"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, pp. 328-329.  
Used by permission.  [Marion]

VIRGIL EDWIN KIRTLEY:  A son of Thomas Kirtley, and a descendent of 
an old Welsh family which had produced many Baptist preachers, not 
less than seven of whom have lived in Kentucky, was born in what is 
now Taylor County, April 9, 1818.  His father having lost his 
property, he was brought up on hard labor on a farm, and with only a 
few weeks schooling.  In May, 1837, he united with Pittman's Creek 
Church, being baptized by Elder John Harding.  After he was converted, 
his desire for education was greatly increased.  Accordingly he 
applied himself to study by firelight, at night, while he labored hard 
by day.  This practice he kept up until he arrived at his twenty-first 
year.  After this he went to school and taught school alternately, 
until February, 1839, when he entered Georgetown College.  Here he 
worked his way through an attendance of fifteen months.  Having been 
licensed to preach by Pittman's Creek, in January, 1839, he was 
ordained at Frankfort, December 25, 1841, by Elders William Vaughn, 
J. M. Frost, and George C. Sedwick.  He immediately took charge of Big 
Spring Church in Woodford County.  He was also pastor at Providence in 
Anderson County, and preached once a month to each of the churches at 
Hillsboro and Salvisa.  
     In 1844 he took charge of the churches at Bardstown, Mill Creek, 
and New Salem in Nelson County.  He served these churches until 
January, 1849, when he accepted the care of the Baptist Church at 
Owensboro (First Church).  He ministered to this congregation until 
November, 1851.  He served the church at Owensboro at full time for a 
salary of $550 per year.  At his resignation he accepted the agency of 
the Kentucky and Foreign Bible Society.  In this position he labored 
four years.  In March, 1856, he took charge of the church at Danville, 
building it up from 33 to 125 members, of whom he baptized 60.  On 
leaving Danville, he took an agency for Indian Missions which he 
prosecuted for a few months, when failing health forced him to desist 
from traveling.  He then improved a small farm near Springfield, and 
remained on it during the Civil War, preaching meanwhile, to the 
churches at Hillsboro Bethlehem, and Haysville, in Washington County,  
and Lebanon, in Marion.  In 1865 he took charge of the church at 
Bardstown, and at the same time became principal of the Baptist Female 
College., at that place.  After occupying these positions for three 
years he moved to Lebanon and took charge of the church, and built up 
a female high school, of which he continued Principal, five years.  In 
1874 he took charge of the churches at Stanford, in Lincoln County, 
and Hardin's Creek in Washington County.  
     In 1876 he took an agency for Domestic and Indian missions and 
filled the position for six years, until 1882.  After this he took 
charge of several small county churches near Lebanon, in Marion 
County, until the time of his death, March 31, 1888.
	Elder Kirtley was an eminently practical man, in the prosecution 
of his religious enterprises, whether in the pastoral office, at the 
head of a denominational school, or at the head of a financial agency.  
He possessed remarkable physical strength and powers of endurance; 
and few preachers in Kentucky performed so much hard labor as he, and 
equally few, perhaps, have labored to better advantage.  He was 
engaged in almost every enterprise of the Baptist Denomination in 
Kentucky, and was blessed with good success in them all.  He baptized 
over 1,000 persons in the pastoral office.  He also raised money to 
build several churches, as those at Portland, Crab Orchard, Bethlehem, 
and to repair those at Bardstown Mill Creek, Lebanon, Haysville, and 
Owensboro.  He raised $8,000 to establish Danville Female College.  It 
is estimated that he collected for missionary and benevolent 
enterprises over $150,000.  To his last days he remained as zealous in 
the Master's Cause as in the days of his youth.  He performed a good 
work of lasting value.

Kirtley Harding Vaughn Frost Sedwick
=
Taylor Scott Franklin Woodford Anderson Nelson Washington Lincoln

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/marion/kirtley.ve.txt