Breathitt County, Kentucky
Date:
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Location: Breathitt, Kentucky, United States
Location: Breathitt, Kentucky, United States
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Welcome to Breathitt County, Kentucky
This is a joint sub-project page of the United States History Project. 
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Contents |
Introduction
- This page is intended to provide historical context and references that may assist Breathitt County researchers with their genealogy and family history endeavors. It is still a work in progress: your input and suggestions are welcome. Volunteers are always welcome!
- The leader of this project is:
- The coordinator for this county is: Pam D.
History/Timeline
Breathitt County was formed in 1839 and was named for John Breathitt (1786-abt.1834), who was Governor of Kentucky from 1832 to 1834.
Government Offices
- The first courthouse was built and was destroyed in1866 during the Civil War.
- The second courthouse was built and was destroyed by fire in 1873.
- The third courthouse was a two story brick Victorian structure built in 1876 to 1877 and was remodeled in 1889 and 1912. The courthouse was demolished in 1958.
- The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1962 to 1963.
- The County Judicial Center was constructed in 2005 to 2006.
Geography
The county was created in 1839 and Jackson was selected as the county seat.
Adjacent counties
| Northwest Wolfe County |
North Magoffin County |
Northeast |
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| West |
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Breathitt County, Kentucky |  |
East Knott County |
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| Southwest Owsley County |
South |
Southeast Perry County |
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Breathitt County Communities
- Altro
- Barwick
- Bays
- Beech
- Caney
- Canoe
- Chenowee
- Clayhole
- Cockrell Fork (on line between Breathitt and Perry Counties)
- Crockettsville
- Elkatawa
- Evanston
- Fishtrap
- Flintville
- Frozen/Frozen Creek
- Fugates Fork
- Guage
- Haddix
- Hardshell
- Hayes Branch
- Jackson (county seat)
- Jetts Creek
- Keck
- Kragon
- Leatherwood
- Little
- Lost Creek
- Moct
- Morris Fork
- Ned
- Nix Branch
- Noble
- Noctor
- Oakdale
- Panhandle
- Portsmouth
- Quicksand
- River Caney
- Riverside
- Roosevelt
- Rose Branch
- Rousseau
- Rowdy
- Saldee
- Sebastians Branch
- Shoulderblade
- Smith Branch
- South Fork
- Stevenson
- Troublesome Creek
- Turkey
- Turners Creek
- Vancleve
- War Creek
- Watts
- Whick
- Wilhurst
- Wilstacy
- Wolf Coal
- Wolverine
Demographics
| Census Year | Resident Population | Increase or Decrease in Population | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1840 | 2,195 | — | |
| 1850 | 3,785 | 72.4% | |
| 1860 | 4,980 | 31.6% | |
| 1870 | 5,672 | 13.9% | |
| 1880 | 7,742 | 36.5% | |
| 1890 | 8,705 | 12.4% | |
| 1900 | 14,322 | 64.5% | |
| 1910 | 17,540 | 22.5% ! | |
| 1920 | 20,614 | 17.5% | |
| 1930 | 21,143 | 2.6% | |
| 1940 | 23,946 | 13.3% | |
| 1950 | 19,964 | −16.6% | |
| 1960 | 15,490 | −22.4% | |
| 1970 | 14,221 | −8.2% | |
| 1980 | 17,004 | 19.6% | |
| 1990 | 15,703 | −7.7% | |
| 2000 | 16,100 | 2.5% | |
| 2010 | 13,878 | −13.8% | |
| 2020 | 13,718 | −1.2% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 13,553 | −1.2% |
Slavery in Breathitt County
1850 Slave Schedule
- 46 slave owners
- 118 Black slaves
- 51 Mulatto slaves
- 3 free Blacks
- 8 free Mulattoes
1860 Slave Schedule
- 46 slave owners
- 115 Black slaves
- 75 Mulatto slaves
- 7 free Blacks
- 19 free Mulattoes [last names Freeman and Smith]
1870 U.S. Federal Census
- 75 Blacks
- 103 Mulattoes
- At least 2 U.S. Colored Troops listed Breathitt County, KY, as their birth location [Henson Calamees and Robert Chanler]. [1]
Notables
Major Highways
- KY-15
Historic Sites
Cemetery Resources
Breathitt County Resources
Original County Documents
- The Breathitt County Court Clerk maintains many original documents dating from 1849 to the present, including:
- Marriage Records
- Land Sales and Leases
- Wills
- Power of Attorney Assignments
- Affidavits of Descent
Birth Records
Census Records
- Breathitt County, Kentucky, Census Records
- United States Census, 1810
- United States Census, 1820
- United States Census, 1830
- United States Census, 1840
- United States Census, 1850
- United States Census, 1860
- United States Census, 1870
- United States Census, 1880
- United States Census, 1900
- United States Census, 1910
- United States Census, 1920
- United States Census, 1930
- United States Census, 1940
- United States Census, 1950 (Coming Soon)]
Marriages
- Breathitt County KY Marriage Records at LDS Genealogy
- Breathitt County Marriage Announcements at Genealogy Trails
Death Records
- Ky Vital Statistics Deaths, 1852-1909, at Genealogy Trails
- Breathitt County KY Death Records on LDS Genealogy
Wills
Military Records
Recent Obituaries
- Breathitt Funeral Home
- Deaton Funeral Home
- http://m.wattsfuneralhomekentucky.com/obituaries/list?searchTerm=&sortingColumn=3 Watt Funeral Hime]
- Breathitt County Obituaries]
Other Web Site Resources
- Breathitt County in KyGenWeb Project
- Breathitt County in KyGenWeb Archives
- Breathitt County at FamilySearch.org
- Breathitt County at Genealogy Trails
- Breathitt County at LDS Genealogy
KY Statewide Online
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