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Archie Everage was born on
Montgomery Creek in Knott County on
June 12, 1928 into the family
of Balis and Maggie Perkins Everage. He attended local grade schools
and the Hindman High School. During World War II he joined the
U.S. Army and served his tour of duty in Japan.
After discharge from the army, Archive returned to Knott County
and resumed his courtship with Evelee
combs, he daughter of Charlie and Otis Mae Combs. They were
married in1947. After living and working in Dayton, Ohio for a
short period of time, they returned to settle in Knott County.
Archie worked for a while on a
strip mining job near his childhood home
on Montgomery Creek. He was
eventually employed by D.H. Hall at the Kentucky Food Store in
Hindman and was later the manager of Young's Department Store also
located on the main street of Hindman.
Archie accepted Jesus Christ
into his life in 1949 and entered into his new found faith with the
same zeal and enthusiasm which he gave to his employment. Soon
he was serving as a Sunday school teacher,
song leader, Royal
Ambassador leader, and eventually a Deacon.
In 1952. J.S. Bell asked
Archie, as a part of a Sunday School contest, to return to the
"creek" where he was born to start a Sunday School. Archie and Evelee agreed to go
to Montgomery Creek. They were
assisted by Evelee's uncle,
Charlie Young and Hiram Taylor, both of
whom were elder Deacons in
the Hindman Baptist Church. Their
Sunday School was held in a one room school house located near the
head of the "creek." By the end
of six weeks there were 135 people in attendance.
The need for a "mission" became
apparent. Before the end of 1952,
the Sunday School became an
actual Mission of the Hindman Baptist church with Archie as the
layman preacher. Archie was a powerful and inspirational
speaker who was in great
demand to preach at revivals.
In 1955 he preached at Montgomery
Baptist in the mornings and at Dwarf Baptist Church in Perry
County in the evenings. In 1961 he added Big Creek Baptist to
his pastoring. He continued to pastor all
three of these churches until Sept. 24, 1962 at which time he
resigned from the Dwarf Baptist Church. He continues to
pastor both the Bit Creek Baptist Church and the Montgomery Creek
Baptist Church until 1967, at which time he resigned from Big Creek.
Archive Everage was elected to
Knott County Court Clerk in 1961. He was also successfully
re-elected to two consecutive terms-remaining the County Court Clerk
of Knott County for 12 years, until 1973 During most of that
time, he also continued to do the bookkeeping work for Young's
Department Store as well as continuing his very active
ministry. he was the County Treasurer until 1977.
One of the highlights of
Archie's ministry was his preaching of Congressman Carl D.
Perkins's
funeral before a crowd of 5,000 people, including senators and
congressmen from all over the nation. He sat on the stage with
such notables Senator Ted Kennedy, Speaker of the House Tip
O'Neal, and House Majority Leader Him Wright. One congressman
reported that his fellow Congressmen talked about Archie's
powerful sermons weeks after the funeral.
Archie served two years as the
moderator of the Three Forks Baptist Association. He also
served on the 6th Kentucky State Executive Board. In October 1993,
he was honored as the "Knott County Citizen of the Year" by the
Knott County Kiwanis Club.
Archive and Evelee considered
their family to be one of their greatest blessings. The family
has grown to include eight grandchildren.Sheila married Glenn Noe in
1969. Debra married Greg Reynolds in 1975. Judy married Kenny Combs in 1973. Archie Wayne married Bobetta
Thacker in 1976.
Archive Everage has been a
tireless worker for the Lord Jesus Christ, spreading the good news
while providing comfort to thousands of people at funerals and joy
to thousands by officiating at their marriage
ceremonies.
Corbett Mullins
May 17, 2003
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