Captain Abraham Lincoln (the President's grandfather) came to Kentucky with a brother, Thomas, and two of his cousins in early 1780.  Captain Lincoln was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and had been associated with William Owens and Samuel Haycraft, Sr.

The entire state was originally called Kentucky County, and was part of the State of Virginia and governed under the authority of the General Assembly of Virginia.

The State of Virginia offered Treasury Script land to all soldiers of the Revolutionary War in the County of Kentucky.  Captain Lincoln was one of those who took advantage of this offer.

Prior to coming to Kentucky, a man named Meyers who had rendered considerable service to the State of Virginia in surveying Kentucky, acquired a large trace of land on Mill Creek.  He sold his patents to various people, including Captain Lincoln's friend, Samuel Haycraft, Sr., who purchased a large tract in 1781.  About that time, Captain Lincoln also acquired a tract of land on Mill Creek.

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The Mill Creek Baptist Church was originally constructed for the dual purposes of periodical religious and community meetings while also providing shelter and protection for the Indian raids into this area.

Indians who lived in Indiana considered Kentucky to be their happy hunting grounds.  They approached silently, attacked from ambush, and killed many thousands of men, women and children.  Thousands of horses were stolen, and much property was taken or destroyed (according to Volume 3 of the Virginia Calendar).  It was said that a Kentuckian could hardly pass a spot of this domain that was not soaked with the blood of a pioneer.

To help combat the ever-present threat, the Mill Creekers relied on two prime resources.  The first was the Church, and the second was the Negro slave, General Braddock, who served the Mill Creek community and earned his freedom by his brave exploits.

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During its early years, the church had no regular pastor.  Pamela Cowherd, in 1885, reminisced:  "We had monthly preaching in those days, and most everyone went to church, whether it was a "Jack-Leg" preacher or a good one, and when the church had "doings", sinners and saints all helped.  I heard "Racoon" Smith, Peter Cartwright, and a man by the name of McKendree, he was the best of them.

John "Racoon" Smith was a Baptist minister of the period who later became involved with the "Campbellites" and helped form the Churches of Christ in the Kentucky/Tennessee area.

"Racoon" Smith, as he was called because of his coonskin cap, was born in 1784 in East Tennessee.  After being saved and starting his ministry, the road was not an easy one.  He began reading the New Testament and pondering over the word of the Lord.  He memorized much of the Scripture, which was a strange thing in that day.  When he was ready to preach, he quoted freely from it.

(source:  200 Years of Mill Creek History, The Church and Its People)