History
by Steve McKnight

Early History

It is possibly the oldest cemetery in Kentucky still in use.  The oldest marked grave is John Provine  or John Province who was one of the organizers and elders of the Old Paint Lick Presbyterian Church and died in 1792 when he was kicked by a horse at the age of 41. The cemetery may contain unmarked graves of those who died shortly after Fort Paint Lick or Paint Lick Station was built in 1781 or possibly even earlier when Paint Lick was first settled by William Miller in 1776.  One record shows that the cemetery was established in 1782 which is when construction began on the Old Paint Lick Presbyterian Church. That is 10 years before Kentucky became a state in 1792.  Until that time, Kentucky was Fincastle County, Virginia.
Church Cemetery

The cemetery was originally the church cemetery for the Old Paint Lick Presbyterian Church, known then as "The Log Meeting House" or "The Paint Lick Meeting House",  that was once located where the Old Paint Lick Cemetery is today.

The first 4 acres of land were donated by Pastor James Crawford and his wife, Rebecca, and construction on the church began in 1782.  The original church also served as the community school. It had a cupulo where someone was stationed to lookout for Indian attacks when the building was in use.  

A replica of the Log Meeting House was built by Doc Hicks who was a caretaker for the cemetery.  A smaller replica is kept at the Presbyterian Historical Society in Pittsburgh, PA.  Their museum database shows the following catalog record:​
Model. Description: 1 rustic but well-constructed church model of Old Paint Lick Presbyterian Church (org. 1783). Approx. 16” H x 10” W x 14” D. Made of wood, dovetailed and filled to resemble plank construction, with shingle roof and clapboard. Church model lifts off its base to reveal 3 miniature pews and table.
(Call number: 07 0430) 


Picture
photocopy of the replica kept at the Presbyterian Historical Society
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Marker for the site of the Log Meeting House
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Gertie Wells at Paint Lick Cemetery Manse 1939 with replica of the old church built by "Uncle Doc" Hicks who was a caretaker of the cemetery. Photo courtesy of Gladys Nave.
Architecture and Tradition

The cemetery has many examples of different tombstone architectures that represent the various tendencies for more than two centuries.  Many tombstones have emblems that have significance.  Traditions like leaving coins on the tombstones have significance.
Early burials

At least two of the early burials were moved to this cemetery after first buried at Fort Paint Lick:
  • Lt. Col. William Miller who led the building of the Fort Paint Lick Stockade
  • Jinney Adams (1791-1806) teenage granddaughter of William Miller who was killed by Thunder  (Thunder was an Indian Chief).
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Revolutionary War Soldiers 
[Click on the links below]
Picture
Historical Marker
Gen. Thomas Kennedy

Brigadier General Thomas Kennedy Sr., later bought from James Crawford a tract of land that included the 4 acres that James Crawford had already given to the church.  A lawsuit followed concerning the ownership of the land.  Mr. Kennedy, who was a Baptist, made an offer of $200 towards replacing the church with a "free" church open to all denominations but the church refused the offer and withdrew from the lawsuit and relocated to the other side of highway 52 in 1830.  Kennedy enjoyed buying and selling slaves and racehorses.  At his death, he owned more than 100 slaves.  Kennedy's tombstone has reportedly been struck by lightening three times.
Other notable burials
[Click on the links below]
  • Dean Cornett - A great leader of Paint Lick
  • James Merryman - first Kentuckian to die in the Civil War
  • Henry Spainhower - furniture maker, undertaker, abolitionist
  • Douglas Prouty - "Madison Man"
  • Lura Parsons - famous murder victim
  • Norman Kennedy Argo - locally well-known slave owned by Gen. Thomas Kennedy. Norman was known as "Little Norman" because he was only 3 feet 9 inches tall  and less than 60 pounds.  He was also known as "Uncle Norman"; "Uncle" and "Aunt" were used as titles of respect for black people at that time.  Kennedy enjoyed trading in race horses and thought Norman would be the perfect jockey considering his size but his legs were too short to stay in the saddle.   Norman had above-average intelligence and enjoyed greeting the trains that arrived at Paint Lick Station.  After Kennedy died, Norman became a beloved servant of Robert and Margaret Argo until he was freed by the Civil War.  Margaret Argo had inscribed "A FAITHFUL SERVANT" and "A TRUE FRIEND" on his tombstone and buried him on the east side of the hill which is traditionally the most desirable side.  His tombstone is the one closest to the first entrance.
  • Slave section - The north-facing side of the hill that the cemetery sits on was used to bury slaves in unmarked graves.










PictureNorman Kennedy Argo
Gates

The second entrance was the original entrance.  The first entrance was added in the late 1940's when the city of Lancaster removed the iron fence surrounding the garden at the town square and donated a portion of the fence for the cemetery gate.  "Burnside" is engraved on one of the pillars but I have been unable to find out the reason.
Picture
Entrance 2 (original entrance)
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Entrance 1 (added in late 1940s)
Caretakers (partial list)
  • "Uncle Doc" Hicks
  • Charley Clay Dillon
  • Virgil Rerynolds
  • Jack Pingleton
  • Mr. Kavanaugh
  • Ernie Whitlock
Size of Cemetery
The original size was 4 acres in 1782 that included the church. More acres were added in December 1840 but I am not able to read the size.  The deed shows:
Then 0.46 acres was purchased in June 1920.  Then one acre was purchased in June 1941.  The cemetery is now estimated at 10.685 acres using Google Maps.
​

(It is said that there were 7 1/2 acres added in 1870 but I did not find a deed and the math of acreage would not add up.)

This history was compiled from the following sources:
[Click on the links below]
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