Individual Details

He was the first pastor of the Severns Valley Church. All of the original members, including its first preacher, Elder Gerrard, immigrated from Virginia.

In the shadow of a green sugar tree, near Haynes' Station, a Baptist organization, with no certain place to worship,had been established June 17, 1781. Elder John Gerrard was ordained its first pastor. He had come out to Kentuckyin 1779, with Jacob Van Meter (Vanmeter), Sr., ancestor of the Pike county Chenoweths, and the Van Meter sons,daughters, sons- and daughters-in-law, landing at the falls of the Ohio (now the site of Louisville) in the fallof that year, removing to the Severns Valley in 1780.

Elder John Gerrard had married Susan Van Meter, daughter of old Jacob, before the migration to Kentucky. She wasa sister of Mary Van Meter, the mother of Abraham, James Hacklee and Jacob Van Meter Chenoweth of the early Pikecounty settlement. She was also the sister of Margaret Van Meter, who was the mother of Mary Haycraft, wife ofJacob Van Meter Chenoweth of the pioneer Hinman Chapel neighborhood, and of Nancy Haycraft, wife of Captain JohnVertrees's son, John Vertrees, Jr.

Elder John Gerrard exercised his functions as first pastor for those pioneer Kentucky Baptists for only nine months.Compelled to seek game for his table in the forests, he and others who were on a hunt were surprised in the thickwoods by a band of Indians; all, except the pastor, succeeded in escaping. Elder Gerrard, being lame, was taken;whether he was slain outright, burned at the stake or kept in captivity the remainder of his days, was never known.

Birth	Abt 1744
Marriage	1768	Greene, Pennsylvania, United States - Susanna "Susan" Van Meter
Death	1782	Hardin, Virginia, United States

Spouse	Susanna "Susan" Van Meter (1750 - 1798)
Child	Hester Mehetable "Hettie" Garrard (1769 - 1839)
Child	Sarah "Sallie" Garrard (1771 - )
Child	Margaret "Peggy" Garrard (1774 - 1822)
Child	Letitia Garrard (1776 - 1856)

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