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Nelson County, Kentucky Genealogy

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

County Facts
County seat: Bardstown
Organized: October 18, 1784
Parent County(s): Jefferson [1]
Neighboring Counties
Anderson • Bullitt • Hardin • Larue • Marion • Spencer • Washington
See County Maps
Courthouse
Nelson County, Kentucky Courthouse.JPG
Location Map
Nelson County svg.png

County Information

Description

Nelson County was named for Thomas Nelson, Jr. The county is located in the north-central area of the state.[2]

County Courthouse

Nelson County Courthouse
113 E Stephen Foster Ave
Bardstown, KY 40004
Phone: 502-348-1820[3]
Nelson County Website

Nelson 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 1784 1852 1785 1784 1784 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
  • Deatsville
  • East Bardstown
  • Gethsemane
  • Greenbrier
  • Highgrove
  • Howardstown
  • Hunters
  • Lenore
  • Nazareth
  • Nelsonville
  • Samuels
  • Stiles
  • Withrow
  • Woodlawn
Census-designated places


History Timeline

Resources

Bible Records

Biographies

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Nelson, 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 Nelson county cemeteries.

Census Records

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1790 11,315 —
1800 9,866 −12.8%
1810 14,078 42.7%
1820 16,273 15.6%
1830 14,932 −8.2%
1840 13,637 −8.7%
1850 14,789 8.4%
1860 15,799 6.8%
1870 14,804 −6.3%
1880 16,609 12.2%
1890 16,417 −1.2%
1900 16,587 1.0%
1910 16,830 1.5%
1920 16,137 −4.1%
1930 16,551 2.6%
1940 18,004 8.8%
1950 19,521 8.4%
1960 22,168 13.6%
1970 23,477 5.9%
1980 27,584 17.5%
1990 29,710 7.7%
2000 37,477 26.1%
2010 43,437 15.9%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population schedules of Nelson County are available online. For tips on accessing census records online, see Kentucky Census. If you're having trouble finding your ancestors in online indexes, try checking printed indexes. Created by local experts familiar with the area's families, these indexes are often transcribed more accurately than online nationwide indexes.

See Kentucky Population Schedule Indexes: Fiche, Film, or Book for more information about statewide printed indexes.

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
  • Little Union. Church minutes and membership lists (1811-1919) are available online.
  • New Salem. Church minutes and membership lists (1801-1910) are available online.


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

  • [Abell] House, Katherine Lucille. George Monroe Abell and Lucinda Ludwell Able: A Story of Two Nelson County, Kentucky, Families; with Some Allied Families, Callahan, Carpenter, Coppage, Hurst, Linthicum, Pennebaker, Slaughter, Tucker and Related Families. Utica, Ky.: McDowell Publications, 2001. FS Library Book 929.273 Ab35h
  • [Abell] House, Katherine Lucille. George Monroe Abell (1841-1900) and Lucinda Ludwell Able (1853-1934): A Story of Two Nelson County, Kentucky Families, with Ancestors Including George Abell (1802-1866) and Robert Able (1794-1840). Utica, Ky.: McDowell Publications, 2005. FS Library Book 929.273 Ab35h 2005
  • [Able] See Abell.
  • [Beard] Cowles, Frank. William Beard of Nelson County, Kentucky and His Descendants. Baltimore, Md.: Gateway Press, 1986. FS Library Book 929.273 B38cf
  • [Beeler] Pappas, Carolyn H. "Christopher Beeler, 1705-1775," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 43, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1999):243-255; Vol. 44, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 2000):18-30; Vol. 44, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 2000):115-125. Digital version at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($). FS Library Book 975.5 B2vg.
  • [Blue] Erickson, Emma Louise Graves. Richard and Cynthia Goggins Graves Descendants, Shelby Co., Kentucky, Pulaski Co., Arkansas, Northern California Side Line of Abraham and John Blue of Nelson Co., Ky., Washington Co., Miss., Chicot Co., Ark. Corvallis, Ore.: E.L. Erickson, 1982. FS Library Book 929.273 A1 no. 5379
  • [Bowling] Bowling, Katherine Louise. Bowling: Thomas Bowling: His Forefathers of Maryland, His Descendants of Nelson County, Kentucky. Cuyohoga Falls, Ohio: K. L. Bowling, 1976. FS Library Film 1598229 Item 3
  • [Brown] House, Katherine Lucille. The Descendants of William E. Brown and Katherine Mary Edwards in Nelson County, Kentucky: and Including Brown, Edwards and Sharp family; Ancestors in Washington, Mercer and Anderson Counties in Kentucky. Utica, Ky.: McDowell Publications, 2003. FS Library Book 929.273 B815h
  • [Carter] Darling, Lu Ann W. The History and the Mystery of the William Carter Family of Nelson County, Kentucky and Crawford County, Illinois. Los Angeles, Calif.: L.W. Darling, 1997. FS Library Book 929.273 C246d
  • [Craven] Craven, Patricia. The Craven Clan of Southwestern Pennsylvania and Various Kentucky Counties Nelson, Washington, Marion, Boone, Fayette, Jessamine, Henry. Chicago, Ill.: P. Craven, 1988. FS Library Book 929.273 C855cr
  • [Davis] Moore, Robert P. Ancestors and Nelson Co., Ky., Associates of the Kincheloe, Wickliffe, and Davis Families of Prince William County, Virginia. Lexington, Ky.: R.P. Moore, 1996. FS Library Film 1425391 Item 7
  • [Finn] House, Katherine Lucille. The Hurst and Finn Families of Nelson County, Kentucky: Descendants of Abraham B. Hurst and Sabina Bowles and John Finn and Mary Conroy. Utica, Ky.: McDowell Publications, 1999. FS Library Book 929.273 H943hk
  • [Frakes] Frakes, Nina Howlett. Descendants of Philip and Phoebe (Case) Frakes of Nelson County, Kentucky and Sullivan and Vigo Counties, Indiana: With Known Data on Other Friggs--Freake--Fraiks--Frakes Families. San Mateo, Calif.: N.H. Frakes, 1979. FS Library Film 1033850 Item 4
  • [Gilkey] Gilkey, Kenneth Edward. Gilkeys of Early Kentucky 1780-2000: This Book Focuses Primarily on William Gilkey of Caldwell Co., Ky. and His Descendants and His Brothers, David Gilkey of Union County, Ky. and John Gilkey of Nelson Co. Ky. and Their Descendants. Newburgh, Ind.: K.E. Gilkey, 2000. FS Library Book 929.273 G397g
  • [Greenwell] West, Patricia Greenwell. The Ancestors and Descendants of Thomas Rapier Greenwell: Born 18 June 1889, Nelson County, Kentucky. Blanchester, Ohio: P.G. West, [1984?]. FS Library Book 929.273 G855w
  • [Hurst] House, Katherine Lucille. The Hurst and Finn Families of Nelson County, Kentucky: Descendants of Abraham B. Hurst and Sabina Bowles and John Finn and Mary Conroy. Utica, Ky.: McDowell Publications, 1999. FS Library Book 929.273 H943hk
  • [Kincheloe] Moore, Robert P. Ancestors and Nelson Co., Ky., Associates of the Kincheloe, Wickliffe, and Davis Families of Prince William County, Virginia. Lexington, Ky.: R.P. Moore, 1996. FS Library Film 1425391 Item 7
  • [LaRue] Mather, Otis May. Six Generations of LaRues and Allied Families: Containing Sketch of Isaac LaRue, Senior, Who Died in Frederick County, Virginia in 1795, and Some Account of His American Ancestors and Three Generations of His Descendants and Families Who Were Connected by Inter-marriage: Among Others Carman, Hodgen, Helm, Buzan, Rust ... : Copies of Six Old Wills and Other Documents, Various Incidents Connected with the Settlement of the Nolynn Valley in Kentucky; Also a Chapter on the La Rue Family and the Child Abraham Lincoln. Hodgenville, Kentucky: O.M. Mather, 1921. Available at FS Library FAM HIST Book 929.273 L329m 1968; FS Library US/CAN Film 1208 [2 listings at FS Library]; digital versions at Ancestry ($); Internet Archive - free.
  • [McClaskey] McClaskey, Michael J., Carol F. McClaskey, Kenneth L. McClaskey, and Barbara M. McClaskey. Descendants of James McClaskey of Nelson County, Kentucky. Idaho Falls, Idaho: B. M. McClaskey, 1981. FS Library Large Q Book 929.273 M132mc
  • [Mills] Hackett, John Davis and Kathryn Dickerson Shannon. "Mills Families of Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 35, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1991):215-228; Vol. 35, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1991):284-296; Vol. 36, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1992):34-48; Vol. 36, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1992):109-119. Digital version at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($). FS Library Book 975.5 B2vg v. 35 (1991)-v. 36 (1992).
  • [Popham] Burgess, Jane F. "John Popham (by 1757-1815/7) of Culpeper County, Virginia, and His Children," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 45, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 2001):299-304; Vol. 46, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 2002):57-64; Vol. 46, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 2002):119-125. Digital version at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($); FS Library Book 975.5 B2vg v. 45 (2001).
  • [Rhodes] Stovall, Wilda Ortkiese and Fern Walker Blanford. Herod Rhodes 1826-1915 Wife Mary Sarah Frances Jenkins 1829-1920 of Nelson County, Kentucky with Some Descendants. n.p.: F.W. Blanford, 2008. FS Library Book 929.273 R346bf
  • [Rogers] Rogers, Lon B. "Colonel James Rogers (1742--1828) Nelson County Pioneer," The Kentucky Genealogist, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1961):3-6.
  • [Thompson] Lovejoy, Florence Thompson. Athanatius Thompson, Maryland to Nelson Co., Ky., ca. 1780. MSS., Willard Library, Evansville, Ind. Reproduction: FS Library Film 1481385 Item 16
  • [Wickliffe] Moore, Robert P. Ancestors and Nelson Co., Ky., Associates of the Kincheloe, Wickliffe, and Davis Families of Prince William County, Virginia. Lexington, Ky.: R.P. Moore, 1996. FS Library Film 1425391 Item 7

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 Nelson 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

Hardin CountyBullitt CountySpencer CountyAnderson CountyWashington CountyMarion CountyLarue CountyKY NELSON.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration

Military Records

Civil War

Online Records

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

Confederate soldiers

- 6th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry, Company I.
- 9th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry, Company I.

Union soldiers

- 1st Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry, Companies A, B, E and I.
- 1st Regiment, Kentucky Veteran Cavalry (Wolford's Cavalry), Company A.
- 15th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.
- 28th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry, Companies B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I.

World War I

Korean War

Naturalization and Citizenship

Newspapers

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

Obituaries

Other Records

Periodicals

Probate Records

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

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.

  • 1785-1796 - Schroeder, Margaret Johnson and Carl A. Schroeder. Residents of Nelson County, Virginia (now Kentucky) Recorded in Tithable and Tax Lists. [1785-1796] 4 vols. Bardstown, Ky.: Schroeder, 1988. FS Library. Volume 1 (1785-1791) is available through the FamilySearch Catalog.
  • 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 at FS Library. [Sources for this publication are 1787 personal property tax lists and 1787 tithable lists. Nelson County is included in Vol. 2.]
  • 1790 - Heinemann, Charles B. "First Census" of Kentucky 1790. Washington, D.C.: n.p., 1940. 1981 reprint: FS Library US/CAN 976.9 X2ph 1981; digital version at Kentucky Kinfolks. ["1 volume of 1792 was used." (p. 2)]
  • 1800 - 1800 Tax List of Nelson County, Kentucky Genealogy is included in Clift's Second Census of Kentucky 1800,[7] digitized by Ancestry ($).
  • Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records, Ancestry ($)

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 Nelson County Clerk, with divorce records 1849-1958 located with the Nelson 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 Nelson 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 Nelson County. For state-wide library facilities, see Kentucky Archives and Libraries.

Nelson County Public Library
201 Cathedral Manor
Bardstown, KY 40004
Phone: 502-348-3714
FAX: 502-348-5578
Email: nelsoncopublib@hotmail.com
Website

Museums

Societies

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

Ancestral Trails Historical Society
PO Box 1796
Elizabethtown, KY 42702-1796
Phone: 270-982-0881
Facebook
Website

Nelson County Genealogical Roundtable
PO Box 409
Bardstown, KY 40004
Email: ncgr.ky@gmail.com
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, "Nelson County, Kentucky" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_County,_Kentucky."
  3. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Nelson County, Kentucky page 274, 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), Nelson 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, "Nelson County, Kentucky," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_County,_Kentucky, accessed 5 September 2018.
  7. ↑ 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).
  8. ↑ 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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