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Letcher County History and Information |
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Letcher
County, the ninetyfifth county in order of formation,
is located in southeastern Kentucky. The County is bordered by Knott County (northwest), Pike County (northeast), Wise County, VA (southeast), Harlan County (south), Perry County (southwest). Cities, Towns and Communities include Blackey, Fleming-Neon, Jenkins, McRoberts, Whitesburg
The county was formed in 1842 from portions of Perry and Harlan counties, and was named for Gov. Robert E
Letcher (1840-44). The county seat is WHITESBURG.
The
terrain of Letcher County is rugged and mountainous,
with narrow but fertile valleys along the streams. Three
of the state's major rivers-the Cumberland, the North
Fork of the Kentucky, and the Levisa Fork of the Big
Sandy-all have headwaters in the county. Resources are
coal, oil, and timber. In 1987 farms occupied only 2
percent of the land, with poultry and corn being the
major crops.
The
Pound Gap of Pine Mountain on the county's eastern border
with Virginia placed it on a pioneer trail into the state,
but most of the first pioneers only passed through, settling
elsewhere. In 1795 Peter Whitaker built a cabin on what
is now Whitaker's Branch. Nine years later George Ison
II and his family settled on Line Fork. Other early settlers
were Benjamin Webb of Maryland, James Caudill of Virginia,
and William Stamper of North Carolina. By 1806 nearly
every main creek area had been settled by one or more
families. By 1810 there were over one hundred different
families living there.
Between
1810 and 1840 the population grew rapidly. Most people
settled in the vicinity of Mayking, but the county seat
went to Whitesburg, two miles to the southwest. The new
county was visited by Confederate and Union armies that
passed through the strategic Pound Gap during the Civil
War. At Pound Gap, on March 16, 1862, Brig. Gen. James
A. Garfield and seven hundred Union troops defeated a
Confederate force of five hundred under the command of
Gen. Humphrey Marshall. Other skirmishes took place in
late 1863 near Whitesburg, and on June 1, 1864, John
Hunt Morgan's Confederate cavalry dislodged a Union force
from Pound Gap.
The
Civil War violence was only a prelude to greater bloodletting
in the forty or so years after the Civil War in many
of the counties surrounding Letcher; Letcher County was
less tumultuous, but some FEUDS reached it as well. The
Wright-Jones feud, which began in early in 1885. The Jones-Wright feud did not last until 1895. There is absolutely no documentary evidence that the Jones-Wright feud lasted past the end of 1885. There is no mention in any newspaper or document of any kind of truce during 1895 or at any time before. An extensive search of documents and newspapers from that time shows clearly that after November of 1885 there was no more mention of any battles connected to the Jones-Wright feud. Many other things that occurred in Letcher County at this time, late 1885 -1888, were reported, but there was never again any mention of battles in the Jones-Wright feud. The Jones-Wright feud ended at the end of 1885.
The Jones-Wright feud did not resurface again in 1897. What started up again at this time was a resurgence of Ku Klux Klan activity that had previously and briefly sprung up in Letcher and Pike County during 1894. During 1897 several residences and a church were burned by the KKK and some Klansmen were arrested at the end of 1897. The kuklux activity in Letcher County died down until July of 1899 when a Kuklux war broke out in Letcher County and part of Pike County. At least six pople were murdered by the KKK during the Kuklux War. They were: Jimima Hall and her son, Sherwood Reynolds, William S. Wright and his son, Willie Wright, John Swiney and Jesse Brashear.
The kuklux War lasted until November of 1901 and it is not true that feuding had waned by 1900. It was during 1900 that three people were murdered by the Klan and large numbers of people were beaten and whipped.
Note that this 1899-1901 Kulklux War and the kuklux trouble in the years just preceding it had nothing to do with the 1885 Jones-Wright feud. The only connection is that some people who were involved in the Jones-Wright feud were also involved in the Kuklux war that happened nearly fifteen years later. These two feuds had nothing to do with each other.
In
1885, coal speculation by big business began in Letcher
County. From 1903 to 1905 a great deal of the county's
mineral rights were deeded by residents to buyers that
included Consolidation, Elkhorn, and South-East coal
companies. The companies established the towns Of JENKINS,
Fleming, McRoberts, and Seco (South-East Coal Co.) and
by November of 1912 had completed the Lexington & Eastern
Railroad (now CSX Transportation) from Breathitt County
to McRoberts. Eastern European immigrants and Afro-Americans
from the Deep South worked the mines and built the railroads.
Some of the newcomers were highly skilled Italian artisans
who constructed fine stone bridges and houses.
Around
1898, John Fox, Jr., first visited Letcher County, the
setting of two of his best-sellers, The Little Shepherd
of Kingdom Come (1903) and The Trail of the Lonesome
Pine (1908). The latter characterized "Bad" John
Wright and his feud. To honor the contribution of Fox
to the mountain people, Kingdom Come State Park was founded
in 1962 in the southwestern part of the county.
With
the coming of industry, the county surrendered some of
its isolation. But residents had become dependent upon
mining and suffered greatly during the Great Depression
years. A flood that swept the area on May 30, 1927, heightened
the misery. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) created
some employment, and World War II's industrial boom and
the demand for coal stimulated mining. During the war,
174 county men were killed in military action. Outmigration
from Letcher County was heavy; between 1940 and 1950.
the population declined by 1,007. The trend continued
during the 1950s (9,420 fewer people) and in the 1960s
(6,837 fewer). With the decline in the production of
coal, the companies had sold off their towns by the 1960s.
National attention focused on the county's economic depression
and the substandard living conditions portrayed by Harry
CAUDILL's Night Comes to the Cumberlands (1963). Caudill,
a Whitesburg lawyer, helped to inspire President Lyndon
B. Johnson's WAR ON POVERTY.
In
1990 coal mining continued to be a mainstay of the local
economy. Most jobs in the county are in mining and quarrying,
wholesale and retail trade, services, or the county school
system. There are relatively few manufacturing positions.
The
population of the rural county was 23,165 in 1970; 30,687
in 1980; and 27,000 in 1990. The Official County Website is located at http://www.letchercountykentucky.net/ .
See Extended History for More information.
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See Also Kentucky Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records
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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. |
Letcher County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1842 and Land Records from 1844 and is located at 156
Main Street, Suite 102,
Whitesburg, KY 41858-7286;
Phone: (606) 633-2432,
FAX: (606) 632-9282 .
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
Letcher County Clerk of the Circuit Court has Probate Records from 1871 and Court Records from 1866 and is located at 156
MAIN STREET SUITE 201,
WHITESBURG, KY 41858; Phone
Number(s):
606-633-7559,
606-633-1048 .
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 Letcher County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Letcher County Court Records by clicking the link below:
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See Also Vital Records in Kentucky
Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. Birth, Marriage, Divorce & Death Certificates Signed. Sealed. Delivered. Often in as few as three business days!
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 . You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE
- 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 Letcher County clerk of the circuit court that granted the decree.You can download an application online for Marriage Certificates or Divorce Certificates . You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE
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. Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE
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 Letcher County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Letcher County Vital Records by clicking the link below:
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See Also Research In Census Records
Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Letcher 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 Letcher 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.
See Also Statewide Records that exist for Kentucky
Below is a list of online resources for Letcher County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Letcher County Census Records by clicking the link below:
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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 Letcher County Maps. Email us with websites containing Letcher County Maps by clicking the link below:
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See Also Military Records in Kentucky
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 Letcher County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Letcher 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.
- Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War (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.
- Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, from NARA publication M804.
- 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.
- Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of Kentucky (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
- Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the CSA (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Compiled service records of Confederate soldiers from southern units, labeled with each soldier's name, rank, and unit, with links to revealing documents about each soldier.
- Kentucky Society of Daughters of the American Revolution, 323 High Str, Paris, Ky, 40361;(859) 987- 1788
- National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution,
- Kentucky Society of Sons of the American Revolution,
- National Society of Sons of the American Revolution, 1000 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40203; (502) 589-1776
- Letcher County, Kentucky Military Books at Amazon.com
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See Also Research In Tax Records
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 Letcher County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Letcher County Tax Records by clicking the link below:
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See Also Other Kentucky Genealogical Addresses
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 Letcher County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Letcher County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
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- Local Kentucky Researchers, Find a local researcher or become a local researcher.
- The Kentucky Historical Society, 100 W. Broadway, Frankfort, KY 40601; 877-444-7867,[EMAIL]
- The Kentucky Genealogical Society, PO Box 153, Frankfort, KY 40602-0153 [EMAIL]
- 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.
- Kentucky Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Kentucky
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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. |
There are many churches and cemeteries in Letcher County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Letcher County Tombstone Transcription Project.
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 Letcher County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Letcher County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
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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 Letcher County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Letcher County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:
- Search 60 Years Of Everton Data: For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
- Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
- Sites on USGenweb: [ Letcher County ] [ Kentucky ] [ Main Page ]
- [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
- 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.
- Meet your ancestors. Learn their stories. Start your FREE family tree.
- 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.
- Letcher County, Kentucky Family Books at Amazon.com
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