A HISTORY OF THE DAVIESS-McLEAN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION IN KENTUCKY, 1844-1943
by Wendell H. Rone, Probably published in 1944 by Messenger Job Printing
Co., Inc., Owensboro, Kentucky.  Used by permission.  p. 256-257. Daviess

     REUBEN COTTRELL:  This consecrated man of God was born in Henrico
County, Virginia. near the city of Richmond, on April 4, 1792.  Here he grew
to manhood receiving a fair education for his day.  After his marriage to
Miss Sarah Patmon, he emigrated to Kentucky and settled in Shelby County in
the fall of 1815.  In February, 1816, he united with the Buck Creek Baptist
Church in that County and was baptized by Elder George Waller.  In the
latter part of the year 1816, he was ordained to the ministry by Elders
George Waller, Zaccheus Carpenter, John Holland, and William Stout.

     Soon after this he was invited to preach to the Buck Creek Church once
each month.  About this period the subject of Missions was agitated in the
Long Run Association and Elder Cottrell was engaged as Missionary within the
bounds of the fraternity. Louisville and Jeffersonville were the points at
which he preached.  During these labors he became very much imbued with the
spirit of Missions which led him to visit many points of destitution on both
sides of the Ohio River.  In 1832 he made a tour down the Ohio River to
Yellow Banks (Owensboro).  He was so pleased with the appearance of the
country that the next year, 1833, he moved to Daviess County and settled on
a farm, where he accepted a call to the care of the Bethabara Church.  A
revival broke out immediately and over 80 persons were added to the Church.
In 1834, he accepted the care of Bell's Run in Ohio County and Blackford and
Union in Hancock County.  At about this same time, 1834, he was invited to
deliver a sermon at a Fourth of July barbecue in Owensboro.  He accepted the
invitation and afterwards continued to preach there until he organized the
First Baptist Church in May, 1835, and to which he ministered until the
first part of the year 1839.

     In 1837 Little Bethel Association sent a letter and Messengers to
Goshen Association asking for correspondence.  The corresponding Messengers
from Highland Association opposed the petition on the grounds that Little
Bethel believed in Missions.  Elder Cottrell warmly advocated the reception
of the correspondence, along with other brethren, and the request was
finally granted. The Missionary spirit became active in the southern part of
the Goshen Association.  A convention of Messengers from 13 Churches was
held in 1838 and it was resolved to employ two missionaries to labor in the
region around Owensboro.  Elders Cottrell and Samuel Anderson were appointed
and a great revival prevailed under their labors.  From this time on the
work prospered in this region, both in the council and in the field, Elder
Cottrell always being a prominent actor until his declining days.  For
several years before his death he was too feeble to leave home and when his
summons came he went to his abundant reward, after a successful ministry of
47 years.

     Elder Cottrell was bitterly opposed to Free Mason Lodges and other
secret organizations and because of this and other reasons a split occurred
in the Bethabara Church in 1848-1849.  He and several members were excluded
but were later restored and lettered off.  They constituted Macedonia Church
in August, 1849.  A broken and fallen down stone marks his resting place in
the old Macedonia cemetery located to the southeast of the Church.  He truly
was a missionary Servant of the Lord.  Is he dead?  No:  his body sleeps
while his spirit dwells with God who "gave it.  The greatest monument to his
memory is the First Baptist Church of Owensboro, Kentucky.  His death
occurred on May 29, 1863.

     He was one of the constituent pastors and founders of the Daviess
County Baptist Association and preached the Annual Sermon before the body in
1852. He leaves a numerous posterity in Daviess and other Counties.  Two
great-grandsons are useful ministers of the Gospel-Ellis A. Cottrell and
Ernest O. Cottrell.

Cottrell Patmon Waller Carpenter Holland Stout Anderson
=
Henrico-VA Shelby-KY Ohio-KY Hancock-KY

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/daviess/cottrell.r.txt