Johnson County, Kentucky Genealogy
Guide to Johnson 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]
Johnson County was named for Richard Mentor Johnson. The county is located in the east-central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Johnson County Courthouse
Court Street
Paintsville, KY 41240
Phone: 606-789-2550[3]
Johnson County Website
Johnson 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 |
| 1843 | 1843 | 1843 | 1843 | 1843 | 1843 | 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 | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
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History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
The following web sites have additional information on Johnson county cemeteries.
- Interment.net, Kentucky cemetery records by county.
- Cemetery Junction, Links to cemetery transcriptions
- Naming the Forgotten, The Eastern State Hospital Project
- Cemetery Listings
- Johnson County Kentucky Historical & Genealogical Society Cemetery Website
- Paintsville Lake Project...Cemetery Relocation
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1850 | 3,873 | — |
| 1860 | 5,306 | 37.0% |
| 1870 | 7,494 | 41.2% |
| 1880 | 9,155 | 22.2% |
| 1890 | 11,027 | 20.4% |
| 1900 | 13,730 | 24.5% |
| 1910 | 17,482 | 27.3% |
| 1920 | 19,622 | 12.2% |
| 1930 | 22,968 | 17.1% |
| 1940 | 25,771 | 12.2% |
| 1950 | 23,846 | −7.5% |
| 1960 | 19,748 | −17.2% |
| 1970 | 17,539 | −11.2% |
| 1980 | 24,432 | 39.3% |
| 1990 | 23,248 | −4.8% |
| 2000 | 23,445 | 0.8% |
| 2010 | 23,356 | −0.4% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
For tips on accessing Johnson County, Kentucky Genealogy census records online, see: Kentucky Census.
- Johnson County Kentucky Census Records
- Kentucky Census Transcriptions 1850-1930, USGenWeb
- Census Images, 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.
Church Records Johnson County Area Churches
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
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.
- African American Genealogy (US) has more information about the kinds of records available
- 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]
Our Family Trees From Johnson County and Beyond
Kentucky Biographies
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.
Johnson County Land Grants
Johnson County Kentucky Land and Tax Records
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Johnson 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.
- Johnson County, Kentucky. c1928. By Mitchel Hall. Louisville, Kentucky : Standard Press. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Ancestry ($); At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
- Maps of Kentucky (1776-1939)
- Johnson County Kentucky Maps
- Kentucky Atlas & Gazetteer
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Johnson County Kentucky Military Information
Johnson County War Memorials
Kentucky in the Revolutionary War.
List of Pensioners, Kentucky Johnson
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 Johnson County served in various regiments and companies. Those listed below were specifically formed in this county:
- - 22nd Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Enrolled Militia)(Union), Companies E, H, I, and K.
- - 22nd Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union), Companies H and I.
World War I[edit | edit source]
World War II[edit | edit source]
Korean War[edit | edit source]
Vietnam War[edit | edit source]
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- The Big Sandy News online
The Big Sandy News has bureaus in two area counties
Lawrence County
P.O. Box 766
Louisa, KY 41230
(606) 638-4581
FAX (606) 638-9949 - Johnson County
338 Second Street
Paintsville
(606) 788-9962
FAX (606) 788-9952 - The Paintsville Herald
P. O. Box 1547
978 Broadway Plaza
Paintsville, KY 41240
Direct: (606) 789-5315
Toll Free: 1-888-788-5315
Fax: (606) 789-9717 - USNPL, Kentucky, Kentucky newspaper index with links
- World-Newspapers, Kentucky, Kentucky newspaper index with links
- Kentucky Newspapers on Microfilm
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Johnson County, Kentucky Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Do a Johnson 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]
- Johnson County Kentucky Historical Genealogical Society Obituary Website
- Johnson County, Kentucky Obituary Collection Free from GenealogyBuff.com.
- 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 including interactive search function
- Nashville Christian Advocate Death Abstracts
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Probate records are held by the Johnson County, Kentucky Genealogy Clerk of Court and are housed at the Johnson 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
- 1774–1999 Kentucky Wills and Probate Records 1774-1999 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
- 1844-1975 Will Books A to F (1844-1975) digitized by FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- Johnson County Kentucky Wills
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 ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Taxes were levied on free white males over 21 and slaves aged 21 to 60. These persons are referred to as "polls." Tax listings, or digests, of a county generally list the taxable landowners and other polls and the amount of tax. The records for each county are divided by militia district. For more background information and state-wide resources see the wiki page Kentucky Taxation.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Although Kentucky enacted a statute in 1852-1862 requiring registration of births and deaths,many counties did not comply. A second law was written in 1874-1879, and 1892-1910 but, again, was not always followed. By 1911, the law was more clearly defined and kept by 1920. Any existing births 1852-1960 and death records 1852-1953 can be accessed online. See How to Find Kentucky Birth Records and How to Find Kentucky Death Records for links to indexes and images.
Original marriage records are held at the office of the Johnson County Clerk, with divorce records 1849-1958 located with the Johnson County Circuit Court. For more information see How to Find Kentucky Marriage Records. For Kentucky divorce records see the wiki page Kentucky Vital Records.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1839-1960 Kentucky Births and Christenings, 1839-1960 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1852-1861 - Johnson County Birth Index 1852-1861. Batch C517551 at FamilySearch [7]
- 1875 - Johnson County Birth Index 1875. Batch C517552 at FamilySearch
- 1878 - Johnson County Birth Index 1878. Batch C517554 at FamilySearch
- 1911-1912 - Searchable KY Birth Index
- 1911-1920 - Johnson County, Kentucky Births 1911-1920
- 1921-1930 - Johnson County, Kentucky Births 1921-1930
- 1911-1999 Kentucky Births, 1911-1999 at MyHeritage ($) — 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
- 1843-1859 - Marriage License of Johnson County, Kentucky From 1843-1859
- 1852-1859 - Johnson County Marriage Index 1852-1859. Batch M517551 at FamilySearch
- 1875 - Johnson County Marriage Index 1875. Batch M517553 at FamilySearch
- 1876-1878 - Johnson County Marriage Index 1876-1878. Batch M517554 at FamilySearch
- 1973-2000 - Searchable KY Marriage Records
- 1960-1993 Kentucky Marriages, 1960-1993 at MyHeritage ($) — index
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1843-1970 Kentucky Deaths and Burials 1843-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1911-1965 Kentucky Death Records, 1911-1965 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1911-2000 - Searchable KY Death Index
- 1900-1999 Kentucky Deaths, 1900-1999 at MyHeritage ($) — index
- United States Social Security Death Index - How to Use this Collection
- Search results for Johnson County on Kentucky Death Records at Rootsweb
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Johnson 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
- Beattyville Kentucky Family History Center
- Martin Kentucky Family History Center
- Breathitt County Library - an affiliate library.
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Johnson County. For state-wide library facilities, see Kentucky Archives and Libraries.
Johnson County Public Library
444 Main Street
Paintsville, KY 41240
Phone: 606-789-4355
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Johnson County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Kentucky Societies.
Johnson County Historical Genealogical Society
444 Main Street
P.O. Box 788
Paintsville, KY 41240
Phone: 606-789-4355
Email:hornejsm@gmail.com
Website
Van Lear Historical Society, Inc.
The Coal Miners' Museum
P.O. Box 369
Van Lear, KY 41265
Phone: 606-789-8540
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Johnson County Ky Index
- KYGenWeb-Johnson County
- Johnson County, Kentucky Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Johnson 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, "Johnson County, Kentucky" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_County,_Kentucky."
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Kentucky. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Johnson 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, "Johnson County, Kentucky," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_County,_Kentucky, accessed 21 August 2018.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/0/0b/Igikentuckygl.pdf.
