WINSLOW.--Rev. Luther Orval Winslow was born in Westfield, Vt., April 30, 1817. He professed faith in Christ and united with the Congregational church in the year 1834. He commenced his course of study for the ministry in 1836, finishing his literary course in Dartsmouth College, New Hampshire, in 1843. After this he went South, stopping in Mississippi. In 1846 he joined the Cumberland Presbyterian church, and the same year placed himself under the care of McDonald Presbytery as a candidate for the ministry. In the spring of 1847 he was licensed to preach. He was ordained in Marshall county, Miss., in the fall of 1849. He was married to Rebecca Marion Gill in the State of Mississippi, December 9, 1847. Eight children, six sons and two daughters, blessed their union. All of these are living except the oldest daughter, who preceded the father to the better world several years. Brother Winslow removed in 1852 from Mississippi to Kentucky and settled in the town of Mayfield. Here he passed his time teaching and preaching. Having no church house, he held services in the court house on the Sabbath. He soon induced the people to secure a house of worship, and so the good work continued to go on until a strong church was established where but a few years before wickedness prevailed. In 1859 he removed to Wingo, Ky., where he settled for life, and out of the abundance of a heart purified and consecrated he did a large share of the work then so necessary to be done in bringing about such religious influence as made this community more the followers of Christ than of that wicked one. He did not possess much of this world's goods, but he was rich in faith and good works. No man could righteously impugn his motives. The life that he led was ever the answer to his convictions of right. He was never an extremist. His very able sermons, especially those founded directly upon either one or all of the Ten Commandments, were of great worth to me. I am thankful that I was reared under the preaching of so devoted a man of God, and I am sure that many join me in this thought. He practiced what he preached. He loved the Sabbath. He did not use it for other purposes than the right ones. The last time he preached at old Bayou De Shea he did not attempt to return to his home on that day; it was God's day. So he remained over with the people until Monday. He is gone from us, but we have sweet remembrance of him. Brother Winslow's ministry has precious fruits in the Cumberland Presbyterian, Methodist, and Baptist churches--spiritual children, who hold him in the very highest esteem. He loved everybody that honored God and loved Christ with the heart. The Mayfield Presbytery when it meets in October will note the vacant seat. One of our best and safest counselors with sweet voice will be heard no more. But we have the precious consolation that he is with the general assembly above. I cannot give even approximately the number of candidates for the ministry who have had the blessings of his fatherly care. He was for a number of years permanent chairman of the presbytery's Committee on Literature and Theology. The examinations were thorough, because the man himself was thorough. When from the effects of age and hard labor he found that he was growing weak physically and mentally, he resigned and asked that some one more vigorous should take his place. The presbytery very reluctantly relieved him. I saw and heard him while in his full vigor and I thought that were none stronger. But the time of declining strength came on. I followed him further, and I heard him sorrowfully say that he could not make a sermon as once he could; so he declined to preach, preferring to hear others. Further on he asked his presbytery not to make him chairman of the committee, saying, "I once took great pleasure in serving my brethren in any thing that I could, but now others can serve you better." Time and hardships were wearing away that precious life. Then, about the last of January, he sent for me to come to his bedside. I found him as I thought, "walking through the valley of the shadow of death." He was not afraid. The Good Shepherd was with him. I remained with him a night and almost a day, and as his strength would allow him from time to time he gave me all his plans as to his funeral and asked of me to write a notice of his life. Having the best attention that could be given him, both upon the part of physicians and warm-hearted friends, he survived this attack, and was in March able to be at the sacramental communion of his presbytery, which me at his home church. He was not able to be present any more of the time until Tuesday, the day on which presbytery adjourned, but he insisted on being present at the close. He gave close attention to business as it went on. He heard the report of the committee and the discussions on Sabbath observance and temperance, and although he was scarcely able to sit alone, yet while these questions were under consideration the native fire burned in his eye. May God, our heavenly Father, give us more such men. His last sickness was heart failure. The final attack came on about the last days of April, and on the 28th day of that month he "passed through the valley of the shadow of death." Had he lived just two days longer he would have been even seventy-six years old. At his request the writer preached his funeral. Then kind friends placed the sacred dust in its final resting place. To his family, to his relatives, to his life-time associates, and to his church let me offer comfort in Christ's own words: "Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am there ye may be also."
[Source: The Cumberland Presbyterian, 26 October 1893, page 239]

Rev. Luther Orval Winslow is buried in the Wingo Cemetery in Wingo, Graves County, Kentucky.