"A HISTORY OF THE DAVIESS-McLEAN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION IN KENTUCKY, 
1844-1943" by Wendell H. Ron.  Probably published in 1944 by 
Messenger Job Printing Co., Inc., Owensboro, Kentucky, pp. 336-337.  
Used by permission.  [Daviess]

JOSEPH COWGILL MAPLE, D.D.:  The subject of this sketch was one of 
the outstanding Baptist Ministers of Missouri for over fifty years.  
He was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, November 18, 1833.  His parents 
were sturdy intelligent farmers, and loyal Baptists.  In the spring 
of 1836 when the boy was four and one-half years old [sic], the family 
removed to Peoria, Illinois.  Here on the farm our subject spent the 
early years of his life, helping with the farm work when necessity 
demanded, and attending the nearby country school during the seasons 
of lighter work, until he was seventeen years old.
	In the fall of 1850 he entered an Academy in Mt. Palatine, 
Illinois, remaining there two terms.  In 1852 he attended a private 
school in Pekin, Illinois.  In these schools he was: amply fitted for 
college, and in April, 1854, entered Shurtleff College, at Alton, 
Illinois.  From this school he graduated in June, 1857, with honors.  
Three years later he returned to receive the Master's Oration.  This 
was a tribute, not only to his excellent scholarship, but was a 
recognition of his superior ability as a public speaker.  One quickly 
finds proof of his versatility by reading such of his sermons and 
addresses as have been published; his articles of the History of 
Baptists in Missouri; and very particularly in his greatest work the 
memoirs of Dr. W. Pape Yeaman.
	When between fifteen and sixteen years of age he was converted 
under the ministry of Dr. Henry G. Weston and was baptized unto the 
fellowship of the La Marsh: Baptist Church, Peoria County, Illinois, 
by the pastor of the church, Elder W. T. Bly.  His call to the 
ministry came immediately and this church licensed him to preach in 
1853.  The church at Cape Girardeau, Missouri ordained him in 
October, 1857, through Elders Daniel Reed, John H. Clark, and D. L. 
Phillips.  He died after sixty years of loving service in the cause 
of his Master, as the honored Pastor Emeritus of the church over 
which he first exercised a regular pastor's care.  He served the Cape 
Girardeau, Jackson, and Goshen churches until the first month in the 
year 1861.  At this time he opened Jackson Academy in Jackson, the 
county seat of Cape Girardeau County, and with Mrs. Maple's efficient 
assistance conducted a thriving school until it was closed by 
military order.  After this he opened a private school in Cape 
Girardeau, which thrived immediately and gave promise of permanent 
success.  But the labor of preaching and teaching proved so 
detrimental to his health, that he was impelled to seek a more 
healthful climate.  In 1864 he came to Kentucky and spent several 
months in very successful evangelstic [sic] work. 
	With greatly improved health he accepted the care of the First 
Baptist Church in Owensboro, Kentucky, and began his labors in January, 
1865.  He labored here with gratifying success for almost five years, 
and when he tendered his resignation he left the church in spiritual 
matters, strong and limited; in material matters, free from debt and 
active in all benevolent work.  His work was during the period of 
reconstruction following the Civil War and the church responded 
admirably.  While in this Association he served as Moderator in 1869 
and preached the Annual Sermon in 1866.  His Circular Letter to the 
churches on "Church Independence," written and read before the 
Association in 1866 was published and the author is fortunate in 
having a copy of the same.  Brother Maple resigned the care of the 
Church in the latter part of the year 1869 to accept the care of the 
First Church of Kansas City, Missouri.
	His pastorate in Kansas City closed in 1872 and from then on 
until he retired in 1905 he served the following churches: Chillicothe, 
Springfield, Cape Girardeau, Mexico, Marshall, Trenton, and Armstrong, 
in Missouri, and Keokuk, Iowa.
	After a pastoral life of fifty years he retired in 1905.  But 
Missouri Baptists called upon him to prepare a history of Baptist work 
in the state.  This work he entered into with zeal and determination 
dealing particularly with the biographical phase of the work.  He lived 
to see three of four volumes printed but before the fourth could be 
completed God intervened and on the night of October 19, 1917, he went 
to sleep, never to awaken.
	His devoted companion had preceded him in death eight years.  She 
was formerly Miss Sarah Juden, the lovely and accomplished daughter of 
Judge Thomas Juden and his wife, Nancy Holcomb Juden, of Cape Girardeau 
County, Missouri.
	After sixty years of life in the ministry of our Lord, he rested 
from his labors and his works do yet follow him.  The names of Joseph 
Cowgill Maple and his devoted friend and brother minister W. Pope 
Yeaman, will always be held in loving remembrance by Missouri Baptists.

Maple Yeaman Weston Bly Reed Clark Phillips Juden Holcomb
=
Guernsey-OH IL IA Cape_Girardeau-MO

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/daviess/maple.jc.txt