Hopeful Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded on Epiphany Day in 1806 by German-speaking families from Madison County, Virginia. Called the Mother of Lutheranism west of the Allegheny Mountains, it is the oldest Lutheran church in Kentucky. Early member families included Tanner, Zimmerman, Rouse, Beemon, and House. George Rouse donated an acre of land where a cabin church was built in 1807, and the present church stands on the same site. In 1813, Rev. William Carpenter became the first pastor; a Revolutionary War veteran, he served for twenty years. He was followed by Rev. Jacob Crigler, whose farm became present Hopeful Cemetery.