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Washington County History and Information |
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Washington County was created on June 2, 1792 from Nelson County , the tenth in order of formation,
is located in central Kentucky in the Outer Bluegrass region.
The county is entirely within the watershed of Salt River,
and fertile farms and pastures lie between the numerous
hills, or knobs. The county seat is SPRINGFIELD.
The County is bordered by Anderson County (northeast), Mercer County (east), Boyle County (east), Marion County (south), Nelson County (west). Cities, Towns and Communities include Mackville, Springfield, Willisburg, Manton
The first settlers came to what is now Washington
County in 1775 from the fort at Harrodsburg, drawn by the
area's abundance of game, water, and salt. They traveled
along the numerous animal traces. The first settlements
were made by James Sandusky on Pleasant Run in 1776 and
by Samuel Cartwright, who in 1779 built a house on the
creek that now bears his name. The influx of settlers increased
dramatically after the Revolutionary War. Many came to
claim land owed to them for military service, and by 1800
there were 9,050 people in Washington County. This first
generation was a mobile and ambitious lot who staked their
claims, planted corn, built cabins, and often moved on.
The 1810 census for Washington County counted 13,248 people.
By 1820 the number had grown to 15,956, including 12,159
whites, 3,752 slaves, and 52 free people of color.
The area was originally a part of Kentucky
County, Virginia, and then part of Jefferson County. Washington
County totaled nearly 450,000 acres when it was formed
by the new state of Kentucky on June 2, 1792. It was named
for President George Washington and was created through
the intercession of Gen. Matthew Walton, a landowner and
resident of the area. The first court met at the home of
Col. John Hardin. Springfield became the county seat in
1793.
In 1827 Washington County was split up to form
Anderson County. The population continued to grow and reached
a maximum of 19,144 in 1830. Washington County lost its
southern area to form Marion County in 1833, a move that
reduced the county's population to 10,596 by 1840. In 1833
a cholera epidemic killed eighty people in Springfield
alone. Washington County acquired its first covered bridge,
across the Little Beach River on the Harrodsburg Road in
1834, and its first turnpike, from Springfield to Bardstown
with a connection to Louisville, in 1837. In the 1850s,
Washington County joined the state school system and opened
the first county fair, staged by the Springfield Union
Agricultural and Mechanical Society.
During the Civil War, most men from the county
fought for the Union, but some joined the Confederate army.
Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg's army passed through Springfield
on October 6 and 7, 1862, followed by Union Gen. Don Carlos
Buell's army, both en route to the Battle of Perryville.
There was a brief skirmish between Buell's vanguard and
Bragg's rear guard west of town. According to a local legend,
Union soldiers looted a distillery warehouse west of Springfield,
became very drunk, and made off with great quantities of
whiskey.
In the era between the War of
1812 and the Civil War, Washington County produced corn,
hogs, and whiskey, but only negligible amounts of tobacco.
After the Civil War, the prewar levels of trade were
not reestablished for twenty-five years. The recovery
was prompted by the advent of white burley tobacco into
the region, the arrival of the railroad, and the subsequent
connection to the Louisville market. The black population
of the county declined by nearly 50 percent after the
war. Vigilantes known as "Skagg's
men," who harassed and attacked the new freedmen in adjacent
Marion, Boyle, and Mercer counties, were one factor in
the exodus.
After the war, the county voted
to sell $400,000 in railroad bonds and to levy a l percent
tax to finance the proposed Cumberland & Ohio Railroad link between
Nashville and Cincinnati. Resentment arose over the routing
through Springfield instead of the northerly towns, and
vigilantes destroyed a railroad camp. After the line went
bankrupt, the county seized what assets it could and persuaded
the Louisville & Nashville Railroad (now CSX Transportation)
to build a line to Springfield, completed on January 1,
1888. The line gave Washington County vital access to Louisville
markets for livestock, milk, grain, and tobacco. It was
abandoned by CSX in 1984. In June 1890 the county got its
first modern public utility when the Springfield Electric
Light and Water Company won a franchise. By November 1901,
a power plant was in operation. Just after the turn of
the century, the BLACK PATCH WAR over the tobacco prices
paid to farmers brought a period of lawlessness to the
county.
The farm depression of the mid-1920s and the
Great Depression of the 1930s cost the county its two daily
passenger trains to Louisville. Washington County's first
park, the Lincoln Homestead State Park, was dedicated June
12, 1934, on the site where President Abraham Lincoln's
grandfather had settled in 1782. After World War II, the
railroad-era relationship between Louisville as consumer
and the down-state counties as suppliers began to disintegrate.
Persistent high unemployment caused the population to diminish
and the commodity markets to fade. Nevertheless, the county
acquired a new state golf course in the 1950s, and a new
airport and consolidated high schools were built in the
1960s. The Bluegrass Parkway connecting Lexington and Elizabethtown
was completed across the northern part of the county in
1965 and a substantial rural water system was created in
the 1980s.
In 1990 the county remained
rural, with many residents engaged in tobacco farming
or cattle production. Most of the county's industrial
jobs were located in Springfield; the largest employers
were the Springfield Redrying Corporation (tobacco),
Armour Food Company (milk products), H&W
Industries (construction materials), and Shelburne Industries
(clothing). The population of the county was 10,728 in
1970; 10,764 in 1980; and 10,411 in 1990. The Official County Website is located at http://www.springfieldkentuckychamber.com/ .
Two fires, one in 1795, and the second in 1814 destroyed courthouses, though some records were saved.
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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. Two fires, one in 1795, and the second in 1814 destroyed courthouses, though some records were saved. |
Washington County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1792 and Land Records from 1792 and is located at PO
Box 466 , Springfield,
KY 40069-0446; Phone:
(859) 336-5425, FAX:
(859) 336-5408 .
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
Washington County Clerk of the Circuit Court has Probate Records from 1792 and Court Records from 1792 and is located at Courthouse, 111
Cross Main Str,
Springfield, KY 40069; 859-336-3761,
FAX: 859-336-9824, [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 Washington County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Washington 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 Washington County, 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. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in Washington 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.
Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in this 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. Washington Veterans Schedules were conducted in 1890 but only returns for sixty-five Kentucky counties remain of the 1890 Washington veterans and widows schedule of the federal census of Kentucky.
Below is a list of online resources for Washington County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Washington 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 Washington County Maps. Email us with websites containing Washington 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 Washington County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Washington 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
- Washington 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 Washington County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Washington 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 Washington County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Washington 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 Washington County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Washington 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 Washington County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Washington 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 Washington County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Washington 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: [ Washington 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.
- Washington County, Kentucky Family Books at Amazon.com
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