Annotated Bullitt County 1850 Census

We continue the Bullitt County 1850 census written by Mrs. W. V. Mathis, Wallace A. McKay and W. C. Barrickman. Betty Darnell shared this in The Pioneer News on 8 Jul 1991.

These records have been briefly compared to images of the census pages, and occasional additions or corrections have been made. Those changes we consider significant are noted with red print. Also, the census dwelling house number and family number according to visitation has been added, like this: [1/1].

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3 Feb 1950

In 1636 Ellins BIRKETT or BIRKHEAD of England bound himself as the "indentured servant" for seven years to planter Wm. CLARKE of Virginia, in order to pay his passage across the Atlantic.

Two hundred years later in Spencer County, KY, the home of Captain Zachariah Clarke was thrown into an uproar by the announcement of his daughter, Elizabeth that she intended to marry Eleazer BIRKHEAD, descendant of the immigrant, Ellins BIRKETT. Eleazer, "Ele" for short, was a wild, rough pioneer, who could neither read nor write, and a widower with two children. Old man CLARKE pleaded, argued and threatened his daughter, but she was adamant. "Ele" became a prosperous farmer and an omniverous reader, and when he came to the end of his days at the age of 83, he could have said, but didn't, "I owe everything to my wife, Elizabeth."

Many of their children are today citizens of Bullitt, Nelson and Spencer, while others are scattered far and wide throughout the country.

Abraham BIRKHEAD, son of Eleazer, settled in Washington County, and one of his descendants is Dr. N. H. BURKHEAD, a well-known Louisville specialist. Some of the BIRKHEAD descendants are now living in the neighborhood of Pitts Point.

Dr. Joseph BIRKHEAD, once a leading physician of Shepherdsville, was grandson of Eleazer and Elizabeth CLARKE BIRKHEAD.

He read medicine in the office of the noted Dr. David Harvey COX of Cox's Creek.

The 1850 census [page 118; household 876] lists Dr. BIRKHEAD as a physician, 39 years old, wife Matilda (SHADBURN) age 35, their daughter Elizabeth Virginia, 14. (In 1854 she married Henry F. KALFUS, son of Henry, Sr.)

In 1871, on a cold, rainy, dreary, March morning, Dr. BIRKHEAD was routed out of bed and forced to ride a mile to the home of Judge CARPENTER to usher this writer in the world.

[622/622] James SAMUELS 26 farmer.

[631/631] Charles HART 47 farmer, (married 1830) Margaret Ann (EDWARDS) 37, Allen 17, Mary E. 13, Silas 10, Catherine 10, Joseph 8, Lucinda 4.

[633/633] Frederick MEYERS 35, Ann 29, Mary 2.

[635/635] Mahala HILAND 42, William 20, Margaret 18, Daniel 12; Joseph SCHOUFIELD? 25 peddler.

[636/636] Wilford LEE 35 (son of Charles and Peggy MARAMAN LEE), married Nov 1938 Sarilda CUNDIFF), (son) John 13. (Wilford LEE married, second, after 1850, Matilda CUNDIFF.)

[637/637] William J. MAYFIELD 37 farmer, (married 1839) Elizabeth G. (HILL) 31, Kitty C. 10, Wm. H. 9, Mary E. 7.

[640/640] Joseph JOHNSON 70 farmer, (son) John 24.

[641/641] Elijah JOHNSON 28, (married 1845) Eliza Ann (BIRD) 30 (daughter of Mrs. John L. DURATE), John 4, Mahala 2, Joseph 6 months.

[642/642] Harriett (SIMMONS) COLLINGS 39 (widow of Abner COLLINGS), Mary 17, William 14, Bemn 10, Mariah 8; Chales C. BUSH.

[643/643] Martha BARNETT 50, James 19, Joseph 15, Charles 12, Benj. 8.

[644/644] Walter BAYNE 49 farmer, Margaret 42, Sarah 22, Elizabeth 21, Margaret 19, John 17, Eliza 9, Kitty 6, Susan 4, George 3.

[645/645] Isaac HIBBS 30 farmer, Ann 26, John 6, Laura 4, Catherine 2, Ann 5 months.

[648/648] James R. IRWIN 52 carpenter, (married 1845) Sarah C. 47 (widow of John LEVY), James R. 4, Rebecca A. 2.

[650/650] George HECKER 32, Lucetta 25 (daughter of Conrad MATHIS, Jr., and his wife, Pony STREIT MATHIS.)

[651/651] Geo. W. WEBB 41, (married 1848) Susan Ann 33 (daughter of John SPENCER), Benj. K. 7, George W. 5, Frances A. 3, Rebecca 1.

Not listed in the newspaper was a second household, also numbered 651:
[651/651] Caleb WISE 35 farmer, Mary J. 23, Lucy A. DENT 6, Charles WEBB 12.

[652/652] James H. LANDERS 34 physician, (married 1848), Edith E. (HEAD) 28, Carm. S. 2, Jariah 13. (Dr. Landers married second, America CRIST; after his death she married, second, Dr. Henry F, CRENSHAW.)

[653/653] Ann DENT 53, Marcus 27, Patrick H. 25, Denton M. 23, Arthela 34; Sarah HAMBAUGH? 40.

[656/656] William BLANDFORD 33 farmer, (his mother) Elizabeth 70, (He was probably the Wm. H. BLANDFORD who married, 1850, Maria L CARTMELL.)

[657/657] Coleman BRIDWELL 42 farmer, Elizabeth (GREATHOUSE) 42, Martha 16, Isaac 15, Stephen 15, Joanne 14 (she married, first, Charles MOORE; and second, Lindsay ROUSE), Virginia 8, America 7, Rosella 5 (married Richard PRATT, Jr.)

[658/658] Nathan CRENSHAW 26 farmer (son of Cosby), Laura Catherine 20 (daughter of Henry S. CRIST), Amon P. 2.

[659/659] Lawrence ROBY 54 (son of Lawrence, Sr.), Martha 5 (daughter of Wm. R. OWEN), Nancy 19 (married Ben H. CRIST), John S. 17, Nore 14, (1899, married "Rebel Bill" HARRIS; Margaret married Samuel ROBY.)

Households 734-735, and 737-745 below were also listed on an earlier page.

[734/734] John RIDGWAY 40 farmer (married 1840), Mahala (TRUNNELL) 37, Joseph 16, Milton 9, William H. 5, Nathan H. 3, Melville 1, Sarah ROBY 16. Household also shown on another page.

[735/735] Humphrey SIMMONS 43 farmer (married 1840), Emily 26 (sister of James Y. POPE and daughter of Ben POPE Jr. and Margaret YEWELL - daughter of James YEWELL and Nancy SHIRLEY), John W. 17, Samuel B. 15, Mary E. 13, Nancy 11, Benjamin 8, Clay 5, Willa F. 3. Household also shown on another page and a third page.

[737/737] James SHANKLIN 34, farmer, Amanda 24, John F. 6, James E. 4, George SHANKLIN 30, Sophia 17. Household also shown on another page.

[738/738] George W. HARDY 35 carpenter, Lucinda (HAGAN) 35, Frances M. 15, James 11, Luellen 8, George W. 4, Joshua 6, Sarah E. 1. Household also shown on another page.

[739/739] William R. HOAGLAND 23 (married 1847), Jane 23 (daughter of Charles MARAMAN), Mary E. 2. Household also shown on another page.

[740/740] Caleb CATURMAS 57, laborer, Rachel 50. Household also shown on another page.

[741/741] Elisha HARDY 37 (married, first, Eliza, daughter of Baseil HAGAN), Sarah 40 (second wife), Rosella 15, Pius 12, Corilla 4. Household also shown on another page.

[742/742] Pope MASDEN 34 farmer (married 1840), Elizabeth 26 (daughter of Isaac YOUNGER), Sarah 9, Joshua 7, Ellen 6, John 2. Household also shown on another page.

[743/743] John MASDEN 32 farmer, Elmira 30 (daughter of Levi and Elizabeth MAGRUDER), Ellen 7, Macklevaney ("Mack") 7, Francis Marion 5. (Born after 1850: Bertha Bemis.) Household also shown on another page.

[744/744] Thomas W. MAYFIELD 34 (married 1833), Rebecca J. (HILL) 36, William 12, Sarah 10, John 8, Francis 7, Kitty Ann 5, Susan A. Household also shown on another page.

[745/745] Edmund H. C. HILL 28 teacher (married 1844), Matilda 31 (daughter of John MAYFIELD), Marion 5, Susan 3, Edmund H. C. 2, Francis A. HILL 60. Household also shown on another page.

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This project is presented here with the kind permission of Betty Darnell, and The Pioneer News.

If you, the reader, have an interest in any particular part of our county history, and wish to contribute to this effort, use the form on our Contact Us page to send us your comments about this, or any Bullitt County History page. We welcome your comments and suggestions. If you feel that we have misspoken at any point, please feel free to point this out to us.