Johnson County, the nineteenth county in order
of formation, is located in eastern Kentucky.
The county contains 264 square miles in the watershed of
the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River. Named for Richard
M. Johnson, it was created in 1843. Parts of Floyd, Morgan and Lawrence counties went to make up Johnson; PAINTSVILLE
was chosen as the county seat. The County is bordered by Lawrence County (north), Martin County (east), Floyd County (south), Magoffin County (southwest), Morgan County (northwest). Cities, Towns and Communities include Boonscamp, Collista, Denver, East Point, Flat Gap, Hager Hill, Leander, Meally, Oil Springs, Paintsville, Riceville, Staffordsville, Stambaugh, Swamp Branch, Thealka, Tutor Key, Van Lear, West Van Lear, Whitehouse, Williamsport, Wittensville
Human occupation of present-day Johnson County
dates back at least to the Adena culture. In 1938 a Works
Progress Administration crew, under the supervision of
an archeological team from the Universities of Kentucky
and New Mexico, excavated four Adena burial mounds along
Paint Creek in Paintsville. According to local legends,
by the seventeenth century Johnson County may have been
inhabited by a Native American group known as the Totero.
Their principal village was at Hager Hill. The Totero were
probably related to the Siouian-speaking Tutelo of southwestern
Virginia and they may have migrated southward with the
Tutelo into western North Carolina. Anglo-Americans from
Virginia began to explore the area during the 1750s. Dr.
Thomas Walker's party traveled down Paint Creek in 1750
and other whites may have hunted in the area prior to the
first permanent settlement, at the site that is now Blackhouse
Bottom.
By 1860 the population of the county exceeded
5,000, including twenty-seven slaves and nineteen free
blacks. Even though most Johnson Countians remained loyal
to the Union during the Civil War, the fiscal court in
October of 1861 ordered that anyone publicly raising a
Union or Confederate flag would be fined fifty dollars.
While both Union and Confederate armies marched through
the county during the war, the only substantial skirmish
occurred along Jenny's Creek on January 7, 1862.
Coal mining has dominated the
economic history of Johnson County. As early as the 1840s,
two Johnson County men opened a coal yard in Greentown.
In 1888, the Chatterawha Railroad was extended from Ashland
to White House to transport the cannel coal being mined
there. Largely through the efforts of John C.C. Mayo,
the Chesapeake & Ohio extended
its line to Paintsville in 1904.
Shortly thereafter, major coal companies began
to develop the mineral wealth of the county. The Northeast
Coal Company developed mines in the vicinity of Thealka
and White House. Consolidation Coal Company purchased the
rights to develop the extremely rich Miller's Creek seam.
In 1909 Consolidation Coal began to build a model company
town on Miller's Creek. The community was named for company
director Van Lear Black. Within ten years, Van Lear was
the largest town in the county, with a population of more
than 4,000.
Unlike Northeast Coal, Consolidation did not
rely exclusively on local labor. Van Lear soon had a significant
number of immigrants from Eastern Europe and Afro-Americans
from the lower South. On Labor Day 1924, thousands of people
gathered in Paintsville to witness a parade of two hundred
robed members of the Ku Klux Klan.
Coal mining in Johnson County slowly declined
after 1946, when Consolidation Coal began to sell off its
coal lands to the Farwest Coal Company, which ceased operations
in 1955. Even though most of the deep mines were closed
by 1960, nineteen strip mines were operating in Johnson
County as late as 1973.
In 1970, the state began construction of the
Carl D. Perkins Rehabilitation Center in Thelma. In 1980,
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed work on a dam
at the juncture of Little Paint Creek and Open Fork. Paintsville
Lake, four miles west of the city, stretches for eighteen
miles and covers more than 11,000 acres. Recreational facilities
have been added at various points to make the lake accessible
to boaters and swimmers.
Like much of the Big Sandy region, Johnson
County has been flooded repeatedly. Major inundations occurred
in 1862, 1918, 1929, 1936, 1939, 1955, 1957, 1962, 1963,
and 1977. In 1957 the Levisa Fork crested in Paintsville
at forty-six feet, fourteen feet above flood stage. The
rising waters did more than $4 million worth of property
damage. Dams on John's Creek in Floyd County and Little
Paint Creek in Johnson County have helped in flood control.
The population of Johnson County was 17,539
in 1970; 24,432 in 1980; and 23,248 in 1990. The Official County Website is located at http://www.johnsoncountyky.com/ .
See Extended History for More information.
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.
Johnson County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1843 and Land Records from 1843 and is located at 230
Court Street, Suite 124,
Paintsville, KY 41240-1607;
Phone: (606) 789-2557,
FAX: (606) 789-2559 . 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
Johnson County Clerk of the Circuit Court has Probate Records from 1859 and Court Records from 1843 and is located at Courthouse, Court
Street,
Paintsville, KY 41240; Phone:
606-789-5181 ,
Fax: 606-789-4192, [EMAIL] . 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 Johnson County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Johnson 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 Johnson 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 Johnson County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Johnson 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 Johnson County, Kentucky are 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 Johnson 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 Johnson County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Johnson 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 Johnson County Maps. Email us with websites containing Johnson 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 Johnson County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Johnson 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 Johnson County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Johnson 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 Johnson County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Johnson 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 Johnson County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Johnson 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 Johnson County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Johnson 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.
