Research in KY County Clerks Offices
by Betty R. Darnell

This is one in a series of researching tips taken from presentations by Betty R. Darnell, a noted local historian and genealogist. These notes are copyrighted by her.

---

First things first, on arrival at the office ...

• Ask if there’s a specific area for the older records (probably not deeds, as title searchers use those); original records available for research and copying?
• Ask about making copies (anything not to be copied, how to pay).
• Clerks are busy with today’s records; frequently don’t know anything about the older records.

Marriage Records

• Marriage register: names of parties, date of marriage; may have date of license, name of minister or JP; copied from original records – may be errors
• Original records (Bonds, Licenses, Ministers’ Returns) may be available, in boxes or files
• Bonds: name of bondsman, sometimes but not always, a close relative of bride or groom; accompanied by verbal or written consent in one of parties under age
• Licenses: later ones give birthplace and names of parents; some give age of parties
• Returns: occasionally give name of parents, residence of parties, place of marriage

Where are they?

Bullitt Co.: (in storage) bonds, 1797-1855; licenses, 1849-1941; minister returns, 1798-1870; 1872 – license and certificate copied onto forms in marriage register. Some early bonds, 1797-1823, not accompanied by a return, were not recorded in register

Nelson Co.: Older books in archives room adjacent to deed room: Register; photocopies of bonds and returns, 1785-1832, in files

Spencer Co.: Register; Bonds 1827-1864 in books, partially indexed; Licenses & Returns 1824-1897 in books; original licenses in boxes

Will & Estate Records

• Wills: transcripts of original wills
• Inventories, Appraisals, Sales: called for when there was no will, family needed cash to settle estate or provide for children; sales bills can include names of neighbors and relatives
• Settlements, Guardian Records: periodic settlements made until children of deceased reached legal age; occasionally gives ages and residence of children, references to marriage of daughter of deceased. Guardian appointed for children inheriting property, even if parents living.

Where are they?

Bullitt Co.: Will index also includes Inventories, Appraisals, Sales, Settlements, and Guardian Records. Separate books for Guardian Records in 1823, Inventories, Appraisements & Sale Bills in 1882, Settlements in 1882

Nelson Co.: Will Books, indexed; Separate books in 1879 for Executors & Administrators, and Guardians; some estate settlements in file boxes

Spencer Co.: Will Books, indexed; Executors & Administrators books from 1824, Guardian Bonds from 1852, Guardian Settlements form 1829; Original wills from 1824 in boxes

Deeds

• If deceased left property and no will, there may be a deed from "Heirs of ...," giving their names and places of residence.
• Deeds frequently detail relationships, "to my son;" occasionally give place of former residence, or mention that they're preparing to move

Where are they?

Bullitt Co.: Indexed in same book by grantor (seller) and grantee (buyer). Early deed books also include wills. Commissioners' Reports, 1876-1928, indexed in separate book. T. C. Carroll Plat Maps (collated from deed books and various sources); indexed

Nelson Co.: Indexed by grantor and grantee, A to A, A to B, etc.; some original deeds in archival boxes; land entries, 1789-1823 ("Processioners Reports"); Land Deposition Book, partially indexed, land disputes, early 1800s

Spencer Co.: Indexed by grantor and grantee; Commissioners' Deeds, from 1877, indexed in deed index books

County Court Minutes/Order Books

• A summary of County Court business: laying out roads, recording of deeds, ordering estate appraisals, binding out orphans and apprentices, granting tavern and ferry licenses

Where to Look...

Bullitt Co.: 1797-1900+; Book B, 1800-1807 is lost, not on film; no index for Book J (1867-1873)

Nelson Co.: 1785-90 (no index); 1791-?

Spencer Co.: Order Books from 1824, indexed

Finally...

• Poke around, check any old-looking books, anything marked "Index."

References for KY Courthouse Research

• Hogan, Roseann Reinemuth, Kentucky Ancestry (Salt Lake City, Utah: Ancestry, Inc., 1992). Provides contact information for county clerk; inventory of microfilm for each county available at the Kentucky Historical Society, University of Kentucky Special Collections Library, and Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives.
• Schweitzer, George K., Kentucky Genealogical Research (Knoxville Tenn., privately published, 1987). Details type of record and dates for each.
• Everton Publishers, Inc., The Handybook for Genealogists, 9th Edition (Logan, Utah: Everton Publishers, 1999) [10th edition has been published]. General list of available records.
• Szucs, Loretto Dennis, and Luebking, Sandra Hargreaves, The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy (Salt Lake City, Utah: Ancestry, Inc., 1984). Information on getting the most out of county records.