Welcome to the Kentucky - Reference Books

History of Shelby County, Kentucky - George L. Willis, Sr. Shelby County was for a long time the geographical center of the United States, and for a longer period its center of population. Information is included on geology, boundaries and topography of the county; the first visitors and settlers; the Stations of the county; early pioneers; traditions and reminiscences; and county statistics. Some of these include: first tax list, senators and representatives, Constitutional delegates, county judges, county clerks, postmasters, early marriages, Revolutionary Soldiers, Shelby County Masons, and noted burial grounds. A new fullname index is included as well as many photos. (1929) reprint, 288 pp., illus., new fullname index, paper, $24.50 #W335

History of Pioneer Kentucky - Robert S. Cotterill. Relying heavily on manuscripts from the Draper and Durrett Collections, Mr. Cotterill's book carries the reader from the earliest Indian legends about Kentucky, through the first pioneer settlements in the mid-18th century, up to 1792 when Kentucky entered the Union. Dramatic tales of early exploration, abundant hunting, paradisiacal scenery and the constant terror of Indian attack abound. Of course, the most famous among the many adventurers that helped build Kentucky is Daniel Boone, and his stories figure prominently in this book. With carefully documented research, Mr. Cotterill explains more than just the chronology of events. He calls Kentucky "The Debatable Land" because it was not inhabited by any one Indian tribe and Virginia's claims to it were tenuous. England, during and after its war with the newly declared United States, encouraged the Northwest Indian tribes to make the raids on Kentucky settlements that culminated in the late 1780s with "Year of Sorrows." Mr. Cotterill also provides excellent descriptions of the physical, intellectual and spiritual qualities that typified the first Kentuckians. Four fold-out maps and an everyname and subject index are helpful additions. (1917) reprint, 254 pp., maps, everyname plus subject index, $22.50 #ZC577

Madison County, Kentucky, Court Order Book A, 1787-1791 - Jackie Couture. During this time period Madison County included all of the present-day Clay, Jackson and Owsley Counties and parts of Breathitt, Estill, Garrard, Lee, Leslie and Rockcastle Counties. This collection of abstracts is largely but not solely based on the Minute Book, which was the record used to take notes while court was in session. The Order Book, which is a clerk's copy of the Minute Book and is kept in the vault room at the courthouse, contains some information which the Minute Book does not. To be sure that no detail was overlooked, Mrs. Couture uses both sources. Examples of the matters found within these records are the exchange of deeds in property sales, lawsuits, road surveys, establishing care for orphans and the marking of livestock, among others. The book contains a glossary to explain some of the legal terminology which is used. Also, all names are indexed except for justices of the peace, and subjects are indexed except for roads. The author has added punctuation for easier reading and to clarify sentences, but any incorrect spellings have been left as they appeared in the original. 1996, 152 pp., index, paper, $20.00 #ZC587

A Genealogical Collection of Kentucky Birth and Death Records, Vol. 1 - Sherida K. Eddlemon. Although some Kentucky counties were recording births and deaths as early as 1851, a statewide requirement for such record-keeping was not in force until 1911. Prolific genealogical abstractor, Sherida K. Eddlemon, knows how to fill in the gaps, however. Supplementing the official state and county records with her research among other sources such as newspapers, church, cemetery and military records, Ms. Eddlemon has collected over 6,600 individual names from 50 Kentucky counties. Each record contains the individual's name and date of death. Dates of birth are included when they were available or when it was possible to calculate the approximate birth year. The county of record and a source code are also listed in each of the alphabetically arranged entries. When maiden names were indicated in original sources, they appear here in parentheses. An index of these maiden names has been included for the reader's convenience. 1997, 144 pp., paper, $16.00 #ZE135

Kentucky Genealogical Records & Abstracts, 1781-1839 - Sherida K. Eddlemon. Ms. Eddlemon's multi-volume collection of Missouri Genealogical Records & Abstracts is a perennial favorite in the Heritage Books, Inc. catalog. Now she has brought her abstracting talents to bear for the Kentucky researcher. As in the Missouri books, Ms. Eddlemon makes available a diverse array of sources including tax and property lists, marriage registers, church and cemetery records, wills and estates, mortality schedules, Negro censuses, military pensions and officer lists. The table of contents is arranged alphabetically by the twenty-eight counties covered, namely Allen, Bath, Breckinridge, Butler, Campbell, Clark, Daviess, Fayette, Hancock, Harrison, Henderson, Hopkins, Jefferson, Lincoln, Madison, McLean, Meade, Mercer, Muhlenberg, Nelson, Nicholas, Ohio, Russell, Shelby, Simpson, Trigg, Warren and Wayne. There is also a section of miscellaneous records from unknown or out-of-state regions. No attempt has been made to correct the spelling of names, which have been taken as they appeared in the original documents. A surname index is included. Kentucky was part of Virginia until 1792 when it entered the Union as the fifteenth state. Daniel Boone is the most famous of the hardy, brave settlers who helped to transform this wild, frontier land into the beautiful bluegrass country of today. All the early pioneers of Kentucky, however, faced a life of constant danger from Indian attacks and other hardships. In those early days, Kentucky was known as the "dark and bloody ground." 1997, 225 pp., index, paper, $20.00 #ZE118

Kentucky Genealogical Records & Abstracts, Volume 2, 1796-1839 - Sherida K. Eddlemon. Kentucky was part of Virginia until 1792, when it entered the Union as the fifteenth state. Daniel Boone is the most famous of the hardy, brave settlers who helped to transform this wild, frontier land into the beautiful bluegrass country of today. All the early pioneers of Kentucky, however, faced a life of constant danger from Indian attacks and other hardships. In those early days, Kentucky was known as the "dark and bloody ground." As in the first volume of this series, genealogical information has been gleaned from a diverse array of sources, including tax and property lists, marriage registers, church and cemetery records, wills and estates, mortality schedules, Negro censuses, military pensions and officer lists. Contents are arranged alphabetically by 22 counties, namely Adair, Barren, Bath, Campbell, Carter, Daviess, Estill, Fayette, Floyd, Fulton, Grant, Grayson, Greenup, Hardin, Lawrence, Livingston, Oldham, Scott, Union, Webster, Whitley and Woodford. The Miscellaneous section is much larger than that in Volume 1, including information from a wide variety of out-of-state sources. No attempt has been made to correct the spelling of names, which have been taken as they appeared in the original documents. A surname index is included. 1998, 218 pp., surname index, paper, $22.50 #ZE110

The Big Sandy Valley: A History of the People and Country from the Earliest Settlement to the Present - William Ely. Consists primarily of biographical and genealogical sketches of the families of the Kentucky counties - Boyd, Lawrence, Elliott, Morgan, Magoffin, Martin, Floyd, Johnson, Pike, Perry, and Knox. There are also some brief accounts of the communities along these streams, and of the early settlements in the area. (1887) reprint, 510 pp., illus., index, paper, $34.50 #ZE120

In Search of Morgan's Station and "The Last Indian Raid in Kentucky" - Harry G. Enoch. First-time Heritage Books author Harry G. Enoch makes an auspicious debut with this excellent pioneer history of Montgomery and Bath Counties in Kentucky. The focal point of his neatly-organized book is the 1793 Indian raid on Morgan's Station. A band of about thirty-five Shawnee and Cherokee Indians descended upon this small fort in a surprise attack that ended with two people killed and nineteen women and children captured. The men who set out in pursuit of the raiding party the next day discovered twelve of the captives dead, or near dead, along the trail. The Indians escaped north with the remaining prisoners, who were sold as slaves or adopted into Indian tribes. Mr. Enoch meticulously reconstructs these two infamously fateful days, incorporating documentary evidence and the contemporary accounts of witnesses and their relatives, while carefully separating inconsistencies and exaggerations from facts and reasonable possibilities. He gives evidence that Tecumseh, only a young Shawnee warrior at the time, participated in the raid. Mr. Enoch also describes the years preceding and immediately following the Morgan's Station raid. In all, he covers more than a quarter century of early Kentucky history--from the explorations of Daniel Boone and others in 1769 to the 1794 victory of Gen. "Mad Anthony" Wayne over the northwestern tribes. The years of exploration and settlement, including the struggle to build and operate the first ironworks in Kentucky, involve many exciting tales of encounters with Indians and other frontier hazards. Although Mr. Enoch's narrative ends in late 1796 with the establishment of Montgomery County, he includes an epilogue, which tells what became of the surviving captives of the Morgan's Station raid. The most valuable of Mr. Enoch's many sources are the first-hand accounts of the pioneers themselves. John D. Shane, an itinerant Presbyterian minister who loved history and lived in Kentucky in the mid-1800s, filled many notebooks with his interviews with surviving pioneers. Mr. Enoch seamlessly weaves quotations from these interviews into his narrative, resulting in a vivid style which captures the insight, humor and pathos of the men and women who lived the story. Maps, illustrations, extensive endnotes and an appendix listing Montgomery County pioneers from the 1797 tax assessment rolls are very helpful additions. An everyname index is the finishing touch on an outstanding book. Supported by the Montgomery County Historical Society, this project is being offered in conjunction with the county's two hundredth anniversary. 1997, c.207 pp., illus., maps, bibl., append., index, paper, $22.00 #ZE551

The Discovery, Settlement and Present State of Kentucke - John Filson. This book tracks the settlement, natural history and topography of the nation's fifteenth state, from the first white man to land at the mouth of the Kentucky River (in 1754) to the book's original publication in 1784. The first published descriptive account of Kentucky, this text presents an engaging, detailed narrative sure to delight and inform readers. Sections cover such topics as Kentucky's discovery, purchase and settlement; its boundaries and terrain; climate; native animals; economy and trade; and "curiosities." The appendix contains a 30-page narrative of the adventures of Daniel Boone; the minutes of the 1784 council held with the Piankashaw Indians; an account of the Indian Nations within the United States, including sections describing their habits, genius and religion; and a "new and accurate" map of Kentucky. A new everyname index has been added. "Much advantage may poffibly arife to the poffeffor of this book, as thofe who wifh to travel in Kentucke will undoubtedly find it a Compleat Guide." (1784) reprint, c122 pp., map, append., new index, paper, $15.00 #ZF347

Lee County, Kentucky, 1880 Annotated Census, Including the 1880 Mortality Schedule - Margaret Millar Hayes. The 1880 census contained the following information: family number; any children born within the census year; name of each person with their color, sex, age, relationship to the head of the household, marital status, occupation, state of health (if ill or disabled), and nativity (plus birthplaces of mother and father). The author has annotated the census with birth and death dates, maiden names and dates and names of later marriages. 1992, 164 pp., index, paper, $20.00 #ZH093

Reconstructed Marriage Records of Owsley County, Kentucky, 1843-1910: Part 1 (A-L) - Margaret Millar Hayes. Owsley County, Kentucky, was created in January 1843 from Breathitt, Clay and Estill Counties. The county was named after William Owsley, who was a judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals and the 16th governor of Kentucky. Present-day Owsley County is surrounded by the counties of Breathitt, Lee, Jackson, Clay, Leslie and Perry. A fire in the court house in 1929 destroyed all the records up to that time. This book is an attempt to reconstruct as many of the missing marriage records as possible from available sources. Most of the marriage dates are estimates based on the age of the oldest child plus one year. Also included are some marriage records from surrounding counties for those couples who lived in Owsley County at one time or another during the years 1843-1910. A surname index is included. 1998, 428 pp., surname index, paper, $36.50 #ZH100

Kentucky Families: A Bibliographic Listing of Books About Kentucky Families - Donald M. Hehir. With over 1500 Kentuckian surnames referenced in this major new work, Mr. Hehir provides, in one source, a comprehensive listing of all printed Kentuckian genealogies and family histories that have made their way into major library collections across the United States. Arranged for ease of use, the entries are presented alphabetically according to surname, with a cross index to family and secondary names to help researchers find surnames that would otherwise remain buried within the text. No genealogist working with Kentuckian families should be without this volume on his or her bookshelf. 1993, 190 pp., glossary, bibl., index, paper $22.00 #ZH136

Kentucky Census Records - Rowena Lawson. These are verbatim transcriptions of the federal census records. The pre-1850 records are presented in alphabetical order with the statistical data on family members. The 1850 censuses are presented in their original order with all the genealogical data and complete indexes. 8.5x11, paper.

Anderson Co, 1830-50, $15.50 #ZL132

Boone Co, 1850, $16.50 #ZL136

Nelson Co, 1850, $16.50 #ZL145

Nicholas Co, 1850, $16.50 #ZL147

Ohio Co, 1850, $16.50 #ZL149

History of Trigg County, Kentucky - William Henry Perrin. "Trigg County...bears no mean part in the history or the importance of the State, as she bears no inconsiderable part in the history of our common country." Thus begins this thorough account of Trigg County, Kentucky, which covers everything from its topography and geology to its settlement, pioneers, industry, government, crops, growth, development, and of course its people. An extensive section at the book's end is a wonderfully detailed collection of biographical sketches of notable county residents and their accomplishments, arranged by precinct. (1884) reprint, 324 pp., illus., statistical tables, new index, paper, $26.00 #ZP168

Greenup County, Kentucky, Will Abstracts, 1822-1860 - Patricia Porter Phillips. Greenup County was originally a part of Mason County, Kentucky, and was formed in 1804. In 1822 Lawrence County was formed from Floyd and Greenup Counties; Carter County was formed in 1838 from Greenup and Lawrence Counties; and Boyd County was formed in 1860 from Greenup, Lawrence and Carter Counties. Due to this overlapping some early residents of Boyd, Carter and Lawrence Counties are referred to in this book.

Will books 2 through 5 are abstracted here; the abstracts begin in 1822 with Will Book 2, which starts on November 11, 1822 with the will of Martin Smith. Will Book 1, covering the years 1804-1822, has been lost over the years; however, some individuals from Will Book 1 are in this book by way of inventories and settlements.

Abstracts include: the number of the will book in which it was found, the date it was filed, the name of the executor or administrator of the estate, and in some instances the inventory of personal belongings. As for slaves, when possible the author has included their ages or their appraised value. Some marriages have also been included. A fullname index rounds out the volume. 1998, 318 pp., fullname index, paper, $28.00 #ZP333

A History of Muhlenberg County - Otto A. Rothert. This book tracks the history of Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, from its first white settlers in the late 18th century up through the first years of the 20th century. There are also biographical sketches of Muhlenberg men who fought in the War of 1812 or the Mexican War, and a short history of the county's militia muster. One chapter discusses the county's role in the Civil War; another includes biographical sketches of more than 20 Civil War soldiers from Muhlenberg. Mr. Rothert presents local history in accessible, conversational chapters; his writing is built upon and supplemented by many documents and accounts from inhabitants. (1913) reprint, 496 pp., illus., appendices, maps, index, paper, $36.00 #ZR573