William Hickman Sr. Grave

“Born in King and Queen County, Virginia February 4, 1747. William was the son of Thomas and Sarah Sanderson Hickman. Orphaned early in life, he was raised by his grandmother. About the year 1770 he heard the preaching of those oft persecuted Baptists – John Waller, James Chiles and David Tinsley. This led to his conversion February 21, 1773 of which he states “all at once the heavy burden seemed to fall off. I felt the love of God flow into my soul. I had sweet supping at the throne of Grace. My sins pardoned through the atoning blood of the Blessed Savior.”

He made his first trip to Kentucky in 1776, and near Harrodsburg he preached the first message of his ministry from Numbers 23:10 in company with elder Thomas Tinsley. They became the first Baptist preachers to preach in the great west.

He moved to Kentucky in November 1784 and settled near Lexington where he became a member of Lewis Craig’s church at Gilbert’s Creek. In 1787 Hickman organized the Forks of Elkhorn Baptist Church and served it as pastor for many years. He also served a number of other churches during his ministry and preached to the people in Shelby County and other frontier settlements often at the risk of his life from Indian fury. Perhaps no man in Kentucky ever baptized more people than this old servant of God. Of his preaching it was said “It is in a plain, solemn style. The sound of it like thunder in the distance: but when in his best mood the sound is like thunder at home, and operates with prodigious force on the conscience of his hearers.”

William Hickman served his country as a chaplain in the Revolution. He was married twice and raised many children. One of his sons, Captain Paschal Hickman, in whose honor Hickman County, Kentucky was named, fell in the Battle of River Raisin. Others of his family followed him in the ministry.”

Image Credit: Stratton, Ben. “BAPTIST HISTORY: William Hickman, the Pioneer Kentucky Baptist Preacher.” Kentucky Today, 11 Feb. 2026, www.kentuckytoday.com/baptist_life/baptist-history-william-hickman-the-pioneer-kentucky-baptist-preacher/article_ac8da83f-60d9-45d4-be93-81c3d342de84.html.