Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 5th ed., 1887,
Woodford Co.

THOMAS ALLEN CRENSHAW, the subject of this sketch, a son of Nathaniel
Anderson and Catherine (Colquett) Crenshaw, was born in Powhatan County,
Va., on the 4th day of February, 1824.  His mother dying when he was but
two years old, and his father, a man of large property, being absorbed in
business, his early training was left entirely to an old family servant,
one of the typical "black mammies" of slave times, whose watch-care over
his morals and manners was faithfulness itself. Every educational advantage
was furnished his boyhood and youth.  He had diligently applied himself to
his studies and was advanced beyond most boys of his age, and was just on
the eve of entering William and Mary College, when his father became a
bankrupt.  At this trying time he showed an independence and manliness not
usually found in a youth of sixteen, and an only son whose every wish had
been gratified by a wealthy and indulgent father.  Thrown thus upon his own
resources, he learned for life the invaluable lesson of self-dependence.
He at once secured a school and proved particularly fitted for teaching. He
followed this vocation for six years, thereby maintaining himself and his
aged and now infirm father, devoting his spare moments to the reading of
law with Col. John F. Wiley, afterward marshal of Virginia.  In 1846 he was
admitted to the bar, and was eminently successful in the legal profession.
September 17, 1847, in his twenty-fourth year, he was married to Miss Ann
Scott Jeter, by which marriage he had two sons and one daughter.  His
eldest son, Dr. John Werner Crenshaw, is located at Versailles, Ky.  Julian
B. Crenshaw graduated in law at Yale College, and died at San Francisco,
Cal., November 5, 1882, and his daughter, Mrs. Katie Smithson, lives in
Hopkinsville, Ky.  Thus far in his life he has held to no special religious
conviction, though his friends and nearest relatives were Presbyterians.
But on hearing the gospel preached after the interpretation of Alexander
Campbell, he became so much impressed that he made the good confession and
was baptized.  He now began to feel the drawings of that higher profession,
to which he afterward gave himself, and in which he did the grandest work
of his life.  By the encouragement of his intelligent Christian wife and
many friends he determined to abandon the practice of law and plead the
causes and urge the reformation of criminals before a tribunal higher than
any earthly court.  He was ordained a Christian minister at Paineville,
Va., in May, 1860.  He became at once a recognized power among the
Disciples of Virginia, preaching for the churches at Jetersville,
Paineville and Amelia C. H., for several years, and at the same time
conducting a high school for boys (the latter mainly with the object of
educating his own boys).  In 1862 his wife died, and in 1864 he married
Miss Gillie Bramham, of Albemarle County, Va.  By this marriage he had two
sons and three daughters, all of whom survive him.  The boys, Percy and
Peyton, stopped school and went into business soon after their father's
death. They have been in Fargo, D. T., for several years in good business,
and are a comfort and help to their widowed mother.  The fierce storm of
civil war desolated old Virginia, and its terminations found the
comfortable accumulations of his toils and savings swept away.  To repair
his broken fortunes he opened a female boarding school at Amelia Springs,
which for several years he conducted with gratifying results, continuing
his pulpit labors with unabating zeal at the same time.  Deeply anxious
that his two eldest sons, now approaching manhood, should have every
advantage for a collegiate education, and feeling unable to send them from
home, he accepted an office to become assistant professor of languages at
Bethany College, West Virginia, and removed thither in September, 1867.
Here he had the gratification of seeing them graduate with honor.  Leaving
Bethany he took charge of the Christian Church at Washington, Penn., to
which he gave two years of prosperous labor, parting with it with great
reluctance, and only from a conviction of duty to accept the presidency
of the South Kentucky Female College at Hopkinsville, and the pastorate of
the Christian Church at that place.  Six years of wearisome toil pass by.
He did a good work and the college and church both prospered under his
care, but his health failed under the double duties he had assumed and he
decided he would have to give up work for a while.  After a brief
respite among his old friends in Virginia and Pennsylvania, his health
being much benefited, he accepted the unanimous invitation of the Christian
Church at Versailles, Ky., in February, 1877.  Here he preached for five
years, his wife conducting a school for young ladies (Rose Hill Seminary),
of which she is still principal, and is thus able to educate and provide
for three little girls left fatherless so young.  On the 25th of March,
1882, he left home, expecting to preach at North Middleton the next day
(Lord's day).  This expectation he failed to realize.  The Master, whom he
had served so long and faithfully, bade him lay down his armour and his
"spirit return to the God who gave it."  Leaving home in his usual health
his sudden death was a great shock to his family and friends.  There is
seldom beheld a more touching sorrow than that of his beloved congregation
at Versailles on the day they gathered in the church, where so often he had
preached the blessed gospel, to attend his funeral and follow his lifeless
form to the grave.  At no place that he ever preached did he fail to win
the full confidence and lasting affection of all hearts.  His power as a
preacher was the joint product of many peculiar excellencies.  His tall,
manly presence, his mild, clear eyes, his frank, honest countenance, his
sweet musical voice, instantly commanded the favor of all hearers.  But
these were soon forgotten in the logical presentation of his theme, the
interesting character of his thought, his scholary diction, his glowing
fancy, his literary allusions, his thorough familiarity with the Bible
truths, and his ability to simplify his speech to the understanding of
all. He was indeed an orator whose fervent exhortations and melting appeals
stirred you to new resolves, higher longings and nobler deeds.  He held
scores of meetings in the regions adjoining his regular labors; and could
all souls he won to Christ in Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania,
Maryland, Tennessee and Kentucky be counted, they would number thousands.
He was a most conservative man in all his views, with a heart filled with
love for his fellow beings and indulgence and toleration for diversity of
opinion, but when it was a matter of principle no one could be more firm.
His life was pure and his character Christian; highest praise no man can
attain.

Crenshaw Colquett Wiley Jeter Smithson Bramham
=
Hopkinsville-Christian-KY Albemarle-VA Washington-Washington-PA
Powhatan-VA CA ND WV

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/woodford/crenshaw.ta.txt