" charter members of the church to die -- "charter cradle roll member")
Christine Averitt Shouse Cordon (11-24-75...79yo) [photo to right]...[The Shouses came from Clifton]..Averitt was a native of Henry County, married a Cordon and joined St. Marks Episcopal Church where she served as president of the womens club. She was a member of the John Marshall Chapter of the DAR.Joseph Spencer ...[*Clifton]...The identity of this person is not clear. There is a Joseph Spencer (1-14-42...60yo) who lived at 1208 E. Kentucky and worked as a car repairman for the Louisville Railway Company, but there is no mention of CHBC in this persons obituary.
revised: Feb 22, 2024..J.W.Arnett........See Early Fathers and Mothers and children