Caldwell County, the fifty-first county in
order of formation, is located in the western part of the
state in the Pennyroyal region. It
has an area of 357 square miles. The county seat is PRINCETON.
The County is bordered by Crittenden County (northwest), Webster County & Hopkins County (northeast), Christian County (southeast), Trigg County (south), Lyon County (southwest). Cities, Towns and Communities include Fredonia, Princeton
In 1797 Capt. William Prince of South Carolina
received a patent for a tract of land that surrounded Big
Spring at the head of Eddy Creek. On a promontory above
Big Spring, where many trails converged, he erected a large
two-story limestone structure that served as both home
and tavern. The building, Shandy Hall, was not only one
of the earliest structures in this region but probably
the first masonry building in all of western Kentucky.
The settlement that developed there around Shandy Hall
was originally known as Eddy Grove.
Prince's settlement originally lay within the
part of Christian County from which Livingston County was
created in 1799 and which ten years later was subdivided
to form Caldwell County. It was named in honor of Gen.
John Caldwell, who had served under Gen. George Rogers
Clark in the Indian wars and who had been a prominent legislator
and businessman in the Bluegrass region before he moved
to western Kentucky. He was the first western Kentuckian
to be elected to the Kentucky state Senate, and was the
slate's second lieutenant governor (1804). When it was
formed, Caldwell County encompassed all of what are now
Lyon and Calloway counties and portions of Trigg, Marshall,
Hickman, Graves, and Fulton counties. Much to the dismay
of the citizens living in the vicinity of Eddy Grove, EDDYVILLE
was chosen the first county seat of Caldwell County.
After Prince died in 1810, his widow, Elizabeth
Prince, donated fifty acres of land around Eddy Grove,
where the new seat of Caldwell County would be established.
The county court expressed its appreciation by renaming
the town Princetonn, soon changed to Princeton. When Caldwell
County was created in 1809, it was one of two Kentucky
counties that claimed land west of the Tennessee River
in territory recognized by the federal government as Chickasaw
tribal lands. After the Jackson Purchase in 1818, the newly
created town of Princeton became the staging area for the
settlement of the Jackson Purchase region. In 1820 the
Kentucky legislature approved legislation creating the
Commonwealth Bank of Kentucky. The bank's westernmost branch
was located in Princeton to serve those who settled in
the newly opened Jackson Purchase. Two years later, the
Register of the Kentucky Land Office opened a branch in
Princeton to further encourage settlement of the Purchase.
Princeton's role in the western movement was
enhanced when a state road was built in the late 1820s
from Elizabethtown through Princeton to the Mississippi
River crossing at Columbus. During the same period, another
state road was built northward from Hopkinsville through
Princeton to a number of crossings of the Ohio, to accommodate
southerners migrating to the Midwest. Farriers, blacksmiths,
wagon shops, harness and saddle shops, taverns, and all
types of merchants whose wares were needed by settlers
moving west, kept the young town of Princeton thriving
for years.
Since early settlement, the economy of Caldwell
County was based upon agriculture, and the principal crop
was dark-fired tobacco. Western Kentucky was the most strategically
located of all the regions for the export of tobacco through
the port of New Orleans; in 1860 Caldwell County ranked
sixth among Kentucky counties in the production of tobacco.
In the early 1900s the county was at the center of a farmers'
revolt against monopolistic tobacco processors and manufacturers,
known as the BLACK PATCH WAR. David Amoss, of Cobb, Caldwell
County, was one of those who organized farmers into vigilante
bands.
Before the advent of railroads,
Caldwell County produce was shipped to market through
the Cumberland River ports of Eddyville, Dycusburg, and
the Tradewater River port of Belleville. The Elizabethtown & Paducah (now
the Paducah & Louisville) Railroad reached Princeton
in 1872, and by the 1880s connections were made through
the city to Nashville; Evansville, Indiana; and north-south
routes at Fulton, Kentucky. Railroads played a dominant
role in Princeton's growth. Train and maintenance crews
were assembled there at the large railroad yard, and a
roundhouse existed to maintain the steam locomotives. With
the building of interstate highways, the Princeton area
remained an important transportation center for western
Kentucky as the Western Kentucky Parkway skirted the town
and intersected 1-24 just to the west of the town.
The population of the county was 13,179 in
1970; 13,473 in 1980: and 13,232 in 1990. The Official County Website is located at ? .
A courthouse fire on 15 Dec 1864 destroyed some records.
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. A courthouse fire on 15 Dec 1864 destroyed some records.
Caldwell County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1809 and Land Records from 1809 and is located at 100
E Market Str, Rm
23, Princeton, KY 42445-1696;
(270) 365-6754,
FAX: (270) 365-7447 ,
[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
Caldwell County Clerk of the Circuit Court has Probate Records from 1809 and Court Records from 1809 and is located at Courthouse, 105
West Court Square,
Princeton, KY 42445; 270-365-6884 . 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 Caldwell County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Caldwell 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.
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 Caldwell County clerk of the circuit court that granted the decree.You can download an application online for Marriage Certificates or Divorce Certificates.
Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering below
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.
Below is a list of online resources for Caldwell County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Caldwell County Vital Records by clicking the link below:
Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
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 Caldwell 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 Caldwell 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.
Below is a list of online resources for Caldwell County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Caldwell 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 Caldwell County Maps. Email us with websites containing Caldwell 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 Caldwell County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Caldwell 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 Caldwell County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Caldwell 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 Caldwell County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Caldwell 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 Caldwell County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Caldwell County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers throughout the world.
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 Caldwell County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Caldwell 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.
