Article IV, Sec. 34 of the Third Kentucky Constitution, passed in 1850, established that each county would be laid off in districts, and that each district would have two Justices of the Peace (Magistrates). That section is transcribed below.
"Each county in this State shall be laid off into districts of convenient size as the General Assembly may, from time to time, direct. Two justices of the peace shall be elected in each district by the qualified voters therein, at such time and place as may be prescribed by law, for the term of four years, whose jurisdiction shall be coextensive with the county; no person shall be eligible as a justice of the peace unless he be a citizen of the United States, twenty-one years of age and a resident of the district in which he may be a candidate." Third Kentucky Constitution (1850), Article IV, Sec. 34.
The Bullitt County Court, in compliance with this, appointed three men to divide the county into four districts in January 1851, and their report was recorded in the County Deed Book in August 1851 as shown below.
Bullitt County Deed Book M, Pages 188-189
Kentucky, Bullitt County Sct.
January 25, 1851
This day Rowan J. Stoner and John Holsclaw personally appeared before the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, and took an oath that they would discharge the duties required of them in laying off Constables and Justices of the Peace (Districts) for Bullitt County. Given under my hand the date above. (signed) A. J. Robards, J.P.B.C.
William Wilson took the oath before the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, in laying off Constables and Magistrates' districts this 25 day of January 1851. (signed) Lorenzo Hogland, J.P.B.C.
We Rowan J. Stoner, John Holsclaw and William Wilson, three of the commissioners appointed to lay off Bullitt County into Justices and Constables' Districts, have performed that duty as follows. We have laid said county off into four Districts.
District No. 1. To include all that part of Bullitt County on the north side of Salt River below Floyd's Fork and up said Fork to the mouth of Cedar Creek, and up Cedar Creek to the Jefferson County line; and we make two places for voting in said district, the first at Shepherdsville and the other at William Green's in the Knobs.
District No. 2. To include all that part of Bullitt County remaining on the north side of Salt River not included in District No. 1, and Mt. Washington to be the place of voting for said district.
The south side of Salt River is divided into two Districts as follows, to commence at the Ferry across Salt River above Shepherdsville and run with the Ferry Road and Elizabethtown Road to Long Lick Bridge, and up Long Lick Creek to the head thereof, and with the Bardstown Road to the Nelson County line so as to include the farm of Mrs. Shepler in District No. 4.
District No. 3. All that part of Bullitt County lying west and south of the above line is styled No. 3, and the house of Zaddock L. Brown at the Pine Tavern to be the place of voting for said district.
District No. 4. All that part of Bullitt County lying east of District No. 3 is styled as District No. 4, and the house of Enoch Leach to be the place of voting for said district.
Should it be improper for us to fix two places in one district for votes to be taken, the votes in District No. 1 are to be taken at Shepherdsville; and would recommend that an Act be passed for a precinct for voting at William Green's in District No. 1 if our having made said Green's a place of voting is not correct; all which is respectfully reported. Witness our hands this 25 day of January 1851. (signed) John Holsclaw, Rowan J. Stoner, William Wilson; commissioners.
State of Kentucky, Bullitt County Sct
I Robert F. Samuels, clerk of the County Court for the county aforesaid, do certify that I have truly recorded the foregoing list of Magistrates and Constables' districts in my office. Given under my hand this 14th day of August 1851. (signed) R. F. Samuels, clerk.
At the 1851 election, David L. Brooks and Napoleon B. Small were elected Justices in District 1; William P. Barnes and Orville O. Brown in District 2; George W. Hardy and William Shawler for District 3; and Alfred J. Robards and Rowan J. Stoner in District 4.
The newly elected constables were (1) James Croan Jr., (2) Joseph H. Wright, (3) Richard W. Deats, and (4) Richard A. Wise.
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.
The Bullitt County History Museum, a service of the Bullitt County Genealogical Society, is located in the county courthouse at 300 South Buckman Street (Highway 61) in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. The museum, along with its research room, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday appointments are available by calling 502-921-0161 during our regular weekday hours. Admission is free. The museum, as part of the Bullitt County Genealogical Society, is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization and is classified as a 509(a)2 public charity. Contributions and bequests are deductible under section 2055, 2106, or 2522 of the Internal Revenue Code. Page last modified: 12 Dec 2025 . Page URL: bullittcountyhistory.org/bchistory/districts1851.html
