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Ohio County History and Information

County History | Court Records | Vital Records | CENSUS Records | TAX Records | Military Records | Church & Cemetery |
Maps & Atlases | Genealogy Addresses | Genealogy Related Sites |
Ohio County Kentucky Map
Click HERE to see D.O.T. County Map

Ohio County, the thirty-fifth county in order of formation, is in the Western Coal Field region of Kentucky. The county was established from part of Hardin County on December 17, 1798, and was named for the Ohio River, which formed its northern boundary until Daviess County (1815) and Hancock County (1829) were created from it. HARTFORD is the county seat.

The County is bordered by Hancock County (north), Breckinridge County (northeast), Grayson County (east), Butler County (southeast), Muhlenberg County (southwest), McLean County (west), Daviess County (northwest). Cities, Towns and Communities include Baizetown, Beaver Dam, Centertown, Cool Springs, Cromwell, Dundee, Echols, Fordsville, Hartford, Magan, McHenry, Pleasant Ridge, Prentiss, Rockport, Rosine.

The population of the rural county was 18,790 in 1970; 21,765 in 1980; and 21,105 in 1990. The Official County Website is located at http://www.ohiocounty.com/. The courthouse burned on 20 Dec 1864. See Extended History for More information.

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Click Here to Search Kentucky Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records!
Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

Ohio County Court Records

See Also Kentucky Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Ohio County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1808 and Land Records from 1799 and is located at PO Box 85, Hartford, KY 42347-0085; Phone: (270) 298-4422, FAX: (270) 298-4425 .

The duties of the county clerk are numerous and varied, falling into the general categories of clerical duties of the fiscal court, issuing and registering, recording and keeping records of various legal instruments, election duties, tax duties, transfers, and titling, and issuance of marriage licenses and much more. One of the most important responsibilities of the County Clerk's office is the recording of land records. The most common documents recorded are deeds, mortgages, and assignments and mortgage releases. The other is Marriage Liscenses

Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information. The courthouse burned on 20 Dec 1864.

Ohio County Clerk of the Circuit Court has Probate Records from 1801 and Court Records from 1803 and is located at P.O Box 67, 130 E. Washington St., Hartford, KY 42347; Phone: (270) 298-3671, FAX: (270) 298-9565 .

The Circuit Clerk's office is responsible for maintaining the records of the circuit court. Divorces, civil litigation, criminal crimes, probate, wills , estates and various other functions.

There are a few online databases for Court, Land and Probate Records which include: Kentucky Marriages, 1802-1850; Kentucky Marriages, 1851-1900; Kentucky Marriage Index, 1973-1999; Kentucky Land Grants; Kentucky Will Index, vol. 1 & 2 and Kentucky Will Index, Vol. 2.

Below is a list of online resources for Ohio County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Ohio County Court Records by clicking the link below:

  • Ohio County, Kentucky Court Books at Amazon.com
  • Kentucky Immigration & Emigration Records - Immigration records help the family historian to understand the movements of their ancestry as they relocated to different parts of the world.
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Click Here to Search Kentucky Birth, Marriage & Death Records!
Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.

Ohio County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Kentucky

Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics is located at State Dept of Human Resources, 275 E. Main St. 1EA, Frankfort, KY 40621; (502) 564-4212. They have the following records:

  • Ordering Vital Records Online- Getting documents by mail can take a long as six weeks or more. Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. Birth, Marriage, Divorce & Death Certificates Signed. Sealed. Delivered. Often in as few as three business days!
  • Birth & Death Certificates: The Vital Statistics Law of Kentucky, providing for and legalizing the registration of births and deaths, was enacted by the General Assembly of 1910 and became effective Jan. 1, 1911. The Office of Vital Statistics has no records of births and deaths occurring prior to the above date except delayed records of births for those born before 1911, which have been established by affidavits and documentary evidence. Fees are listed below. You can download an application online for Birth Certificates or Death Certificates.
  • Marriage & Divorce Certificates: Central registration of marriages and divorces began in Kentucky in June 1958.  The Office of Vital Statistics has no records of marriages and divorces prior to that date.  Copies of marriage certificates prior to June 1958 may be obtained from the county clerk in the county where the license was issued.  Records of divorce proceedings are available from the Ohio County clerk of the circuit court that granted the decree.You can download an application online for Marriage Certificates or Divorce Certificates.

Cost of certificates

Birth: $10 per certificate; Death, Marriage and Divorce are $6 per certificate

  • In Person:You can stop in the office at 275 E. Main St. in Frankfort and obtain a certified copy of a birth, death, marriage or divorce certificate by completing an application form between the hours of 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. EST, Monday-Friday.  There is approximately a one-hour wait to receive the certificate. Directions to Vital Statistics Office
  • By Mail: Mail a check or money order (no cash) payable to the "Kentucky State Treasurer" along with the necessary information to the following address: Office of Vital Statistics, 275 E. Main St.  1E-A, Frankfort, KY 40621. Please include return address on envelope and application form.

Processing Time

Please allow up to approximately 30 working days for processing of all type of certificates when ordered through the mail.

  • Birth Records: Expect longer delays during peak request periods from May through September.  You should request certified copies of your birth certificate early enough to avoid delays if you are planning retirement, sporting events for the children, travel/passports, children entering school for the first time, etc.
  • Death Records: There may be delays in issuing new certified death certificates if the original certificate is not promptly filed in Frankfort by the funeral homes.

Phone, Fax, On-Line, or Credit Card

To obtain a certified copy of a vital record by phone, fax, on-line or purchase with a credit card, please link to VitalChek. There is an additional $10.50 fee for all credit card purchases. Discover, Visa, MasterCard and American Express are accepted. If faster delivery is required, you may wish to have the certified copy sent by Federal Express. Please state this when placing the order for the copy. There is an additional fee for this service.

There are a few online marriage databases which include: Kentucky Birth Index, 1911-1999; Kentucky Marriages, 1802-1850; Kentucky Marriages, 1851-1900; Kentucky Marriage Index, 1973-1999; and Kentucky Death Index, 1911-2000

Below is a list of online resources for Ohio County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Ohio County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

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Click Here to Search Kentucky Voter Lists & Census Records!
Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Ohio County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Ohio County, Kentucky are 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Earlier U.S. censuses for Kentucky were destroyed, but published tax lists serve as a replacements for the lost 1790 and 1800 censuses. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in Ohio County, Kentucky are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Union Veterans Schedules were conducted in 1890 but only returns for sixty-five Kentucky counties remain of the 1890 Union veterans and widows schedule of the federal census of Kentucky.

Statewide Records that exist for Kentucky are 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Earlier U.S. censuses for Kentucky were destroyed, but published tax lists serve as a replacements for the lost 1790 and 1800 censuses. Extracts and indexes for many of Kentucky's censuses have been compiled and published. Original or microfilm copies of the federal census returns are available at the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Several Kentucky indexes to censuses predate those published by AISI.

  State School Census for Kentucky infrequently enumerated public school students beginning in 1888. Scattered records are at the office of the respective county Board of Health or Board of Education. Some are maintained by the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives and the Kentucky Historical Society.

See Also Statewide Records that exist for Kentucky

Below is a list of online resources for Ohio County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Ohio County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • Ohio County, Kentucky Census Books at Amazon.com
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Ohio County Maps & Atlases

 

Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Kentucky and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Kentucky showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for Kentucky showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at County Maps. The Kentucky Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches, cemeteries, roads, ect...

Below is a list of online resources for Ohio County Maps. Email us with websites containing Ohio County Maps by clicking the link below:

  • Ohio County, Kentucky Map Books at Amazon.com
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Search Kentucky Military Records!
Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

Ohio County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Kentucky

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design. A list of Wars fought on American.

Below is a list of online resources for Ohio County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Ohio County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Ohio County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

One of the most valuable sources for early Kentucky until 1892 is its tax records. Most counties have yearly tax records from the date of organization. Some early tax schedules list watercourse, value and acreage of real estate, men over twenty-one, young men between sixteen and twenty-one, slaves, and horses. Extant county tax schedules from the date of organization of the county through 1892 have been microfilmed for most counties and are available from the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives and the FHL. Numerous original tax records from 1892 are available at the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. The Kentucky Historical Society has tax records to 1875.
  Kentucky tax lists are arranged by county and date. Within the counties, residents within its districts are grouped together and names usually arranged under the beginning letter of the surname, although these are not in strict alphabetical order. Some early tax records have been published and are available in research libraries.

Below is a list of online resources for Ohio County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Ohio County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Ohio County, Kentucky Tax Books at Amazon.com
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Ohio County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Kentucky Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Ohio County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Ohio County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

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Click Here to Search Kentucky Obituary Records!
This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

Ohio County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Kentucky

There are many churches and cemeteries in Ohio County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Ohio County Tombstone Transcription Project.

Church membership of early Kentuckians include Baptist, Church of Christ, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic. Some church records were published, others were microfilmed, some are housed in church repositories, but many remain in the local church. Church records and histories may be found in periodicals pertaining to Kentucky. Repositories include the DAR Library, the FHL, Kentucky Historical Society, University of Kentucky Library, and Filson Club Library.

Many collections of cemetery records are available for Kentucky. In 1977 the Kentucky Historical Society began computerizing extant cemetery records for the state. Cemetery tombstone transcriptions are included in the Ardery collection. Kentucky regional libraries and some other large genealogical libraries outside the state have collections of Kentucky cemetery transcriptions. In addition, publications pertaining to Kentucky and Kentuckians frequently contain cemetery records for the state.

Below is a list of online resources for Ohio County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Ohio County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Click Here to Search Kentucky Family Tree Records!
The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Ohio County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Ohio County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Extended History

 

The topography of Ohio County is undulating and well suited for agriculture. County farms produce light and dark air-cured tobacco, soybeans, corn, cattle, and hogs. An attempt was made at cultivating silkworms there during 1842-48. The principal waterways are Green River, Rough River, and various creeks.

Large burial mounds found along the Green River in the southern part of the county indicate that the area was once extensively occupied by prehistoric people. Excavations there in the late 1930s by the University of Kentucky and the Works Progress Administration uncovered more than 1,200 skeletons at Indian Knoll. The first pioneers in Ohio County experienced several bloody encounters with the Indians, starting in the 1780s. In 1790 Barnett's Station (now Calhoun) was attacked and two children were killed. Attacks continued into August of the same year. After 1797, the raids ceased to be a danger.

Daniel Boone and Joseph Barnett were among the first surveyors in the region. A Maryland Methodist minister, Ignatius Pigman, was a land speculator credited with bringing in a large number of settlers. One of the first physicians in the county, Dr. Charles McCreery, arrived around 1807.

River traffic down the Green and Rough rivers promoted the county's growth. Hartford became a riverport and mill town on Rough River. On Green River the major towns were Smallhous, Ceralvo, Rockport, and Cromwell. The river traffic was disrupted during the Civil War and dealt a serious blow by the advent of railroads to the county in the 1870s.

During the Civil War, Ohio County was the scene of intense guerrilla activity. On July 21, 1864, a partisan force, commanded by Capt. Dick Yates, ambushed a detachment of Daviess County Home Guards at Rough River Creek, killing four of the Guard. On February 20, 1865, a group of Grayson County Home Guards attacked an encampment of guerrillas near Hartford. Six of the guerrilla force were killed and four wounded. The most damaging event of the war in Ohio County occurred December 20, 1864, when Confederate Gen. Hylan B. Lyon's troops captured the county seat of Hartford and burned the courthouse.

Extensive coal mining took place in Ohio County after the Elizabethtown & Paducah Railroad (now the Paducah & Louisville) came through the county in 1871. A second railroad, the Louisville, St. Louis & Texas, crossed through Fordsville and Hartford in 1890 but was abandoned in 1942 except for a line from Muhlenberg County to Centertown in western Ohio County (operated in 1990 by CSX Transportation). The Illinois Central (now Illinois Central Gulf) completed a third line through the eastern part of the county in 1893, but it had been abandoned by the 1980s. In 1912 oil was discovered four miles east of Hartford, and since then Ohio County has consistently been one of western Kentucky's leading oil producing counties.

By 1986 the county economy was a mixture of coal mining, agriculture, and oil. The county's incorporated cities in order of size were BEAVER DAM, Hartford, Fordsville, McHenry, Rockport, and Centertown. The unincorporated village of Rosine, which was established in 1872 eight miles east of Hartford, is best known as the birthplace of Bill Monroe, the "Father of Bluegrass Music."

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