Adair County, Kentucky Genealogy
Guide to Adair County, Kentucky ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Adair County was named for John Adair. The county is located in the south central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Adair County Courthouse
424 Public Square
Columbia, KY 42728-1451
Phone: 270.384.2801[3]
Adair County Website
Adair County, Kentucky Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
1852 | 1802 | 1852 | 1802 | 1802 | 1802 | 1810 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating Kentucky county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Kentucky County Boundary Maps" (1776-1939) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website. |
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[6]
Cities | ||
Unincorporated communities | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
- Bible Records, KYGenWeb
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- Biographies, KYGenWeb
- USGenWeb Archives-Adair County Kentucky Biographies (You may need to scroll down the page,)
- Kentucky Biographies Project
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
The following web sites have additional information on Adair county cemeteries.
- Adair County Cemeteries at www.so-ky.com promoting and assisting genealogical and historical research in southern Kentucky and for those with connections to southern Kentucky
- Genealogytrails.com has online cemetery listings.
- Cemeteries of Adair County at Interment.net
- Parnell Cemetery has cemetery transcriptions.
Census Records[edit | edit source]
Historical populations | |||
---|---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± | |
1810 | 6,011 | ||
1820 | 8,765 | 45.8% | |
1830 | 8,217 | −6.3% | |
1840 | 8,466 | 3.0% | |
1850 | 9,898 | 16.9% | |
1860 | 9,509 | −3.9% | |
1870 | 11,065 | 16.4% | |
1880 | 13,078 | 18.2% | |
1890 | 13,721 | 4.9% | |
1900 | 14,888 | 8.5% | |
1910 | 16,503 | 10.8% | |
1920 | 17,289 | 4.8% | |
1930 | 16,401 | −5.1% | |
1940 | 18,566 | 13.2% | |
1950 | 17,603 | −5.2% | |
1960 | 14,699 | −16.5% | |
1970 | 13,037 | −11.3% | |
1980 | 15,233 | 16.8% | |
1990 | 15,360 | 0.8% | |
2000 | 17,244 | 12.3% | |
Est. 2006 | 17,650 | 2.4% | |
http://ukcc.uky.edu/~census/21001.txt |
Adair Co., KYGenWeb Available Census Records ~
- 1790 First Census of Kentucky (The area that is now Adair County was located in Lincoln Co. for this Census... The original Federal census has been lost. This index was reconstructed using the tax lists of 1790. It may not be a completely accurate indication of people living in Kentucky during that time.)
- 1795 Tax List of Green County (Adair was the 44th Kentucky county formed, created from Green County on December 11, 1801. This Tax list will have those families listed that were later residents of Adair county.)
- 1802 Tax List of Adair County
- 1810 Federal Census & Index
- 1820 Federal Census & Index
- 1830 Federal Census & Index (separate pg.)
- 1840 Federal Census & Index
- 1850 Federal Census & Index
- 1850 African Americans listed in Federal Census
- 1860 Federal Census & Index
- 1870 Federal Census & Index
- 1880 Federal Census & Index
- 1880 DDS Federal Census Supplement (Federal Census Supplemental Schedules 1-7 Defective, Dependent and Delinquent Classes)
- 1900 Federal Census & Index
- 1920 Federal Census (partial extraction of family surnames)
- 1930 Federal Census & Index
- 1895 School Report Index Report 1, Report 2, Report 3, Report 4 (white students)
- 1895 School Report Index Report 1 (African American students)
- 1913 - 1914 School List Surnames A-I, Surnames J-R, Surnames S-Z
- 1850 Slave Schedule (these are Excel files. Scroll down main Census page)
- 1860 - 1870 Mortality Schedules (these are Excel files. Scroll down main Census page)
1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population schedules of Adair County are available online. For tips on accessing census records online, see Kentucky Census. If you're having trouble finding your ancestors in online indexes, try checking printed indexes. Created by local experts familiar with the area's families, these indexes are often transcribed more accurately than online nationwide indexes.
See Kentucky Population Schedule Indexes: Fiche, Film, or Book for more information about statewide printed indexes.
- USGenWeb Archives-Adair County Kentucky Census Records (Scroll down to find desired topic.)
- Kentucky Census Transcriptions 1850-1930, USGenWeb
- Census Images, USGenWeb
- Kentucky Census Transcriptions, USGenWeb
- KY Census Online, Links to online census records
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Kentucky denominations, view the Kentucky Church Records wiki page.
- Adair County Church Records
- Kentucky Christian Church Directory, ChurchAngel
- Catholic Parishes in the Diocese of Lexington
- Catholic Parishes in the Archdiocese of Louisville
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- Abstracts of Early Kentucky Supreme Court Cases, KYGenWeb
- Kentucky Court of Justice Research & Reference
- Kentucky Court of Justice-Adair County (contact information for Adair County Circuit Court Clerk)
- Kentucky: State Board of Elections-County Clerks has contact information for all Kentucky County Court Clerks. Scroll down or use index at top of page to find desired county.
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
African Americans[edit | edit source]
More information about African American resources in Kentucky can be found on the African American Resources for Kentucky and the United States African Americans Wiki pages.
- The African American Griots Project
- Kentucky Cultural Groups has information specific to Kentucky African Americans.
- Sandi Gorin's Tips, Hangings in Kentucky 1792-1900
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
- [Asbury] Holtzclaw, B.C. "Asbury of Westmoreland County, Virginia," Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 5, No. 3 (Jul. 1967):55-65; Vol. 5, No. 4 (Oct. 1967):77-87; Vol. 6, No. 1 (Jan. 1968):10-26. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
- [Chapman] "A Brief History of the Chapman Family of Frederick County," Frederick Findings, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Winter 1988):42-43. FHL Book 975.59 D25f.
- [Moss] Moss, T.C. The David Moss Family: Green, Adair, Boyle, Barren, Hart, and Warren Co., Ky.; Williamson and Maury Co., Tenn.; Mississippi. Memphis, Tenn.: T.C. Moss, 1968. FHL Book 929.273 M855mo.
- [Royse] Pappas, Carolyn H. "Christopher Beeler, 1705-1775," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 43, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1999):243-255; Vol. 44, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 2000):18-30; Vol. 44, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 2000):115-125. Digital version at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($). FHL Book 975.5 B2vg.
- [Smith] Coleman, C.W. "Genealogy of the Smith Family of Essex County, Virginia," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 6, No. 1 (Jul. 1897):41-52. Digital versions at JSTOR - free; USGenWeb - free.
- [Trabue] Harper, Lillie DuPuy VanCulin. Colonial Men and Times: Containing the Journal of Col. Daniel Trabue, Some Account of His Ancestry, Life and Travels in Virginia and the Present State of Kentucky During the Revolutionary Period; the Huguenots, Genealogy, with Brief Sketches of the Allied Families. Philadelphia, Pa.: Innes & Sons, 1916. Digital version at Internet Archive; FHL Film 1421709 Item 2.
- Family Group Sheets, KYGenWeb
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Kentucky Land and Property for additional information about early Kentucky land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.
Adair County Entries on the Kentucky Table of Content at Strictly By Name. To view the indexes it is free. If you want a copy of a document there is a fee.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Adair County, Kentucky Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories see the wiki page section Kentucky Local Histories.
- Notes on Adair County; or Judge Rollin T. Hurt's History of Adair County, Kentucky. c1994. By John Avroe Steele, Michael C. Watson. Columbia, Kentucky : Watson. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; At various libraries (WorldCat).
- Our History at Adair County page of KYGenWeb
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- KYGenWeb compiled list of maps
- Click on the county to go to the KYGenWeb site
- Adair County Kentucky 1895 at 1895 US Atlas
- Adair County Kentucky Yellow Pages
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
- Military Resources, Revolutionary War through Civil War
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Online Records
- 1861-1865 Kentucky Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection - index
- 1861-1865 Kentucky Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection index
- 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (Free)
- 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry— index (Free)
- 1912-1950 Kentucky Confederate Pension Applications 1912-1950 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection— index and images
Regiments. Men in Adair County served in various regiments and companies. Those listed below were specifically formed in this county:
- - 1st Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union), Companies F and G.
- - 1st Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union), Companies A and J.
- - 3rd Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union), Company D.
- - 9th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union), Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.
- - 13th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union), Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L and M.
World War I[edit | edit source]
- Fallen Soldiers in WWI from KY ~ Fallen Soldiers in WWI from Kentucky
Korean War[edit | edit source]
- Korean War Memorial Korean War Memorial for Soliders from KY ~ KYGenWeb
World War II[edit | edit source]
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- "Adair County News", KYGenWeb
- USNPL, Kentucky, Kentucky newspaper index with links
- World-Newspapers, Kentucky, Kentucky newspaper index with links
- Kentucky Newspapers on Microfilm
- USGenWeb Archives has some newspaper articles for the years 1897, 1898, and 1901 online.
- University of Kentucky Libraries
- Library Catalog - Infokat: Major newspapers: Lexington Herald, Lexington Leader, Lexington Herald-Leader, Louisville Courier Journal.
- Kentucky State Library - Interlibrary Loan: Newspapers may be accessed by interlibrary loan.
- The Adair Progress
98 Grant Lane
Columbia, KY 42728
Phone: 270-384-6471
Fax: 270-384-6474
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- Adair Co., KYGenWeb Obituaries
- Kentucky Footsteps Archives, KYGenWeb
- Kentucky Obituary Sources, KYGenWeb
- Browning Genealogy Database, Compiled by Charles Browning.
- Kentucky Obituaries, USGenWeb
- Afrigeneas, African American death notices, obituaries and funeral programs compiled by users from current newspapers and historical sources
- Obituary Depot, Kentucky Newspaper Citations
- Obituary Daily Times, Citations to over 15,000,000 obituaries (Ancestry)
- Nashville Christian Advocate Death Abstracts
Other Records[edit | edit source]
- Kentucky Postcards, USGenWeb
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Probate records are held by the Adair County, Kentucky Genealogy Clerk of Court and are housed at the Adair County, Kentucky Genealogy Courthouse. Microfilmed records can be found online at Kentucky, Probate Records, 1792-1977 for Caldwell, Henry, Hickman, Russell and Trimble counties. See the wiki page Kentucky Probate Records for information about how to use probate records.
Content: Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
Record types: Wills, estates, guardianships, naturalizations, and adoptions.
Online Probate Records
- 1727–1990 Kentucky Probate Records 1727-1990 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection images
- 1774–1999 Kentucky Wills and Probate Records 1774-1999 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
- 1798-1943 Will Books 1 to 8 (1798-1943) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1804–1960 Adair County Kentucky list of will book testators SAMPUBCO - Browsable index of testators of wills.
- Adair County Clerk of the Circuit Court has Probate Records from 1804 and Court Records from 1802.
- Adair County, selected Last Wills and Testaments KYKinFolks
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Taxes were levied on free white males over 21 and slaves aged 21 to 60. These persons are referred to as "polls." Tax listings, or digests, of a county generally list the taxable landowners and other polls and the amount of tax. The records for each county are divided by militia district. For more background information and state-wide resources see the wiki page Kentucky Taxation.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Although Kentucky enacted a statute in 1852-1862 requiring registration of births and deaths,many counties did not comply. A second law was written in 1874-1879, and 1892-1910 but, again, was not always followed. By 1911, the law was more clearly defined and kept by 1920. Any existing births 1852-1960 and death records 1852-1953 can be accessed online. See How to Find Kentucky Birth Records and How to Find Kentucky Death Records for links to indexes and images.
Original marriage records are held at the office of the Adair County Clerk, with divorce records 1849-1958 located with the Adair County Circuit Court. For more information see How to Find Kentucky Marriage Records. For Kentucky divorce records see the wiki page Kentucky Vital Records.
- KYGenWeb, Searchable databases of KY Births, Deaths & Marriages
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1839-1960 Kentucky Births and Christenings, 1839-1960 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1852-1861 - Adair County Birth Index 1852-1861. Batch C517011 at FamilySearch Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at FamilySearch.org
- 1874 - Adair County Birth Index 1874. Batch C517012 at FamilySearch
- 1875 - Adair County Birth Index 1875. Batch C517013 at FamilySearch
- KYGenWeb (includes Delayed Births and Births 1911 - 1980)
- 1911-1999 Kentucky Births, 1911-1999 at MyHeritage ($) — index
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1609-2016 Kentucky, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
- 1785-1979 Kentucky Marriages 1785-1979 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1797-1954 Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection — index and images
- 1852-1861 - Adair County Marriage Index 1852-1861. Batch M517011 at FamilySearch
- 1875 - Adair County Marriage Index 1875. Batch C517013 at FamilySearch
- 1876-1878 - Adair County Marriage Index 1876-1878. Batch M517015 at FamilySearch
- KYGenWeb, Adair Co Marriages
- USGenWeb, Adair Co Marriages
- 1960-1993 Kentucky Marriages, 1960-1993 at MyHeritage ($) — index
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1843-1970 Kentucky Deaths and Burials 1843-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1900-1999 Kentucky Deaths, 1900-1999 at MyHeritage ($) — index
- 1911-1965 Kentucky Death Records, 1911-1965 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- KYGenWeb, Adair Co Death Certificates
- KYGenWeb, Adair Co Deaths
- USGenWeb, Adair Co Deaths
- The Kentucky Vital Records Project, Transcriptions and Images of KY Death Certificates
- United States Social Security Death Index - How to Use this Collection
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1973-1993 KY Divorces 1973 - 1993, University of Kentucky Vital Records Databases
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Adair County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Kentucky Archives and Libraries.
Archives of Appalachia
East Tennessee State University
Website
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Lebanon Kentucky Family History Center
- Sulphur Well Kentucky Family History Center
- Tompkinsville Kentucky Family History Center
- Green County Public Library - an affiliate library.
- The Kentucky Historical Society Library - an affiliate library.
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Adair County. For state-wide library facilities, see Kentucky Archives and Libraries.
Adair County Library
307 Greensburg Street
Columbia, KY 42728
Phone:270-384-247
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Adair County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Kentucky Societies.
Adair County Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 613
Columbia, KY 42728
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Adair County KYGenWeb free
- KYGenWeb project. Has maps, name indexes, history or other information for each county. Select the county.
- State of Kentucky Website
- USGenWeb Kentucky Archives
- USGenWeb. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
- Boone County, Kentucky Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Adair County Kentucky USGenWeb county page for Adair County
- Adair County KY Genealogy (Kentucky Genealogy)
- FamilySearch Catalog . Free - The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Kentucky. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Adair County, Kentucky" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adair_County,_Kentucky."
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Adair County, Kentucky page 268, At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Adair County, Kentucky. Page 268-276 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 251-254.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Kentucky. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Adair County, Kentucky," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adair_County,_Kentucky, accessed 31 July 2018.