On June 2, 1829, a group of eight laymen met with The Rev. Dr. George T. Chapman, rector of Christ Episcopal Church, Lexington, and organized themselves to support an Episcopal Church in Danville, Kentucky.  James Birney chaired the meeting and Dr. Ephraim McDowell introduced a resolution for the organization of the parish.  McDowell was a renowned surgeon who performed the first successful removal of an ovarian tumor in Danville in 1809 and is known as the "Founder of Abdominal Surgery." James Birney was the father of James G. Birney, Liberty party candidate for U.S. president in 1840 and 1844. The parish was founded on June 20,1829 during the week after Trinity Sunday. The first vestry included Birney, McDowell, John Finley, Judge Edward Worthington, Philip Yeiser, Frederick Yeiser, and Daniel Yeiser.

Deputies were also appointed to represent the parish at the first convention of the proposed Diocese of Kentucky. Three parishes were required for the organization of an Episcopal diocese, and the deputies from Trinity joined representatives from Christ Church, Lexington, and Christ Church, Louisville, to form the new diocese.

At first the congregation met in Danville's old stone jail (no longer used for that purpose), with Dr. Chapman presiding about once a month and laymen reading on other Sundays. The congregation moved into the current building in 1831.

Trinity's first rector was The Rev. Gideon McMillan, a native of Ireland, who began to serve in 1830. He came to Danville from the Diocese of Ohio, where he had studied theology with Philander Chase, the first Bishop of Ohio. McMillan died of cholera in 1833, after ministering during the epidemic of that year. His parishioners buried him behind the south wall of the church. His grave and stone were covered by a later addition to the church building. His grave is now located under the altar of the church. The stone was placed in the churchyard.

Although its membership included slaveholders, Trinity, and most of Danville, was pro-Union in the Civil War.  After the nearby battle of Perryville in October 1862, Trinity Church was used as a military hospital, as was the Boyle County courthouse across the street, most of Centre College, and many other Danville church buildings.

Throughout the 19th century, Trinity priests were often missionaries as well, forming parishes and conducting services in the surrounding area, often to the detriment of services in Danville. It was common for them to offer services on alternate Sundays at Trinity and St. Philips in Harrodsburg.
Twenty-seven have served as rector of Trinity Church.  Among the notable ministries was that of the Rev. Matthew Fontaine Maury, rector from 1839 until 1850, who again served the parish from 1853 until 1862.  The parish register, begun by Mr. Maury to record baptisms, confirmation, marriages, and burials, is still in use.

In the church vestibule, a stone plaque commemorates the service of three generations of the Cowan family as vestrymen of the church.  Harry J. Cowan was vestryman from 1830 until 1851, and his grandson, J. Rice Cowan, M.D., from 1898 until his death in 1953.  Dr. J. Rice Cowan served longer as senior warden (1916-1953) than any of his predecessors, and was only the fifth holder of that office in the history of the parish. 

 Credit: Frank Heck, 150 Years on Main Street