Located in extreme western Kentucky at the confluence
of the Ohio and Mississippi risers. Ballard County is
part of the region known as the Jackson Purchase. Comprising
an area of 254 square miles, Ballard County, the ninety-third
county in order of formation, was established on February
15, 1842, out of parts of Hickman and McCracken counties
and named in honor of Capt. Bland Ballard, a participant
in the battle of Fallen Timbers (1793) and the River
Raisin (1813), and a member of the Kentucky General Assembly.
Ballard County is bordered by the Ohio River on the north
and the Mississippi River on the west, and Carlisle and
McCracken counties share its southern and eastern boundaries,
respectively. WICKLIFFE is the county seat.
Ranging
from flatland to moderately rolling hills, the topography
of the county is fairly uniform. Bluffs along the Ohio
and Mississippi rivers from Barlow southward are among
the main geographic features of the area. Extending at
certain points about five miles inland, the Ohio River
floodplain creates numerous swamps, sloughs, ponds, and
lakes. With about 65 percent of the land occupied by
farms in 1987, the county has remained a highly agricultural
area. Crops such as tobacco and soybeans, along with
corn and wheat, made the county forty-eighth in agricultural
receipts among Kentucky counties in 1987.
Prehistoric
Indians first inhabited the Ballard County area about
800-1350, as the Wickliffe mounds, the remains of an
ancient village, testify. This culture had long since
disappeared by the time Europeans visited the region.
While looking for the mouth of the Mississippi River,
French explorer La Salle stopped near the site of present-day
Wickliffe about 1682, but the first attempt at white
settlement did not come until nearly a century later.
In 1780 Gen. George Rogers Clark established FORT JEFFERSON
at the mouth of Mayfield Creek. In 1781, following a
five-day siege by Chickasaw Indians, the fort was abandoned.
With the cessation of Indian threats and the inclusion
of the area in the Jackson Purchase of 1818, settlers
returned to the Ballard County region and Fort Jefferson.
Although these new settlements outlasted the original
settlement on Mayfeld Creek, the county remained sparsely
populated for some time.
During
the Civil war, though Southern sympathizers predominated,
Ballard County was a Union stronghold. After reactivating
old Fort Jefferson and building a second military installation
just north of Wickliffe called Fort Holt, Union Gen.
Ulysses Grant used these defenses as supply stations
for his campaigns along the Mississippi River. Despite
this heavy Federal presence, about four hundred Ballard
County men joined the Confederate forces, whereas only
about one hundred enlisted in the Union army.
Following
the war, Ballard County residents resumed their mostly
agricultural way of life. The courthouse, located in
Blandville since the creation of the county in 1842,
burned in 1880, setting off a heated debate over the
location of the county seat. Because Wickliffe was a
river port and was served by two railroads, the Illinois
Central and the Mobile & Ohio, many citizens favored
it as the county seat. A public election held in May
1880 approved Wickliffe, but proponents of Blandville
disputed the fairness of the vote. Nevertheless, the
county seat was moved to Wickliffe, and in 1882 the court
of appeals upheld the election results. In 1884 voters
again chose Wickliffe as the Ballard County seat. The
county reached its highest population of 14,378 in 1880;
it lost population in 1886, when Carlisle County was
created out of the portion of Ballard County below Mayfield
Creek.
As
the county entered the twentieth century, its location
on the rivers and the Illinois Central Railroad made
Ballard County one of western Kentucky's leading trading
centers. Towns such as Barlow, Cairo, and Wickliffe all
prospered. Nonetheless, agriculture has remained the
most important feature of the economy. Although no major
highway serves it (the Purchase Parkway and I-24 both
bypass the county), industry has come to Ballard County,
the most important being the Westvaco Corporation, a
pulp and paper producer, which was established in 1970.
The largest industrial employer in the county, Westvaco
employed 639 people in 1990.
The
population of Ballard County was 8,276 in 1970; 8,798
in 1980; and 7,902 in 1990. .The Official County Website is located at http://www.ballardconet.com/ . Most records were destroyed in a courthouse fire on 17 Feb 1880.
PLEASE READ!! 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. Most records were destroyed in a courthouse fire on 17 Feb 1880.
Ballard County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1852 and Land Records from 1873 and is located at PO
Box 145, Wickliffe, KY
42087-0145; Phone: (270)
335-5168, FAX: (270)
335-3081, [EMAIL] . 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
Ballard County Clerk of the Circuit Court has
Probate Records from 1879 and Court Records from 1842 and is located at Courthouse, PO
Box 265, 134 N. 4th Street, Wickliffe, KY 42087;
(270)335-5123 . 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.
Below is a list of online resources for Ballard County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Ballard County Court Records by clicking the link below:
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.
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.
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:
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 . You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE
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 Ballard County clerk of the circuit court that granted the decree.You can download an application online for Marriage Certificates or Divorce Certificates . You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE
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. Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE 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.
Below is a list of online resources for Ballard County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Ballard County Vital Records by clicking the link below:
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.
Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Ballard County, Kentucky are 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 Ballard 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.
Statewide Recordssthat 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.
There 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.
Below is a list of online resources for Ballard County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Ballard County Census Records by clicking the link below:
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 Ballard County Maps. Email us with websites containing Ballard County Maps by clicking the link below:
Click Here to 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.
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 Ballard County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Ballard County Military Records by clicking the link below:
Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
Southern Claims Commission from the State of Kentucky (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
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 Ballard County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Ballard County Tax Records by clicking the link below:
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 Ballard County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Ballard County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
Kentucky Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
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.
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 Ballard County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Ballard County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
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.
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 Ballard County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Ballard County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:
Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
Kentucky Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
The following companies are currently offering free trials on their subscriptions from 7 to 14 days. You can receive more information by clicking the links below:
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