Ephraim McDowell, buried here, was known as the “father of modern surgery.” His family moved here from Va. in 1784, and he studied medicine in Va. and Scotland before practicing in Danville. In 1802, he married Sarah Shelby, dau. of Ky.’s first gov. and was also a founder and early trustee of Centre College. On Dec. 25, 1809, he performed the world’s first successful abdominal operation, removing a 22-pound ovarian cyst from Jane Todd Crawford of Green County. Without anesthesia, she sang hymns during the operation, recovered in 25 days, and lived until 1842. McDowell died in 1830 and was buried in the Presbyterian churchyard.