Topographically, the county is a part of the
Central Appalachian Highlands, a well-dissected plateau
with alternating steep, narrow ridges and narrow stream-made
valleys extending in all directions. The county's highest
elevation is Pine Mountain (also known locally as Cumberland
Mountain), part of the one-hundred-mile-long ridge that
is Kentucky's southeast border. Settlements and transportation
lines are largely restricted to the valleys. Pike County
is drained exclusively by the two forks of the Big Sandy
River. Over two-thirds of its area is drained by the larger
of these, the Levisa and its main Pike County tributaries
(the Johns, Island, Shelby, Grapevine, and Feds creeks
and Russell Fork). Tug Fork and its principal branches
(Big, Pond, Blackberry, Peter, and Knox creeks) drain over
two hundred square miles of the county's northeast and
eastern sections.
The first white explorers known to have visited
Pike County were the members of Maj. Andrew Lewis's ill-fated
Big Sandy expedition of 1756, who camped on the Kentucky
side of the Tug Fork. Daniel Boone and a companion are
believed to have descended Shelby Creek in their 1767 search
for the Bluegrass region. In 1773 Enoch Smith and party
may have built a horse pen on upper Johns Creek. The first
known permanent settlement in Pike County was made in 1790
at the mouth of Sycamore Creek, on lower Johns Creek by
the family of William Robert Lesley. By 1800 other settlements
were being made on the Levisa in the vicinity of present-day
Pikeville.
Before Pike County was formed on December 19,
1821, it had been, in succession, a part of Fayette, Bourbon,
Mason, and Floyd counties. The county was named for Gen.
Zebulon M. Pike, the U.S. Army officer and explorer who
discovered Pike's Peak. The first session of the county
court
met on March 4, 1822, at the home of Spencer Adkins on
the Levisa Fork near the mouth of Russell Fork. On March
25 a permanent county seat was selected at a site to be
called Liberty, about a mile and a half below the mouth
of Russell Fork. Opposition by settlers north of the Levisa
led to a decision the following year to relocate the seat
on Elijah Adkins's land on Peach Orchard Bottom, across
the Levisa from the mouth of Lower Chloe Creek. After the
site was surveyed by James Honaker, a town was laid out
in the early spring of 1824 and named Pikeville after the
county. Pikeville, the county's largest city, is on the
Levisa Fork, seven and a half stream miles from the Floyd
County line and 145 road miles east-southeast of downtown
Lexington. Elkhorn City, on Russell Fork, two stream miles
from the Virginia line, is the county's second largest
town. Other major communities include Belfry, Phelps, Virgie,
Coal Run, Hellier, Huddy, and McCarr-Buskirk.
Pike County, located in the heart of the Appalachian coal
fields, has been one of the principal coal producing counties
in the nation since 1910. Though exploitable coal deposits
in nearly every section of the county were known to geologists
and others before the Civil War, their large-scale commercial
development awaited the coming of the railroads in the
first two decades of the twentieth century. In 1986 Pike
County had 319 underground coal mines and 148 surface mines,
more than any other Kentucky county. In 1987 some 31.4
million tons were mined (18 percent of the state's total)
with a gross value in excess of $697 million.
Until rail shipping made coal production practical, Pike
County's hardwood forests were its major economic resource.
In the late nineteenth century, millions of board feet
of timber were shipped down nearly every major stream to
the Big Sandy River and ultimately to the Ohio River markets
at Catlettsburg and Cincinnati. Excessive exploitation
depleted this valuable resource, and today the resurgence
of the timber industry is still years away. Extensive gas
deposits in the northern section of the county have also
contributed substantially to Pike County's economic development.
Many Pike Countians have been subsistence farmers, but
because of irregular terrain and the limited amount of
available land, commercial agriculture was never an important
source of income. Mining and quarrying continue to employ
the highest proportion of the county's work force (28 percent
in 1986). Economic planners see tourism and light industry
as Pike County's hope for the future. Today there are several
small manufacturing plants on Johns Creek and in the greater
Pikeville area.
Since the 1910s, Pike County has been served
by two major railroads: the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway (now part
of CSX Transportation) and the Norfolk & Western Railroad
(now part of the Norfolk-Southern Corporation). An improved
system of state and federal highways, which includes U.S.
23/ 119, U.S. 460, and KY 80, links the county with the
rest of the state and the eastern states. A county airport
for small private craft is six miles north of Pikeville.
The county's most notable landmarks include the Fish Trap
Dam and its 1,331-acre impoundment of the Levisa Fork,
ten stream miles southeast of Pikeville. Authorized by
the Federal Flood Control Act of 1938, the 1,100-foot-long,
195-foot-high dam was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
and dedicated in 1968.
The Breaks of the Big Sandy, often called the Grand Canyon
of the South, is a five-mile-long, 100-foot-deep channel
formed by the Russell Fork on the Kentucky-Virginia border
just above Elkhorn City. Since 1945 the two states have
jointly maintained the 4,600-acre Breaks Interstate Park.
During the decade of the 1970s, Pike County was one of
the fastest growing counties in eastern Kentucky and experienced
a 33 percent increase in population. The population of
the county was 61,059 in 1970; 81,123 in 1980; and 72,583
in 1990. The Official County Website is located at ? .
No records were lost in a courthouse disaster in 1977.
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. No records were lost in a courthouse disaster in 1977.
Pike County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1822 and Land Records from 1820 and is located at PO
Box 631, Pikeville, KY
41501-0631; Phone: (606)
432-6211, FAX: (606)
432-6222 . 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
Pike County Clerk of the Circuit Court has Probate Records from 1839 and Court Records from 1822 and is located at Courthouse, 172
Division Street,
Suite 336,
Pikeville, Ky,
41502; Phone: 606-433-7557 . 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 Pike County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Pike 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 Pike 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 Pike County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Pike 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 Pike 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 Pike 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 Pike County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Pike 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 Pike County Maps. Email us with websites containing Pike 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 Pike County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Pike 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 Pike County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Pike 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 Pike County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Pike County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
Pike County
Historical Society,
PO Box 97,
Pikeville, KY 41502
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 Pike County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Pike 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 Pike County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Pike 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.
