Kentucky History

Profile manager: Cheryl Caudill [send private message]

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The Leader of this project is Sandy (Craig) Patak

The coordinators for this project are Pam (Dale) Fraley and Tricia Payne

The purpose of this project is to coordinate all Kentucky related projects and resources and combine that information into one place.

Kentucky Counties

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Kentucky History Timeline

1792 Kentucky Counties when became the 15th state.

1739, Capt. Charles de Longueuil discovers Big Bone Lick.

1750, Explorer Dr. Thomas Walker discovered a pass through the mountains. He called it the Cumberland Gap.

1750-1751, Dr. Thomas Walker and Christopher Gist led the first surveying parties into Kentucky.

1763, France cedes area including Kentucky to Britain.

1767, Daniel Boone, who had explored the area in and around Cumberland Gap

1769, Daniel Boone, with a party of hunters led by John Finley, they first saw the far distant Bluegrass atop Pilot Knob, now in what is currently known as Powell County. The recorded date is June 7, 1769; they returned to Kentucky for a two-year exploration of the region.

1774, The first permanent European settlement was Harrodsburg which was established by James Harrod. Dunmore's War: The Shawnee were not happy that the Europeans were building homes on their hunting grounds. They attacked the settlers and soon the settlers were at war with the Shawnee. In 1774, the governor of Virginia, Lord Dunmore, declared war on the Shawnee. He defeated the Shawnee at the Battle of Point Pleasant. After the battle, the Shawnee and the settlers agreed to use the Ohio River as a border between the British colonists and the Shawnee. Indians gave Richard Henderson land between Ohio and Cumberland rivers for Transylvania Land Company.

1775, Daniel Boone led a number of settlers into Kentucky to establish the town of Boonesborough. He also widened and improved the trail across the Cumberland Gap so that wagons could travel through. This trail became known as the Wilderness Road. Many settlers over the coming years used this trail to settle Kentucky. Kentucky's first hemp crop was grown in 1775, and Kentucky went on to become the nation's leading hemp-producing state in the mid-19th century with peak production of 40,000 tons in 1850. U.S. hemp production declined after the Civil War, and almost all of the nation's hemp was grown in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky.

1776, Kentucky became a separate county of Virginia. (Harrodsburg settlers, jealous of Boonesboro, send George Rogers Clark and John Jones to ask Virginia's aid; Virginia declares Transylvania Land Company illegal; creates Kentucky County.)

1778, The longest siege in United States frontier history was the thirteen-day siege of Fort Boonesborough in September 1778

1779, The First Baptist Church west of the Allegheny Mountains was formed at Elizabethtown

1780, The city of Louisville is established. Ruddell's Station was attacked by Capt. Henry Byrd and his British and Shawnee Indians in 1780. About twenty inhabitants were killed at the site. The survivors were subjected to a forced march to Detroit (some given to the Shawnees for their participation), where they remained prisoners for the remainder of the Revolutionary War. The bones of the victims were later gathered and buried in a mass grave covered with stones. The site was included in Hinkston's 1,400-acre settlement and preemptive grant, filed in 1784, and is marked by a stone monument." Low Dutch Station was established in 1780 on the middle fork of Beargrass Creek in Kentucky. This station was settled by Dutch pioneers from Pennsylvania and was also known as New Holland Station. Jefferson, county seat Louisville, Lincoln, county seat Stanford and Fayette, county seat Lexington were the 3 original counties of Kentucky. Kentucky was originally a county of Virginia.

1782, "Last battle of American Revolution" fought at Blue Licks, near Mount Olivet also it wasOne of the last Native American battles in Kentucky occurred at the Battle of Blue Licks, although small skirmishes and raids would continue until 1813. The Town of Lexington was established.

1784, First of ten conventions held to prepare way for separation of Kentucky from Virginia

1785, Nelson County was formed out of part of Jefferson County. County seat Bardstown.

1786, Bourbon County was formed out of part of Fayette County. County seat of Paris. Mercer County with County seat of Harrodsburg and Madison County with County seat of Richmond were formed out of part of Lincoln County.

1789, Mason County with County seat of Maysville was formed out of part of Bourbon County. Woodford County with County seat of Versailles was formed out of part of Fayette County.

1791, Upper Spottsvania Baptist Church Left In 1791 For Floyd County, Kentucky From Virginia Leading the Wagon train was Rev. Lewis Craig and Capt. William Ellis.

1792, After the Revolutionary War, Kentucky became a part of the state of Virginia. Soon the people of Kentucky wanted to make their own government. They applied for statehood and on June 1, 1792 Kentucky became the 15th state. Isaac Shelby was chosen as the first governor. Kentucky's first constitution was drafted in April and May of this year and Frankfort was chosen to be the Capital City. Kentucky chose to be known as a commonwealth, meaning government based on the common consent of the people and dating to the time of Oliver Cromwell's England. Washington County with County seat of Springfield was formed out of part of Nelson County. Scott County with County seat of Georgetown was formed from part of Woodford County. Shelby County with County seat of Shelbyville was formed out of part of Jefferson County. Logan County with County sear of Russellville was formed out of part of Lincoln County.

1793, Clark County with County seat of Winchester was formed out of parts of Bourbon and Fayette Counties. Hardin County with County seat of Elizabethtown was formed out of parts of Nelson County. Green County with County seat of Greensburg was formed out of part of Lincoln County.

1794, Gen. "Mad Anthony" Wayne's victory at Fallen Timbers in Ohio ends Indian attacks in Kentucky and on July 4, 1794, Col. William Price, Revolutionary War veteran, held the first Independence Day celebration in the West, in what is now known as Jessamine County. Harrison County with County seat of Cynthiana was formed out of parts of Bourbon and Scott Counties.

1795, Franklin County with County seat of Frankfort was formed out of parts of Mercer, Shelby and Woodford Counties. Campbell County with the County seats of Alexandria and Newport was formed out of parts of Harrison, Mason and Scott Counties.

1796, Wilderness Road opened to wagons

1797, Bullitt County with County seat of Sheperdsville was formed out of parts of Jefferson and Nelson Counties. Christian County with County seat of Hopkinsville was formed out part of Logan County. Montgomery County with County seat of Mount Sterling was formed out of part of Clark County. Bracken County with County seat of Brooksville was formed out of part of Mason County. Warren County with County seat of Bowling Green was formed out of part of Logan County. Garrard County with County sear of Lancaster was formed out of parts of Lincoln, Madison and Mercer Counties.

1798, Legislature passes Kentucky Resolutions opposing United States Alien and Sedition Acts. Fleming County with County seat of Flemingsburg was formed out of part of Mason County.

1799, Pulaski County with County seat of Somerset was formed out parts of Green and Lincoln Counties. Pendleton County with County seat of Falmouth was formed out of parts of Bracken and Campbell Counties. Livingston County with County seat of Smithland was formed out part of Christian County. Boone County with County seat of Burlington was formed out of part of Campbell County. Henry County with County seat of New Castle was formed out part of Shelby County. Cumberland County with County seat of Burkesville was formed out of part of Green County. Gallatin County with County seat of Warsaw was formed out of parts of Franklin and Shelby Counties. Muhlenberg County with County Seat of Greenville was formed out of parts of Christian and Logan Counties. Ohio County with County seat of Hartford was formed out of part of Hardin County. Jessamine County with County seat of Nicholasville was formed out of part of Fayette County. Barren County with County seat of Glasgow was formed out of parts of Green and Warren Counties. Henderson County with County seat of Henderson was formed out of part of Christian County.

1800, Breckinridge County with County seat of Hardinsburg was formed out of part of Hardin County. Floyd County with County seat of Prestonsburg was formed out of parts of Fleming, Mason and Montgomery Counties. Knox County with County seat of Barbourville was formed out of part of Lincoln County. Nicholas County with County seat of Carlisle was formed out of parts of Bourbon and Mason Counties.

1801, The great church camp meeting at Cane Ridge in Bourbon County was attended by more than 20,000. Wayne County with County seat of Monticello was formed from parts of Cumberland and Pulaski Counties.

1802, Adair County with County seat of Columbia was formed from part of Green County.

1804, Greenup County with County seat of Greenup was formed from part of Mason County.

1807, Casey County with County seat of Liberty was formed from part of Lincoln County. Clay County with County seat of Manchester was formed from parts of Floyd, Knox and Madison Counties. Lewis County with County seat of Vanceburg was formed from part of Mason County. Hopkins County with County seat of Madisonville was formed from part of Henderson County.

1808, Estill County with County seat of Irvine was formed from parts of Clark and Madison Counties.

1809, Caldwell County with County seat of Princeton was formed from part of Livingston County.

1810, Rockcastle County with County seat of Mount Vernon was formed from parts of Knox, Lincoln, Madison, and Pulaski Counties. Butler County with County seat of Morgantown was formed from parts of Logan and Ohio Counties. Grayson County with County seat of Leitchfield was formed form parts of Hardin and Ohio Counties.

1811, Henry Clay elected to Congress from Kentucky. New Orleans, first steamboat on Ohio River, stops at Louisville. Union County with County seat of Morganfield was formed from part of Henderson County. Bath County with County seat of Owingsville was formed from part of Montgomery County.

1815, Steamship Enterprise reaches Louisville from New Orleans, La. Allen County with the County seat of Scottsville was formed from parts of Barren and Warren Counties. Daviess County with the County seat of Owensboro formed from part of Ohio County.

1818, The westernmost region of the state was annexed, following its purchase from the Chickasaw Indians. Whitley County with County seat of Williamsburg was formed from part of Knox County.

1819, The first commercial oil well was on the Cumberland River in McCreary County Kentucky. Harlan County with County seat of Harlan was formed from parts of Floyd and Knox Counties. Hart County with County seat Munfordville was formed from parts of Green and Hardin Counties. Owen County with County seat of Owenton was formed from parts of Franklin, Gallitin and Scott Counties. Simpson County with County seat of Franklin was formed from parts of Allen, Logan and Warren Counties.

1820, Todd County with the County seat of Elkton was formed from parts of Christian and Logan Counties. Monroe County with the County seat of Tompkinsville was formed from parts of Barren and Cumberland Counties. Trigg County with the County seat of Cadiz was formed from parts of Caldwell and Christian Counties. Grant County with County seat of Williamstown was formed from part of Pendleton County.

1821, Perry County with County seat of Hazard was formed from parts of Clay and Floyd Counties. Hickman County with the County seat of Clinton was formed from parts of Caldwell and Livingston Counties. Calloway County with the County seat of Murray was formed from part of Hickman County. Graves County with County seat of Mayfield was formed from part of Hickman County. McCracken County with County seat of Paducah was formed from part of Hickman County.

1822, Lawrence County with County seat of Louisa was formed from parts of Floyd and Greenup Counties. Pike County with County seat of Pikeville was formed from part of Floyd County.

1823, Morgan County with County seat of West Liberty was formed from parts of Bath and Floyd Counties.

1824, Oldham County with the County seat of LaGrange was formed from parts of Henry, Jefferson and Shelby Counties. Meade County with the County seat of Brandenburg was formed from parts of Breckinridge and Hardin Counties. Spencer County with the County seat of Taylorsville was formed from parts of Bullitt, Nelson and Shelby Counties.

1825, Edmonson County with County seat of Brownsville was formed from parts of Grayson, Hart and Warren Counties.

1826, Laurel County with County seat of London was formed from parts of Clay, Knox, Rockcastle and Whitley Counties. Russell County with County seat of Wayne was formed from parts of Adair and Cumberland Counties.

1827, Anderson County with County seat of Lawrenceburg was formed from parts of Franklin, Mercer and Washington Counties.

1829, Hancock County with County seat of Hawesville was formed from parts of Breckinridge, Daviess and Ohio Counties.

1830, Louisville and Portland Canal opened

1833, Cholera Epidemic

1834, Marion County with County seat of Lebanon was formed from part of Washington County.

1836, Clinton County with County seat of Albany was formed from parts of Cumberland and Wayne Counties.

1837, Trimble County with County seat of Bedford was formed from parts of Gallatin, Henry and Oldham Counties.

1838, Carroll County with County seat of Carrollton was formed from parts of Gallatin, Henry and Trimble Counties. Carter County with County seat of Grayson was formed from parts of Greenup and Lawrence Counties.

1839, Breathitt County with County seat of Jackson was formed from parts of Clay, Estill and Perry Counties.

1840, Kenton County with County seats of Covington and Independence formed from part of Campbell County.

1849, Zachary Taylor, Kentucky hero of the Mexican American War, becomes 12th president of United States.

1850, Kentucky was the 8th most populated state in the nation in the 1850 census. There were 982,405 citizens listed

1861, Kentucky decides to side with Union in the Civil War after trying to remain neutral. Kentucky was torn apart by conflicting loyalties. Officially a neutral state, brother often fought against brother on the battlefield, as Kentucky supplied approximately 100,000 troops to the North and 40,000 troops to the South. Coincidentally, Kentucky was the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln and the Confederate president Jefferson Davis. The two great men were born in log cabins within one year and 100 miles of each other. Fort Jefferson, the first settlement in western Kentucky, was one of the first Kentucky positions occupied by Union Troops after the Confederates seized the area surrounding Columbus in September 1861.

1862, Kentucky's strategic potential was recognized by both sides in the conflict, and several bloody engagements and many guerrilla raids occurred throughout the state. The first major battle on Kentucky soil during the Civil War was fought near Prestonsburg, January 10, 1862. The most violent battle took place near Perryville in 1862, with a toll of 1,600 dead and 5,400 wounded.

1863 to 1891 The Infamous Hatfield and McCoy feud, McCoy's lived mostly in Kentucky and the Hatfield's in West Virginia.

1865, University of Kentucky founded at Lexington

1875, The first Kentucky Derby is held at Churchill Downs.

1891, Present state constitution adopted.

1892, The radio was invented by a Kentuckian named Nathan B. Stubblefield of Murray in 1892.

1904 to 1908 - The Black Patch Tobacco Wars takes place in Kentucky.

1936, The U.S. Treasury Gold Vault was established at Fort Knox.

1937, The Ohio River floods causing extensive damage.

1939, Federal legislation passed in 1938 outlawed production of cannabis, including hemp, in the U.S. Hemp production in Kentucky and the U.S. ramped up during World War II as part of the war effort but fell again after the war.

1964, Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) wins his first heavyweight championship fight.

1966, Kentucky is first Southern state to pass a comprehensive civil rights law. Barkley Dam on Cumberland River dedicated.

1970, That the state had more urban than rural dwellers

Town and County Projects

• Edmonson County, Kentucky
• Grayson County, Kentucky
• Metcalfe County, Kentucky - New!
• Clark County, Kentucky-New!
• Whitley County,Kentucky Records
• Space:Low Dutch Settlements in Kentucky

Kentucky Related Categories on WikiTree

• Kentucky Category page
• Kentucky Projects page
• Kentucky, Cemeteries
• Kentucky Colleges & Universities
• Kentucky Governors
• Kentucky Homesteaders
• Native Americans Project
• Kentucky, Politicians
• Kentucky, Religious Congregations
• Kentucky Research Assistance

State Resources

• from Team Missouri's Source-a-Thon page:
  • KYGenWeb Project
  • Cyndi's List - Kentucky
  • Barren County, KY, marriage records
• from others:
  • Kentucky Historical Marker Database
  • Kentucky Atlas & Gazetteer

Related WikiTree Projects & Categories

• Appalachia Project: Central Appalachia Team
• US Black Heritage Project: Kentucky Team
• US Governors Project: Governors of Kentucky

• Low Dutch Settlements in Kentucky
• Hatfield and McCoy Project
• Homesteaders Project
• Native Americans Project

• 1776 Project
• US Civil War: Kentucky
• Kentucky in the Great War
• United States in World War II page