This large and influential country church was organized in the old log house sometimes called Mt. Pleasant as a result of the labors of Elder Daniel E. Yeiser in and about the Glenville community on July 29, 1865. Elders Daniel E. Yeiser, T. A. Robertson, J. M. Dawson, and Robert Blansford composed the council of recognition. The constituent members came from the Mt. Liberty and Brushy Fork Churches and their names were:
- Bats Oost
- Anna Givens
- Emlie Beard
- Palestine O. Burns
- Louisa Oost
- John L. Igleheart
- Eliza Clark
- Joseph Givens
- Sophronia Cox
- Amanda T. Igleheart
The Church took the name of Glenville from the little village near which she was organized. The Church immediately petitioned the Daviess County Association for admittance through her messengers. She was cordially received in August, 1865, and has remained a member of the Association to this day. The annual sessions of the Association in the years 1898 and 1930 were entertained by the Church.
Brethren Joseph Givens and Bats Oost were ordained as the first deacons of the Church in July, 1865. Bro. Oost was excluded from the fellowship of the church in 1872 because he had joined the Campbellites. Brethren George Oglesby and John L. Igleheart were ordained in February, 1872, to serve as deacons, and in March, 1875, Bro. D. G. Higgs was ordained to the same office. In February, 1886, Bro. J. S. H. Kigel was received by letter and was recognized as a deacon. Bro. Charles Noel was also received and recognized as a deacon at about the same time. In March, 1896, Bro. Ben Truell was ordained to the office of deacon, and in October of the same year Brethren Sam Givens, H. A. Givens, and Mat Baird were ordained to the same office. In June, 1903, the Church ordained Brethren Price Baird, J. H. Baird, and E. A. Collings to the office of deaconship. Bro. S. B. Thomas was recognized as a deacon from Mt. Liberty Church in March, 1908, and in the following August, Brethren V. F Dinsmore and T. F. Lee were elected and ordained to this office. Brethren George P. Baird, Gilbert Westerfield, and Aaron Leet were ordained as deacons in October, 1920, and in April, 1924, Brethren Watt Taylor and J. Ford were elected to this office and were ordained at a later date not specified in the minutes. J. E. Brown was recognized as a deacon from Newman Church in February, 1919.
Elder Daniel E. Yeiser supplied the Church with regular preaching from the date of organization until February, 1866, when the Church called Elder L. C. Tichenor to serve as the first pastor. From that time until the present the Church has been served by the following pastors and clerks:
Pastors
| Pastors | Years |
| L. C. Tichenor | 1866-1870 |
| Daniel E. Yeiser | 1870-1871 |
| L. C. Tichenor | 1871-1875 |
| Daniel E. Yeiser | 1876-1877 |
| William J. Stevens | 1877-1880 |
| L. C. Tichenor | 1881-1883 |
| F. P. Purcell | 1883-1885 |
| A. G. Davis | 1885 |
| Daniel E. Yeiser | 1886-1891 |
| B. F. Jenkins | 1891-1896 |
| Fred Wittenbraker | 1896-1897 |
| T. J. Ratcliff | 1897-1899 |
| J. J. Cloar | 1900-1905 |
| A. N. Couch | 1906-1907 |
| N. F. Jones | 1908 |
| E. O. Cottrell | 1909 |
| M. J. Cox | 1910-1911 |
| O. M. Shultz | 1912 |
| C. T. Brookshire | 1912-1915 |
| O. J. Cole | 1916-1917 |
| R. A. Barnes | 1918-1921 |
| G. O. Cavanaugh | 1921-1923 |
| W. J. Simpson | 1923-1924 |
| Ernest N. Perry | 1925-1926 |
| George C. Lovan | 1927-1928 |
| Everett Gill | 1929-1930 |
| J. B. Coleman | 1931-1934 |
| J. Alton Morris | 1935-1937 |
| C. R. Hill | 1937-1941 |
| I. L. Baughn | 1941-1943 |
Clerks
| Clerks | Years |
| John L. Igleheart | 1865-1871 |
| D. G. Higgs | 1872-1890 |
| Charles Noel | 1890-1893 |
| Thomas F. Lee | 1893-1900 |
| G. R. Lee | 1901-1903 |
| B. E. Stroud | 1903-1906 |
| Thomas F. Lee | 1906-1909 |
| George P. Baird | 1909-1914 |
| W. L. Jackson | 1914-1917 |
| M. L. Baird | 1917-1925 |
| George R. Lee | 1925-1927 |
| Mrs. Beverly Wilson | 1927-1929 |
| Tryon H. Leet | 1929-1942 |
| Clarice Cochran | 1943 |
The Church had no house of worship of its own for the first three years of her history and worshipped in the union house owned by all the denominations at that time. In the month of April, 1868, Brethren J. L. Igleheart, R. P. Cox, W. O. Phillips, B. F. Collins, O. M. Cox, J. H, Baird, B. Cox, and B. Short, were appointed to erect a new house of worship. The other denominations must have had a part also in erecting this house of worship for the Church voted to buy their interest in November, 1875. The building was completed in the latter part of the year 1868 at a cost of about $1,400.00. This building served the Church until the growing congregation voted, in January, 1903, to proceed with the erection of the present house of worship. Brethren Price Baird, A. A. Baird, J. Troutman, D. F. Lee. William Murphy, and E. A. Collings were appointed is the building committee. The new Church was completed and entered in July, 1904. The dedicatory sermon was preached the following month by Elder J. J. Taylor of Georgetown College. The house of worship cost about $2,000.00. In the year 1938 the present Sunday School rooms were completed inside the large building and the Church is now carrying on her enlarged work in a large and beautiful frame building located atop a hill that commands a view of the country for miles around. It is known as the “Union” hill because of the fact that two other denominations have meeting houses adjacent to the Baptist Church property.
This Church has been a mother of several young preachers. Bro. William Hay was ordained in February, 1872, by Elders A. G. Davis and L. C. Tichenor. He became a useful preacher in Southern Illinois and labored efficiently in the ministry for almost fifty years. In June, 1887, John W. T. Givens was licensed to preach by the Church. His ordination took place on December 28, 1890, with Elders B. Y. Cundiff, W. G. Gregson, E. B. Rush, and D. E. Yeiser serving as the presbytery. J. B. Salmon was ordained at the same time at the request of the Sugar Grove Church. This caused a furor in the Association and the Sugar Grove Church later declared the ordination null and void only to reverse its action again later on. Bro. Givens has proved himself to be this Church’s greatest gift to the denomination. In January, 1896, a licentiate, E. O. West, who had joined the Church by letter and had united with the General Baptists, was excluded from the fellowship of the Church. In January, 1922, the Church licensed Vernon Cochran to preach. He was ordained at the Russellville Church in October, 1924. In September, 1938, Truman Cochran was licensed to preach and was ordained by the Church in August, 1940.
This Church has held a consistent Baptist position in regard to doctrinal matters all during her history. In 1872 she excluded a deacon for joining the Campebellites and in 1874 she excluded several of her members for communing with other denominations. She has also repudiated Alien Immersions and excluded a young licentiate for uniting with the General Baptists.
The Church adopted one-half time preaching as early as the year 1902 and has continued such until recently when she adopted full time preaching under the leadership of her last pastor. The Church is now enjoying one of the most fruitful periods in her history. The Sunday School, Women’s Missionary Society, and the Training Union are functioning exceptionally well. The membership of the Church now stands at about 360 with prospects for a much larger growth. Even though the Church is adjacent to several other Baptist Churches her territory is large and populous and her opportunities are as bright as the promises of God. She has occupied consistent missionary grounds throughout her history and has made liberal contributions to all the missionary and benevolent work of the Association and the Baptist denomination. This large and prosperous rural church is destined for more victories in the cause of Christ.
Source: A History of the Daviess-McLean Baptist Association in Kentucky, 1844-1943. Wendell H. Rone, Messenger Job Printing Co., Inc., Owensboro, Kentucky, 1944.