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Madison County, Kentucky Genealogy

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

County Facts
County seat: Richmond
Organized: October 17, 1785
Parent County(s): Lincoln [1]
Neighboring Counties
Clark • Estill • Fayette • Garrard • Jackson • Jessamine • Rockcastle
See County Maps
Courthouse
Madison County Kentucky Courthouse.jpg
Location Map
Madison County svg.png

County Information

Description

Madison County was named for James Madison. The county is located in the central area of the state.[2]

County Courthouse

Madison County Courthouse
101 W Main Street
Richmond, KY 40475-1415
Phone: 859-624-4707[3]
Madison County Website

Madison County, Kentucky Record Dates

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.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[4]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1852 1787 1852 1786 1787 1850 1810
*Statewide registration for births and deaths started in 1911. General compliance by 1917.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes

Populated Places

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
Unincorporated communities
  • Dreyfus
  • Duluth
  • Duncanon
  • Edenton
  • Elliston
  • Farristown
  • Happy Landing
  • Hillcrest
  • Kingston
  • Kirksville
  • Middletown
  • Million
  • Moberly
  • Newby
  • Panola
  • Peytontown


History Timeline

Resources

Bible Records

Biographies

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Madison, Kentucky online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions 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 Madison county cemeteries.

Census Records

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1790 5,772 —
1800 10,490 81.7%
1810 15,540 48.1%
1820 15,954 2.7%
1830 18,751 17.5%
1840 16,355 −12.8%
1850 15,727 −3.8%
1860 17,207 9.4%
1870 19,543 13.6%
1880 22,052 12.8%
1890 24,348 10.4%
1900 25,607 5.2%
1910 26,951 5.2%
1920 26,284 −2.5%
1930 27,621 5.1%
1940 28,541 3.3%
1950 31,179 9.2%
1960 33,482 7.4%
1970 42,730 27.6%
1980 53,352 24.9%
1990 57,508 7.8%
2000 70,872 23.2%
2010 82,916 17.0%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

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

Church Records

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.

Baptist
  • Old Cane Spring. Church minutes (1803-1872, 1897-1995) are available at Eastern Kentucky University: Finding Aid.


List of Churches and Church Parishes

Court Records

Directories

Emigration and Immigration

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

African Americans

More information about African American resources in Kentucky can be found on the Kentucky African Americans and the United States African Americans Wiki pages.

Funeral Homes

Genealogies

  • [Ballance] Pierce, Alycon Trubey. "The Ballance Family of Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 38, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1994):3-20; Vol. 38, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1994):105-114. Digital version at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($). FS Library Book 975.5 B2vg v. 38 (1994).
  • [Bates] Dorman, John Frederick. Adventurers of Purse and Person, Virginia, 1607-1624/5. 3 vols. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004-2007. Volume 1. FS Library Book 975.5 H2j v. 1.
  • [Boone] Bryan, J.C. The Boone-Bryan History. Frankfort, Ky.: The Kentucky State Historical Society, 1913. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
  • [Collins] Collins, Gerald E. William Collins (176*-1848): of North Carolina, Madison County, Kentucky, Shelby County, Indiana and Some of His Descendants. No publication info. FS Catalog 727107
  • [Crooke] Crooke, B.F. Genealogy of the Crooke and Proctor Families. 1908. FS Catalog 133683
  • [Crooke] Ingalls, Osie Alice McDowell. Crooke Family: Account Book of Miss Crooke of Science Hill, Madison County, Kentucky. MSS., National Library, D.A.R. Copy: FS Catalog 133683
  • [Embry] Miller, William Harris. The Embry Family of Madison County, Ky. Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.: n.p., 1954. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
  • [Finley] Finley, Carmen J. "John and Mary Finley of Montgomery (Wythe) County, Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 34, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1990):243-255. Digital version at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($). FS Library Book 975.5 B2vg v. 34 (1990).
  • [Francis] Francis: Family Genealogical Data, 1794-1927, Madison County, Kentucky. Typescript. Microfilmed 1982. FS Catalog Collection.
  • [Gates] Ross, Janet Morgan and Hester Gates Morgan. "Gates Families of the Colonial Virginia Counties of Henrico and Chesterfield," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 46, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 2002):137-150; Vol. 46, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 2002):183-189. Digital version at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($); FS Library Book 975.5 B2vg v. 46 (2002).
  • [Hill] Hill, L. Henry. Genealogy of the Hill Family of Garrard and Madison Counties, Kentucky. Evansville, Ind.: Unigraphic, 1978. FS Catalog 166763
  • [Jett] Jett, C. Otis. The Genealogy of the Breathitt, Clay and Madison County, Kentucky Branch of the Jett Family. Georgetown, Ky.: I.L. Jett, 1988. FS Catalog 470135
  • [Park] Gum, Nell Marshall Park. Park of Kentucky, 1747-1929: Biographical Sketches and Genealogy of the Descendants of Ebenezer Park, Pioneer of Madison County, Kentucky. Frankfort, Ky.: Gum, 1929. FS Catalog 1715; digital version at Ancestry. ($)
  • [Park] Park, Evelyn Potter and Warren R. Park. Allen Park, 1745-1805, of Rowan County, North Carolina and Madison County, Kentucky: Including Some of His Descentants and Allied Families. Chandler, Okla.: n.p., 1970. FS Catalog 1796; 1977 supplement: FS Catalog 1813
  • [Pursley] Winchester, Warren. Benjamin Pursley (Pursell): of Loudoun County, Virginia, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, Madison County, Kentucky. Middletown, Ky.: W. Winchester, 1995. FS Catalog 751739
  • [Robertson] Ross, Janet Morgan and Hester Gates Morgan. "Gates Families of the Colonial Virginia Counties of Henrico and Chesterfield," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 46, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 2002):137-150; Vol. 46, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 2002):183-189. Digital version at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($); FS Library Book 975.5 B2vg v. 46 (2002).
  • [Shearer] Shearer, Oliver F. In Search of my Shearer Heritage in Madison and Rock Castle Countys [sic ] in Kentucky. [Winchester, Ky.]: O.F. Shearer, [199?]. FS Catalog 711990
  • [Turner] Sargent, Samuel S. Genealogy of the Turner Family (Especially of Madison County, Kentucky & Illinois), ca. 1700-1955. MSS., 1955. FS Catalog 321518

Guardianship

Land and Property Records

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.

Online Land Indexes and Records


Local Histories

Local histories are available for Madison 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.

Maps and Gazetteers

Fayette CountyClark CountyEstill CountyJackson CountyRockcastle CountyGarrard CountyJessamine CountyKY MADISON.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration

Military Records

Civil War

Online Records

Regiments. Men in Madison County served in various regiments and companies. Those listed below were specifically formed in this county:

- 11th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Confederate). Companies A, B, E, F, G, and H.
- Jesse's Battalion, Kentucky Mounted Riflemen (Confederate), Company C
- 12th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Confederate), Company G

Civil War Battle
The following Civil War battle was fought in Madison County.[7]

  • August 29-30, 1862 - Richmond.

World War I

Korean War

Naturalization and Citizenship

Newspapers

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

Obituaries

Other Records

Voting Records

Periodicals

Probate Records

Probate records are held by the Madison County, Kentucky Genealogy Clerk of Court and are housed at the Madison 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 Indexes and Records


School Records

  • Berea College Yearbooks - approximately 40 years of yearbooks digitized and available full-text online via the Internet Archive. Years include approximately 1929-1970 (not fully inclusive).
  • Three Decades of Progress at Eastern Kentucky University (1936) - a history of the school written by the faculty.

Social Security Records

Tax Records

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.

  • 1787 - Schreiner-Yantis, Netti and Florene Speakman Love. The 1787 Census of Virginia: An Accounting of the Name of Every White Male Tithable Over 21 Years, the Number of White Males Between 16 & 21 Years, the Number of Slaves over 16 & Those Under 16 Years, Together with a Listing of Their Horses, Cattle & Carriages, and Also the Names of All Persons to Whom Ordinary Licenses and Physician's Licenses Were Issued. 3 vols. Springfield, Va.: Genealogical Books in Print, 1987. Available through the FamilySearch Catalog ; [The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Madison County is included in Vol. 1.]
  • 1788 Court and Tax Records. GenealogyTrails.
  • 1789 - Heinemann, Charles B. "First Census" of Kentucky 1790. Washington, D.C.: n.p., 1940. 1981 reprint: FS Catalog 446696; digital version at Kentucky Kinfolks. ["3 volumes of 1789 were used, with some duplication of names." (p. 2)]
  • 1800 - 1800 Tax List of Madison County, Kentucky Genealogy is included in Clift's Second Census of Kentucky 1800,[8] digitized by Ancestry ($).
  • 1815 - The 1815 list is the first list (at least since 1808) in which we can build geographical clusters despite the alphabetizing of the first letter of surnames. This is done by using the regiment and company information. See FS Library US/CAN Film 8,127. These alphabetical by surname lists were prepared by the Madison County clerk from records in his office.
  • Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records, Ancestry ($)

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 Madison County Clerk, with divorce records 1849-1958 located with the Madison 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

Marriage

Death

Divorce

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Madison County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Kentucky Archives and Libraries.

Archives of Appalachia
East Tennessee State University
Sherrod Library, Room 422
344 J L Seehorn Rd
Johnson City, TN 37614
Phone: 423-439-4338
Email: archives@etsu.edu
Facebook
Website

FamilySearch Centers

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

  • FamilySearch 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 FamilySearch center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Madison County. For state-wide library facilities, see Kentucky Archives and Libraries.

Museums

Societies

Listed below are societies in Madison County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Kentucky Societies.

Fort Boonesborough Living History Group
4375 Boonesborough Rd
PO Box 226
Richmond, KY 40476-0226
Phone: 859-527-3131
Facebook
Website

Madison County Historical Society
PO Box 397
Richmond, KY 40476
Email: info@madisoncountykyhistory.org
Facebook
Website

Websites

Research Guides

References

  1. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Kentucky. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  2. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Madison County, Kentucky" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison_County,_Kentucky."
  3. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Kentucky. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  4. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Madison County, Kentucky. Page 268-276 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library 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.
  5. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Kentucky. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  6. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Madison County, Kentucky," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison_County,_Kentucky, accessed 29 August 2018.
  7. ↑ National Park Service, Civil War Battles
  8. ↑ 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).
  9. ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/img_auth.php/7/75/Igikentuckymz.pdf.



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