Montgomery County, Kentucky Genealogy

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Montgomery County

Guide to Montgomery County, Kentucky ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

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Montgomery County, Kentucky
Map
Map of Kentucky highlighting Montgomery County
Location in the state of Kentucky
Map of the U.S. highlighting Kentucky
Location of Kentucky in the U.S.
Facts
Founded December 14, 1796
County Seat Mount Sterling
Courthouse
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Montgomery County Courthouse, Mt. Sterling, KY


History

Montgomery County, is located east of Lexington in the outer Bluegrass region. It has an area of 199 square miles. The county was named for Gen. Richard Montgomery, who was killed at the Revolutionary War battle of Quebec. Montgomery County once stretched to the Virginia border but with the formation of Floyd, Bath, Powell, and Menifee counties, it assumed its present size in 1869. The northern two-thirds of the county has the rolling landscape typical of the Outer Bluegrass; the southern portion is much more hilly, with the thin soils and more abundant forests of the foothills region. The current county seat, Mount Sterling, was established in 1793 as "Little Mountain Town" but the surveyor changed the name to Sterling. At one time there was a large Indian mound in the area -- the "little mountain".

Parent County

1796--Montgomery County, the twenty-second county in order of formation was created 14 December 1796 from Clark County.  County seat:  Mount Sterling [1]

Boundary Changes

The original County included some or all of the present Counties of Montgomery, Bath, Powell, Estill, Lee, Breathitt, Perry, Leslie, Harlan, Letcher, Pike, Floyd, Knott, Magoffin, Wolfe, Morgan, and Menifee. In 1800 part of the County was lost to Madison and part was lost to the creation of Floyd. In 1811 part of the County was lost to the creation of Bath. In 1816 land was lost to Estill. In 1818 land was lost to Floyd. In 1852 part of the County was lost to the creation of Powell. In 1869 part of the County was lost to the creation of Menifee County.

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.

Record Loss

1851, 1863 Fires in 1851 and the burning down of the Courthouse in Mount Sterling by Confederate forces in 1863 destroyed many records, including marriage records and circuit court records. County clerk records were in a different location and were saved. Some marriage records have been reconstructed based on other records.

County Courthouse

Beginning Dates for Montgomery County, Kentucky Genealogy Government Records
Birth*
Marriage
Death*
Census
Land
Probate
1852
1864
1852
1810
1796
1804
*Many years between 1852 and 1911 are missing

Montgomery County Courthouse
1 Court Street PO Box 414;
Mount Sterling, KY 40353
Phone: 859.498.8700[2]


Places/Localities

County Seat Mount Sterling

Cities and Communities

  • Aarons Run
  • Antioch Church
  • Bogy-Chennault
  • Calk
  • Camargo
  • Camp Branch
  • Ewingtons
  • Grassy Lick
  • Hope
  • Howards Mill
  • Jeffersonville
  • Judy
  • Klondike
  • Levee
  • Lower Spencer
  • Lucky Stop
  • Magowan
  • Mount Sterling
  • Penton
  • Pine Hill
  • Plum Lick
  • Prewitt
  • Reid Village
  • Rosedale
  • Salem
  • Sideview
  • Smithville
  • Spencer Village
  • Stepstone
  • Stoops
  • Trimble
  • Upper Spencer
  • Walkers Crossing
  • Willoughby

Ghost Towns

Neighboring Counties

FamilySearch Catalog

FamilySearch Catalog - Montgomery County, Kentucky

Resources

Kymontgomery.png

African American Research

The following have information concerning African American research.  Both should be used:

Biographies

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Montgomery, Kentucky online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
TombstoneTranscriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Kentucky Cemeteries for more information

The following web sites have additional information on Montgomery county cemeteries.

Census

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
18007,082
—
181012,97583.2%
18209,587−26.1%
183010,2406.8%
18409,332−8.9%
18509,9036.1%
18607,859−20.6%
18707,557−3.8%
188010,56639.8%
189012,36717.0%
190012,8343.8%
191012,8680.3%
192012,245−4.8%
193011,660−4.8%
194012,2805.3%
195013,0256.1%
196013,4613.3%
197015,36414.1%
198020,04630.5%
199019,561−2.4%
200022,55415.3%
Est. 200825,61813.6%
http://ukcc.uky.edu/~census/21173.txt

For tips on accessing Montgomery County, Kentucky Genealogy census records online, see: Kentucky Census.

Churches

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.

Click here for a complete List of Churches of Montgomery County, Kentucky

  • The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints
    1954 E. Highway 36, Owingsville, KY
    Missionaries: (859) 498-3868
  • First Baptist Church
    925 Woodford Dr., Mt. Sterling, KY 40353 -- Phone: (859) 498-5645
  • First Presbyterian Church
    125 W. Main St., Mt. Sterling, KY 40353-1350 -- Phone: (859) 498-5885
  • First Christian Church
    222 W. Main St., Mt. Sterling, KY 40353-1348-- Phone: (859) 498-2900
  • Reid Village Baptist Church
    1957 Winchester Rd., Mt. Sterling, KY 40353-9727 -- Phone: (859) 498-4550

Court

Genealogy

It is anticipated that this bibliography will eventually identify all known family histories published about residents of this county. Use this list to:

  • Locate publications about direct ancestors
  • Find the most updated accounts of an ancestor's family
  • Identify publications, to quote Elizabeth Shown Mills, about an ancestor's "FAN Club" [Friends, Associates, and Neighbors]

Bibliography

  • [Cheatham] Dennstedt, Alberta Marjorie. "The Cheatham Family of Colonial Virginia," in The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1983):163-173; Vol. 27, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1983):273-279; Vol. 28, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1984):38-43; Vol. 28, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1984):102-112; Vol. 28, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1984):209-216; Vol. 28, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1984):293-297; Vol. 29, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1985):32-40; Vol. 29, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1985):123-127; Vol. 29, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1985):179-185; Vol. 29, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1985):262-265; Vol. 30, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1986):17-23; Vol. 30, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1986):99-104. Digital version at American Ancestors ($). FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 27 (1983)-v. 30 (1986).
  • [Finley] Finley, Carmen J. "The John Finleys of Augusta County, Virginia: Correcting the Record," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 46, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 2002):3-13; Vol. 46, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 2002):98-113; Vol. 46, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 2002):171-178; Vol. 46, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 2002):268-281. Digital version at American Ancestors ($). FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 46 (2002).
  • [Hawley] Mack, Ann H. "Hawley/Halley in Seventeenth Century Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 28, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1984):3-7; Vol. 28, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1984):121-125; Vol. 28, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1984):197-203; Vol. 28, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1984):281-292; Vol. 29, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1985):21-28. Digital version at American Ancestors ($). FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 28 (1984)-v. 29 (1985).
  • [Jameson] Bourne, James M. "The Jameson Family," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Jan. 1895):199-201; . Digitized by JSTOR - free.
  • [Kirk] Mosher, Merrill Hill. "Origin of the John, Mathew & Robert Kirk Families of Lancaster County, South Carolina," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 23, No. 2 (Spring 1995):74-79. FHL Book 975.7 B2sc v. 23
  • [Pritchett] Jones, Thomas W. "Logic Reveals the Parents of Philip Pritchett of Virginia and Kentucky," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 97 (March 2009):29-38. FHL Book 973 B2ng v. 97 (2009).
  • [Sanders] Helmer, Richard Bryan and Mark L. Lehman. James & Alvin Sanders, Livestock Journalists of the Midwest. Bryn Mawr, Pa., 1985. FHL Book 921.73 Sa56h.
  • [Spratt] Pompey, Sherman L. The Moses Spratt Family of Platte, Missouri. Pasadena, Calif., 1965.

Land

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.

Local Histories

Local histories are available for Montgomery 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.

  • A history of Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, 1792 – 1918.

By Carl B. Boyd Jr. and Hazel Mason Boyd. Published 1984.
Available at Mount Sterling, Kentucky, Main branch library
Call no: K976.955 Boyd. Can be checked out.

  • The First Presbyterian Church of Mount Sterling, Kentucky 1795 – 1955.

Published by church, 1955. “160th anniversary of local organization.”
Available at Mount Sterling, Kentucky, Main branch library
Call No: 270 FIRS c.1. Non checkout item.

  • History of St. Patrick Church, Mt. Sterling Kentucky.

Edited by Anne C. Hickey. Published 1982.
Available at Mount Sterling, Kentucky, Main branch library
Call No:G282 HICK. Non checkout item.

Maps

Military

Civil War

Online Records


Regiments. Service men in Montgomery County, Kentucky Genealogy served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Montgomery County, Kentucky Genealogy:

- 1st Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union), Company J.
- 3rd Battalion, Kentucky Mounted Rifles (Confederate). Companies A, B, and D.
- 3rd Battalion, Kentucky Mounted Rifles (Confederate), Companies A, B and D.
- 6th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union), Company E.
- 10th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Confederate), Companies B and G.
- 11th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Confederate). Company H.
- 11th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union), Companies B, D, E and H.
- 12th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union), Companies B, C, D, F and K.
- 14th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union), Companies A, B, C and D.
- 45th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union), Companies D, H and I.

World War I

Korean War

Miscellaneous

Newspapers

The Mt. Sterling advocate on microfilm.
Available at Mount Sterling, Kentucky, Main branch library
Call No: KFILM MOUN. Non checkout item.

Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Montgomery County, Kentucky Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:

Obituaries

Probate

Probate records are held by the Montgomery County, Kentucky Genealogy Clerk of Court and are housed at the Montgomery County, Kentucky Genealogy Courthouse. Microfilmed records can be found online at Kentucky, Probate Records, 1792-1977. 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

The organization Strictly By Name provides free online indexes to early Montgomery County probate records. They offer a record retrieval service to photocopy and transcribe microfilm copies of the original documents for a small fee. Available indexes:

Taxation

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.

  • 1800 - 1800 Tax List of Montgomery County, Kentucky Genealogy is included in Clift's Second Census of Kentucky 1800,[5] digitized by Ancestry ($).

Vital Records

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 Montgomery County, Kentucky Genealogy Clerk, with divorce records 1849-1958 located with the Montgomery County, Kentucky Genealogy Circuit Court. For more information see How to Find Kentucky Marriage Records. For Kentucky divorce records see the wiki page Kentucky Vital Records.. See also How to order Kentucky Vital Records


Birth
  • 1839-1960 - KY Births and Christenings ~ Kentucky Births and Christenings, 1839-1960 Family Search
  • 1852-1861 - Montgomery County Birth Index 1852-1861. Batch C517781 at FamilySearch - free.[6]
  • 1874 - Montgomery County Birth Index 1874. Batch C517782 at FamilySearch - free.</ref>
  • 1875 - Montgomery County Birth Index 1875. Batch C517783 at FamilySearch - free.
  • Searchable KY Vital Records ~ Searchable databases of KY Births, Deaths and Marriages
Marriage
Death
Divorce
  • 1973-1993 - KY Divorces 1973 - 1993 ~ Kentucky Divorce Records 1973 - 1993 ~ University of Kentucky Vital Records Databases

Societies and Libraries

Montgomery County Historical Society
30 East Main St
PO Box 861
Mt. Sterling, KY 40353
Telephone: 606-498-1413

Family History Centers

Family history centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes. See family history center for more information. Search the online FHC directory for a nearby family history center.

Websites

References

  1. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
  2. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Montgomery County, Kentucky page 273, At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
  3. ↑ May be used for free at Family History Center. To locate a center near you, click here.
  4. ↑ May be used for free at Family History Center. To locate a center near you, click here.
  5. ↑ G. Glenn Clift, Second Census of Kentucky 1800: A Privately Compiled and Published Enumeration of Tax Payers Appearing in the 79 Manuscript Volumes Extant of Tax Lists of the 42 Counties of Kentucky in Existence in 1800 (1954; reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2005).
  6. ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/images/7/75/Igikentuckymz.pdf.
  7. ↑ May be used for free at Family History Center. To locate a center near you, click here.
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