Monroe County, the sixty-fifth county in order
of formation, is located in south-central Kentucky along
the Tennessee state line. The County is bordered by Barren County (northwest), Metcalfe County (northeast), Cumberland County (east), Clay County, TN (southeast), Macon County, TN (southwest), Allen County (west). Cities, Towns and Communities include Fountain Run, Gamaliel, Tompkinsville. In was formed on January 19, 1820, from portions
of Barren and Cumberland counties, and named in honor of
James Monroe of Virginia, who was then president of the
United States. The county seat of Monroe County is TOMPKINSVILLE,
named in honor of James Monroe's vice-president, Daniel
Tompkins of New York.
The topography of Monroe County is varied.
Level and extremely fertile lands near the Cumberland River
extend to undulating and then to very hilly lands in the
central portion of the county. The fertile river bottomlands
produce an abundance of grain crops. The more rolling lands
are devoted to pasture and woods. Approximately half of
the county is forested by a variety of second-and third-growth
timber consisting of oak, yellow poplar, black walnut,
ash, hickory, beech, cedar, and some pine. The major water
source is the Cumberland River, which makes a large loop
in the southeastern section of the county. The Big Barren
River also courses through the county.
Before the first pioneers entered the area,
prehistoric peoples hunted and lived near the streams and
in the caves throughout the region. Numerous Native American
artifacts document these camp and village sites. By the
time of European settlement, however, the inhabitants had
left the region.
Within the present borders of Monroe County,
the first European settlers migrated in the late 1780s
and early 1790s mainly from Virginia and North Carolina,
with some from Pennsylvania and Maryland. These families
settled along the banks of the Cumberland River and had
spread throughout the area by the end of the eighteenth
century. Among the earliest settlements in Monroe County
were Watson's Store and Jim-Town (later Fountain Run).
Watson's Store, located on the bluffs of Mill Creek, became
Tompkinsville in 1819 and the county seat of Monroe County
in 1820. Another prominent community is the town of Gamaliel,
established about 1840.
The county was vulnerable to invasion from
both Union and Confederate armies, and the war was devastating
to its growth and development. The area had few Southern
sympathizers in 1861, and fewer than 5 percent of the population
owned slaves. Monroe County was strongly pro-Union. Shortly
after the outbreak of hostilities, John M. Fraim established
a Union recruiting station on his farm. The 9th Kentucky
Infantry was recruited at Camp Anderson and was mustered
into service at Columbia, Kentucky. In October 1861, Camp
Anderson was seized and destroyed by Confederate forces
under the command of Col. S.S. Stanton. By the end of the
war in 1865, 801 Monroe Countians had joined the Union
army; about thirty men had officially joined the Confederacy.
Monroe County was invaded on several occasions
by both sides. The Confederate Army, under Gen. Braxton
Bragg,invaded Kentucky through Monroe County in 1862. Gen.
John Hunt Morgan passed through the county on raids into
the state. The most intense clash between Union and Confederate
forces in Monroe County occurred on July 9, 1862, when
a Confederate force, under the command of Maj. R.M. Gano,
attacked the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry, commanded by Maj.
Thomas J. Jordan. In the ensuing battle, the Union force
was turned back, but soon retook the area. On April 22,
1863, a Confederate force under the command of Col. Ollie
Hamilton captured Tompkinsville and burned a portion of
the town, including the courthouse. In the process, the
early court records of Monroe County were destroyed.
During the Civil War, the county lost a great
deal of its livestock. Crop production was severely limited,
markets disrupted, and the county was subjected to a virtual
reign of terror by bands of toughs who had been soldiers.
Monroe County was so devastated by the Civil War that full
economic recovery did not occur until the twentieth century.
After the Civil War, Monroe County became a
bastion of the Republican Party. From 1868 until the 1980s,
very few Democrats won county-wide office. Before the Civil
War, Monroe County shunned the Republican party. For example,
the county gave Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln only
three votes out of 963 votes cast in the 1860 election
and less than 25 percent of its vote in the 1864 election.
Many Monroe Countians blamed the Democratic party for the
destruction caused by the Civil War.
During the first decade of the twentieth century,
a relatively obscure Monroe County family laid the foundations
for one of the most successful political dynasties in Kentucky
history. The Carter family of
Tompkinsville virtually controlled Monroe County politics
for the next seventy years. Members of the family served
in nearly every elective and appointive office in the county.
Tim Lee CARTER, a Tompkinsville physician, was elected
to the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1960s, but
in the early 1980s the virtual monopoly of the Carter family
in Monroe County politics came to an end with his death.
Throughout the county's history, tobacco has been the
staple crop. During the nineteenth century, however, Monroe
County experimented with such crops as cotton and rice.
Industrial growth has been steady since the 1950s. There
is no heavy industry in the county; several small to moderate-sized
factories employ several hundred people.
The Baptist, Church of Christ, and Methodist denominations
are the dominant faiths, but there are numerous other Protestant
denominations and one Roman Catholic congregation in Monroe
County. One of the oldest church buildings in Kentucky
is the Old Mulkey Meeting House, built in the late eighteenth
century by Baptists.
Several newspapers have served Monroe County. The county's
first newspaper was established in Tompkinsville in 1885
by Bert Rogers. The Enterprise was published in the late
1880s, followed by the Monroe County News (later called
the Southern Recorder). In 1903, John E. Leslie established
the Tompkinsville News, which is still in operation. From
1974 to 1976 Monroe County was served by the Monroe County
Messenger.
The population of Monroe County was 11,642 in 1970; 12,353
in 1980; and 11,401 in 1990. The Official County Website is located at http://monroecounty.virtualave.net/ .
Records were lost in courthouse fires on 22 Apr 1863 and in 1888.
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. Records were lost in courthouse fires on 22 Apr 1863 and in 1888.
Monroe County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1869 and Land Records from 1863 and is located at PO
Box 188, Tompkinsville,
KY 42167-0188; Phone:
(270) 487-5471, FAX:
(270) 487-5976 . 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
Monroe County Clerk of the Circuit Court has Probate Records from 1861 and Court Records from 1863 and is located at Courthouse, P.O.
Box 245, Main Street,
Tompkinsville, KY 42167;
Phone: (270) 487-5480,
Fax: (270) 487-0068 . 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 Monroe County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Monroe 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 Monroe 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 Monroe County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Monroe 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 Monroe County, Kentucky are 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 Monroe 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 Monroe County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Monroe 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 Monroe County Maps. Email us with websites containing Monroe 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 Monroe County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Monroe 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 Monroe County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Monroe 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 Monroe County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Monroe 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 Monroe County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Monroe 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 Monroe County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Monroe 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.
