The Perryville Christian Church is tied to the history of the state of Kentucky as well as to the great revival movement of the 19th century American frontier. The traditions, as well as the facts surrounding the development of Perryville and its institutions serve to establish it as one of the very earliest settlements of Kentucky in the 18th century and Perryville Christian Church as one of the first churches of the Stone branch of the Disciples of Christ.
A former historian, W.O. McIntyre, writes the following poem as a preface to his history of Perryville:
The men who build the towns forget the men who lead the way;
The glory of the first to go is as the vanished day.
But yet an urge is in our blood, a faith to conquer fears,
The nation inherits still from the noble pioneers.
In 1750 and again in 1758, Dr. Thomas Walker and a party of explorers visited Kentucky, entering the state by way of the Cumberland Gap, which they named in honor of the Duke of Cumberland.
Their explorations continued, but after six months they returned to their respective homes in Virginia, recounting in graphic story the beckoning of opportunities in the wilderness of Kentucky—which they pronounced “Kaintunkee.”
Shortly thereafter Thomas Walker (a son of Dr. Thomas Walker), James Harberson, Daniel Ewing, and two others—Potts and Tucker—whose Christian names are lost—proceeded over the Walker trail through the Cumberland Gap and then pushed their way through the untried wilderness to what is now Perryville. Here they established Kentucky's first permanent settlement. According to tradition, Thomas Walker and his companions were neighbors and relatives. Dr. Thomas Walker has never been accorded that eminent rank in history which his pioneering activities warrant. He is most surely responsible for the exploration which resulted in the founding of Perryville, and his son and namesake was a leading spirit in its settlement.
The original settlers were later joined by their families. Many of the most esteemed citizens now residing in the west end of Boyle County—bearing the name of Harberson, Walker, Ewing, Pots and Tucker—are the direct descendants of those noble pioneers.
To Mr. And Mrs. Walker two sons were born at Perryville: Robert Walker on October 13, 1771 and Alexander Walker on June 8, 1172. They were the first white children born in Kentucky. Both are buried in the Harberson graveyard on the farm of Mr. And Mrs. Potts, which is now owned by Mrs. Mathilda Myers (a descendant of the Walkers). It seems to be an assured fact that these five distinguished families are all of the same original family from the Old Dominion of Virginia.
The original settlement was made on the banks of the Chaplin River, which is hallowed in song and story; in peace and war. A stockade was erected around the old cavern on the premises of Mr. W.H. Parks and through which flows an inexhaustible stream of pure crystal water. Tradition has it that the pioneers often found refuge in the old cavern against the fierce intermittent attacks of the Indians.
They hadn't long enjoyed their new home until Ewing and Potts went out of the fort to cultivate a small spot of ground nearly opposite the mouth of the cavern where the spring empties into the Chaplin. One morning as they went out, a band of Indians were lying in ambush and fired on them, killing Ewing instantly. Potts returned the fire and killed the Indian who shot Ewing. The Indians then fled, but in their flight they came upon Harberson who was out scouting. They took him prisoner and, it is supposed, murdered him about one mile from the fort. His head was found but his body was never discovered. His wife took the head and managed to keep it in a complete state of preservation for many years. The body of Daniel Ewing was the first ever buried in the Perryville cemetery. For a long time the settlement was known as Harberson's Fort and later as Harberson's Crossing. The name wasn't changed to Perryville until after Admiral Perry's historic naval victory on the Great Lakes.
Ewing and Harberson died in their struggle with the Indians, but the Walkers were still living. Robert Walker died on April 13, 1852, and his brother Alexander Walker died October 29, 1854, living to the ripe old ages of 81 and 82 respectively. These dates are distinctly carved on the old tombstones in the Harberson graveyard mentioned above. Alexander Walker married Charlotte Kenton Walker, a sister of Simon Kenton. She was born October 13, 1779 and died February 10, 1851 at the age of 72.
