The history of our church must be told in terms of the lives and faithfulness of people. There were many family groups which were prominent in the early 1900's. Some of these families had a large part in providing the beautiful windows. The following is information researched on those donors.
A gift of the Primary-Cradle Roll Department in 1913. Mrs. Lula Gosney (1873 1962) started Cradle Roll work in our church and was the Superintendent. Mrs. Elmer J. Correll was Superintendent of the Primary Department. Several of our present Senior church members were on the Cradle Roll or in the Primary Department in 1913.
This window was given by Miss Daisy Hewetson and Mrs. Lula Manley. "Miss Daisy" taught the younger children for many years. Mrs. Lula Gosney Manley, served over twenty-three years as Leader of the Business Woman's Missionary Circle. She and Miss Daisy were faithful choir members.
Jesus at the Door is a memorial to the Bertelsman family. The father, John M. and mother, Minnie were both born in Germany in 1841. Their children were Gus, Charles, Addie, Carrie, Emma, Mollie and Ted. "Miss Addie" worked in the Beginner Department for many years. Carrie (Mrs. Edward) Schweikert taught Cradle Roll Mothers' Class, Junior boys, and a class at our Brighton Street Mission, as well as being a leader in the Woman's Missionary Society. Her husband was a deacon and a teacher in the Junior Department. He came into our church from the German Baptist Church. They had two daughters, Garnet (Mrs. Clyde) Mundell, and Mazybelle (Mrs. George) Gallus.
Mollie (Mrs. George) Whitehouse was Superintendent of the Beginner Department for many years. Her husband was a deacon and they had a son, Shirley. "THE ANGEL" is a memorial to Mr. and Mrs. Anderson. As there is no first name or initial shown, we cannot be certain about the family. We have been told by a former member that Mrs. Anderson was very active in the church. After she died, Mr. Anderson gave the window and said that he wished he had done it during her lifetime.
The Good Shepherd window is the Plummer memorial. Father, William (1815 1878) and mother, Susan (1822 1880) had five children: W.E., Elijah L., C.K., Julius L., R.L. The home of Julius at 1138 Central Avenue was the scene of much of the church's social life. Carrie Gosney Plummer, his wife was one of the donors of the Gethsemane window. Julius was the sheriff in 1886 when the famous Pearl Bryant murder and public hanging of Jackson and Wallingford took place. His son, Lemuel, also became sheriff later.
A pair of ornamental windows on the Eight Street side carry the names Mary Hobson (1792 1892), her daughter, Sarah A. Worchester (1825 1903) and Sarah's husband, Henry Worchester (1820 1885). Mary Hobson was born in England in the year when Kentucky was admitted to the Union, 1792, and outlived most of her family in her 100 years. Henry Worchester and Sarah had six children. In 1897, Pastor A.V. Sizemore wrote a very brief history of this period of the church and closed with the words, "Some of the faithful men, to whose untiring efforts we owe our existence as a church organization, were Henry Walker, William Marsh, John Burbage, O.M. DeCoursey, J. Payne, J.N. Gould, J.C. Thomas, J.C. Gaddis, and Henry Worchester."
On the Ninth Street side, the first ornamental window is the Ware window "IN MEMORY OF OUR PARENTS WILLIAM M. WARE (1818 1886) and NANCY A. WARE (1822 1882)." William was a very successful farmer. Their eight children are: James I. Ware (1848) owner of a large flour and feed store at 1026 Monmouth Street, who served on the building committee of the new church building of 1891, and contributed greatly to the success of the church; Janice, Thomas, Soloman, Robert, Wayland, Mattie, and M.M. Ware, owner of a building and hardware store at 5th and York.
Donated in memory of Sarah Gosney (1833 1901). Her husband was Francis M. Gosney (1833 1904). He had a blacksmith and wagon-making shop at 503 York Street and owned the bus lines for Newport-Alexandria and Newport-Grants Lick. Their home was at 502 W. Twelfth Street.
We believe this is the "Ladies" Building Fund Society. Mrs. Helen Howatt was the president of the Ladies Building Fund, in 1892, which raised money to help complete the building.
The history of the next two ornamental windows is unknown.
The last window on the main floor is the "GADDIS ORNAMENTAL WINDOW." This window is in honor of John C. Gaddis (June 19, 1832 - January 8, 1887), son of Reese and Rachel Gaddis. Rachel was born in 1793 in Pennsylvania and was one of the original seven church members in the reorganization of the church on February 12, 1840. John C. would have been eight years old at the time. His father, Reese, born in 1795, was also from Pennsylvania. Later, John owned the J.C. Gaddis and Co. lumber business at 11th and Monmouth Streets. He lived in "The Highlands" now known as Fort Thomas. Gaddis Drive near St. Luke Hospital bears his name. He married Emma and they had four children: Mary, George, Sallie, and William.
The "WILLING WORKERS" ornamental window in the upper vestibule was perhaps the gift of a Sunday School class of that name.