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Morgan County History and Information |
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Morgan County, the seventy-third in order of
formation, is located in east-central Kentucky. The County is bordered by Rowan County (northwest), Elliott County (north), Lawrence County (northeast), Johnson County (east), Magoffin County (southeast), Wolfe County (southwest), Menifee County (west). Cities, Towns and Communities include West Liberty, Cannel City
, Crockett,
Ezel
, Wrigley. It was
created from Floyd and Bath counties in 1822, and during
1843-69 parts of Morgan County were used to form six of
the surrounding counties. The county was named for Gen.
Daniel Morgan, a veteran of the Revolutionary War, and
WEST LIBERTY was established as the county seat in 1824.
The county's major waterway
is the Licking River, and Cave Run Lake forms a portion
of its northwest boundary. The northwest corner of the
county is also a part of the Daniel Boone National Forest.
The major highways are KY 7, U.S. 460, and the Mountain
Parkway. Morgan County's principal towns are West Liberty
and the farming villages of Ezel, Wrigley, Cannel City,
and Crockett. Cattle and burley tobacco are the main
agricultural pursuits and timber production is a major
industry. Because of its fertile valleys, Morgan has
long been called "the Bluegrass county
of the mountains." Morgan County also has one newspaper,
The Licking Valley Courier, published weekly.
As early as 1787, when it was still part of
Virginia, surveying parties saw the wilderness area that
later became Morgan County. Settlement in the mountainous
eastern region of the state lagged behind that in central
Kentucky, but by 1800 the area had some population. Pioneers
were drawn there by cheap but fertile land, forested with
virgin timber and teeming with game. Among the earliest
settlers were Daniel Williams, who, tradition says, came
to Kentucky from North Carolina with Daniel Boone in the
1770s and was a veteran of the Battle of Blue Licks; Thomas
Lewis, who had served with Gen. George Rogers Clark in
Kentucky; Gardner (or Garner) Hopkins, a Revolutionary
War veteran from New York; and others, including Thomas
Caskey, who had married Hopkins's daughter Lydia.
In 1822 residents of the area, which by then
was part of Floyd and Bath counties, sought to form a new
county and an act for that purpose was approved by the
General Assembly on December 7. The following year, on
March 10, twelve justices of the peace met at Edmund Wells's
tavern on the Licking River and presented their commissions
signed by Gov. John Adair (1820-24). In addition to Wells,
they were William Biddle, Joseph Carroll, John Hammans,
Fielding Hanks (brother of Abraham Lincoln's mother), William
Lewis, Isaac Lykins, Thomas Nickell, John S. Oakley, Holloway
Power, John Williams (son of Daniel), and Mason Williams.
At this first court, the county was divided into seven
districts, and officials were installed, including sheriff
James Kash, clerk James G. Hazelrigg, jailor Edmund Vest,
tax commissioner Francis Lewis, and commonwealth's attorney
William Triplett. Chosen by the next term were coroner
Sanders Montgomery and county surveyor Peter Amyx. In 1823
the General Assembly established the county seat, a town
to be called West Liberty and created from land provided
by Edmund Wells. Wells, a millwright, was subsequently
awarded the contracts to erect the civic buildings. These
consisted of a log jail, completed in 1825, and a two-story
frame courthouse that was finished in 1828.
A second courthouse was among some twenty-nine
buildings destroyed by fire during the Civil War, along
with the offices of the circuit and county clerks, and
many irreplaceable county records. Although some influential
families were proUnion during the war, most Morgan County
residents had Confederate sympathies. Confederate leaders
from Morgan included Capt. John T. Williams and Maj. William
Mynheir (who, as sheriff in 1853, carried out the county's
only hanging). Although no major battles occurred in the
county, there were a few skirmishes, including three at
West Liberty and one at McClannahan Hill.
At the beginning of the twentieth
century, railroads entered the county, drawn by the rich
resources of timber and cannel coal. The Morehead & North Fork
Railroad (abandoned in the 1920s) extended to Blairs Mills,
Wrigley. Redwine, and Lenox, and the Ohio & Kentucky
Railroad (abandoned in 1933) ran through Adele, Cannel
City, Caney, Stacy Fork, Malone, Index, Liberty Road, and
Licking River.
By 1930, Morgan's common-school system which
had seen forty school districts established by 1850-reached
a peak of ninety-two districts, with as many schools. Subsequently,
consolidated school centers replaced the one- and two-room
rural schools. The last one, at Peddler Gap, was destroyed
by fire in 1967. A county high school was created at West
Liberty in 1910 and a new stone building, built by the
Works Progress Administration, was dedicated in 1937 by
Eleanor Roosevelt. Later came a separate elementary school
(1957), a new high school (1974), and a modern middle school
building (1989). In 1990 plans were under way to restore
the old WPA building to house county offices.
The population of the rural county was 10,019
in 1970; 12,103 in 1980; and 11,648 in 1990. The Official County Website is located at ? .
Courthouse records were lost twice: in Oct 1862 and in 1925.
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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. Courthouse records were lost twice: in Oct 1862 and in 1925. |
Morgan County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1823 and Land Records from 1823 and is located at PO
Box 26, West Liberty,
KY 41472-0026; Phone:
(606) 743-3949, FAX:
(606) 743-2111 .
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
Morgan County Clerk of the Circuit Court has Probate Records from 1866 and Court Records from 1823 and is located at Courthouse, 518
Main St. ,
West Liberty, KY; Phone Number(s): Office
(606)743-3763,
Fax (606)743-2633 .
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 Morgan County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Morgan 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 Morgan 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 Morgan County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Morgan 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 Morgan 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 Morgan 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 Morgan County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Morgan 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 Morgan County Maps. Email us with websites containing Morgan 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 Morgan County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Morgan 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 NARA publication M881. Compiled service records of soldiers who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783.
- 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 State of Kentucky (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
- Morgan 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 Morgan County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Morgan 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 Morgan County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Morgan County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
- ?
- 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 Morgan County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Morgan 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 Morgan County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Morgan 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 Morgan County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Morgan 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: [ Morgan 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.
- Morgan County, Kentucky Family Books at Amazon.com
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