"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. 342-345.  
Used by permission.  [Logan]

JOHN M. PEAY, D.D.:  No history of the Baptists of this section would 
be complete without some special notice of this godly man.  His life 
was interwoven with the history of the Daviess County Association 
from 1857 to 1882 in such a way that they stand inseparable.
	John M. Peay was born in Bedford County, Tennessee, on May 19, 
1832.  He was brought by his parents to Butler County, Kentucky, 
while quite young, where he attended the common schools in that 
county.  
     After living a life of wickedness and sin for some time he was 
converted and baptized into the fellowship of Sandy Creek Church in 
October, 1853, by Elder Alfred Taylor, and from the beginning it was 
plain to all that God had called him to preach.  Sandy Creek Church 
licensed him to preach in 1854 at the age of twenty-two.  After this 
he went to Beaver Dam and studied Theology and kindred subjects under 
Dr. J. S. Coleman, at the same time moving his membership there.  
Beaver Dam Church ordained him to the ministry in September, 1857.  
For thirty-one years after this date his supreme passion was to preach 
the unsearchable riches of Christ to all men everywhere.
	Brother Peay was first called to the pastorate of the Walton's 
Creek Church in Ohio County, in July, 1857, at a salary of $17 per 
year.  In the year 1858 he labored as a missionary of the Gasper River 
Association.  In this same year he was called to the care of the South 
Carrollton and Oak Grove Churches, the first located in Muhlenberg 
County and the latter in Daviess County.  From that time on until his 
departure from this Association in 1882 he was pastor of from two to 
four splendid churches.  From first to last he served the following 
churches in this Association: Buck Creek, 1870-1872; West Point, 1872; 
New Hope, 1860-1872; South Carrollton, 1858-1873 and 1874-1882; Green 
Briar, 1870-1882; Pleasant Grove, 1865-1870 and 1874-1882; Oak Grove 
(Utica) 1858-1868 and 1873-1878; and Calhoun, 1868-1869.  In the year 
1882 he moved to Christian County and served the churches at Salem, 
Madisonville, Fairview, and Pembroke.  His health broke down at 
Pembroke and subsequently he took charge of the Long Boarding Hall at 
Bethel College in Russellville.  This was in 1887.  His untimely and 
lamented death took place at the age of fifty-six, on June 24, 1888.
	Bethel College conferred the Degree of D.D.  upon him in 1884.  
While in this Association he preached the Annual Sermon in 1859, 1864, 
1867, 1877, and 1881.
	On the 8th day of April, 1858, he married Miss Elizabeth Chapman, 
the daughter of Ellis and Nanny Chapman of Ohio County.  After her 
death he married Miss Laura Batsel of Muhlenberg County.  Two of his 
daughters, which were in a family of ten children married Baptist 
preachers.  One married the late Elder W. C. Pierce of Catlettsburg 
and the other married the late Elder H. Boyce Taylor of Murray.  One 
son, J. H. Peay, became a very eminent Baptist preacher and labored 
in Tennessee and Arkansas.  It may also be said that Brother Peay was 
from that family which gave the State of Tennessee a Governor.  We 
refer to Governor Austin Peay.
	For many years Brother Peay made his home in South Carrollton, 
where he owned a small farm.  While there he served as Senior Editor 
of the "Student," an educational journal published in the interest of 
the school.  This was in connection with his Presidency of the South 
Carrollton Male and Female institute.  His tenure of office was from 
1874 to 1881.  Professor Wayland Alexander took charge of the school 
in 1881 and in 1886 the name was changed to West Kentucky Classical 
and Normal College more popularly known as West Kentucky College.
	During the Civil War Brother Peay succeeded in keeping all of 
his churches in the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace.  As a 
result all of them increased rather than decreased his salary during 
those perilous times.
	As an evangelist Brother Peay had few peers.  He, with Dr. J. S. 
Coleman, made up a team that has been unequalled [sic] in the annals 
of West Kentucky Baptists.  During the fall and winter of 1864-1865 
they baptized over 400 persons as a result of meetings held by them 
jointly.  
     We have heard it said by elderly persons who knew him, that, 
"When John Peay preached Christ and Him crucified, the sinners 
repented then and there no argument."  In point of success he ranked 
close to Alfred Taylor and J. S. Coleman.
	At his death he was laid to rest in the Russellville cemetery.  
In a short time the Slaty Creek Church in Ohio County set on foot a 
proposition to secure a suitable monument to be erected to his memory.  
This matter was brought before the Daviess County Association in 1889 
by Elder B. F. Swindler.  Dr. Coleman was appointed as the collector 
of the funds sent in by the churches.  The effort was successful and 
a $175 monument was placed at his grave.
	The majority of the information contained in this sketch was 
gleaned from the sketch of his life which he wrote himself about the 
year 1885.  We have also seen a record of all of his baptisms up to 
the year 1885.  He also puublished [sic] a number of tracts on Baptist 
faith and practice and on other subjects.  All were well received by 
the brotherhood.  Though he was an outstanding evangelist his work as 
pastor was more than successful.  As long as this Association exists 
the name of J. M. Peay will be held in loving remembrance.

Peay Taylor Coleman Chapman Batsel Pierce Alexander Swindler
=
Bedford-TN Butler Ohio Muhlenberg AR

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/logan/peay.jm.txt