Ballard County, Kentucky Genealogy
Guide to Ballard 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]
The County was named for Bland Ballard. The County is located in the southwest area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Ballard County Courthouse
132 4th Street
Wickliffe, KY 42087
Phone: 270-335-5168[3]
Ballard County Website
Ballard 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 |
| 1853 | 1880 | 1853 | 1842 | 1880 | 1842 | 1810 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
|
1880--A fire destroyed most records, but many land documents were re-entered into the court files in the next several years. See extracts from many of those files on land records at KYGenWeb Project, Ballard County, Kentucky
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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 | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
- Kentucky Bible Records
- Ballard Co. KYGenweb Church Records includes Bible records and some church histories.
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- All of the family biographies from the 1885 History of Ballard County, Kentucky by Battle, Perrin, and Kniffin are available free online on My Genealogy Hound
- Kentucky Biographies Project
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1850 | 5,496 | — |
| 1860 | 8,692 | 58.2% |
| 1870 | 12,576 | 44.7% |
| 1880 | 14,378 | 14.3% |
| 1890 | 8,390 | −41.6% |
| 1900 | 10,761 | 28.3% |
| 1910 | 12,690 | 17.9% |
| 1920 | 12,045 | −5.1% |
| 1930 | 9,910 | −17.7% |
| 1940 | 9,480 | −4.3% |
| 1950 | 8,545 | −9.9% |
| 1960 | 8,291 | −3.0% |
| 1970 | 8,276 | −0.2% |
| 1980 | 8,798 | 6.3% |
| 1990 | 7,902 | −10.2% |
| 2000 | 8,286 | 4.9% |
| 2010 | 8,249 | −0.4% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population schedules of Ballard 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.
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.
- Ballard Co. KYGenweb Church Records includes Bible records and some church histories.
- Baptist Roots at Rootsweb has many records.
- "A Few Ballard County Churches" contains numbers on church affiliations and some photos of Ballard County churches.
- Baptist History Homepage, transcribed Baptist documents
- Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Ballard County Courthouse
132 North 4th Street
Wickliffe, KY 42087
Phone: 270-335-5168
Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and probate records.[3]
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 KY African American Griots Project
- Ballard Co. Kentucky African American Griots has more information about the kinds of records available.
- 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]
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.
- Indexes to Deeds, KYGenWeb: After the courthouse fire in 1880, many land transactions were re-recorded. Many are indexed and extracted here.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Ballard 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.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Ballard County KYGenWeb 1880 Map with post offices (includes Carlisle Co.)
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
- Ballard County KYGenWeb Military Records & Sources, List of sources
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Online Records
- 1861-1865 - Kentucky Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1861-1865 - Kentucky Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 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 — index and images - How to Use this Collection
Regiments. Men in Ballard County served in various regiments and companies. Those listed below were specifically formed in this county:
- - 12th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Confederate), Company D
Korean War[edit | edit source]
- Kentucky Casualties in Korean Conflict NARA - see what National Archives holds
Vietnam War[edit | edit source]
- Kentucky Casualty/MIA/POW Vietnam NARA - see what National Archives holds
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Ballard County, Kentucky Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Do a Ballard County, Kentucky Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
- Ballard County, KY: medical account book of Dr. W.A. Moffitt of Kevil, KY, by Don Simmons. Publisher Simmons Historical Publications, 1993.
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Probate records are held by the Ballard County, Kentucky Genealogy Clerk of Court and are housed at the Ballard 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
- Extraction of Wills, KYGenWeb
- 1774–1999 Kentucky Wills and Probate Records 1774-1999 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
- 1879-1924 - Will Book A (1879-1924) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1798-1943 - Will Books 1 to 8 (1798-1943) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — 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.
- Tax Record Transcriptions, KYGenWeb
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 Ballard County Clerk, with divorce records 1849-1958 located with the Ballard County Circuit Court. For more information see How to Find Kentucky Marriage Records. For Kentucky divorce records see the wiki page Kentucky Vital Records.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1839-1960 - Kentucky Births and Christenings, 1839-1960 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1852-1859 - Ballard County Birth Index 1852-1859. Batch C517041 at FamilySearch[7]
- 1874 - Ballard County Birth Index 1874. Batch C517042 at FamilySearch
- 1875 - Ballard County Birth Index 1875. Batch C517043 at FamilySearch
- 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 — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- 1853-1859 - Ballard County Marriage Index 1853-1859. Batch M517041 at FamilySearch
- 1875 - Ballard County Marriage Index 1875. Batch M517044 at FamilySearch
- 1876-1878 - Ballard County Marriage Index 1876-1878. Batch M517045 at FamilySearch
- 1960-1993 Kentucky Marriages, 1960-1993 at MyHeritage ($) — index
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1843-1970 - Kentucky Deaths and Burials 1843-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1852-1953 - KY Deaths from 1852-1953 at Ancestry ($)
- 1911-1965 - Kentucky Death Records, 1911-1965 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1911-2000 - KY Death Records, Index to Kentucky deaths
- 1900-1999 Kentucky Deaths, 1900-1999 at MyHeritage ($) — index
- United States Social Security Death Index - How to Use this Collection
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Ballard 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
- Murray Kentucky Family History Center
- Paducah Kentucky Family History Center
- Graves County Public Library - an affiliate library.
- Paducah Kentucky Family History Center - an affiliate library.
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Ballard County. For state-wide library facilities, see Kentucky Archives and Libraries.
Ballard-Carlisle County Public Library
257 North Fourth Street
Wickliffe, KY 42087
Phone: 270-335-5059
Facebook
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Ballard County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Kentucky Societies.
Ballard-Carlisle Historical and Genealogical Society
PO Box 279
257 4th Street
Wickliffe, KY 42087
Phone: 270-642-2187
Website
Facebook
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Ballard County KYGenWeb project. Pages of photos, maps, family research, links.
- Ballard County KY Kindred Trails. No information but lots of links
- BallardCounty, Kentucky Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Ballard County KY Genealogy (Kentucky Genealogy)
- Ballard County Kentucky Ancestry and Genealogy
- Kentucky Explorer Magazine
- Kentucky Genealogical Society Bluegrass Roots (back issues)
- PERSI (largest index of genealogical periodicals
- Local History and Genealogy Reading Room from the National Government
- 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, "Ballard County, Kentucky" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballard_County,_Kentucky."
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Ballard 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, "Ballard County, Kentucky," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballard_County,_Kentucky, accessed 2 August 2018.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/f/f1/Igikentuckyaf.pdf.
