"Handling serpents at the Pentecostal Church of God, 1946."
(Russell Lee Photographic Collection, 1979, Kentuckiana Digital Library)
"Cabin on Black Mountain."
(C. Frank Dunn Photographs Collection, 1900-1954, Kentuckiana Digital Library)
"In the older boys' house at Pine Mountain Settlement School."
(C. Frank Dunn Photographs Collection, 1900-1954, Kentuckiana Digital Library)
- Rebecca Caudill, author
- Don Whitehead, journalist
- Cawood Ledford, sports writer
- George Ella Lyon, author
- Maxine Cheshire, journalist
"A line of miners with troops leading them, 1939."
(Harlan County Mine Strike PHotographic Collection, 1939, Kentuckiana Digital Library)
"Bloody Harlan"
The attempt of the United Mine Workers of America (UMW) to organize the coal industry in Harlan Co. in the 1930s, resulted in outbreaks of violence, drawing national attention to "bloody" Harlan. Violence was rampant as Union men fought "company men." Property was dynamited, tipples burned, and company stores looted. In 1937 a U.S. Senate subcommittee began an investigation into allegations that workers' civil rights were being violated. Further violence ensued. Governor A.B. Chandler sent the National Guard into the county to protect the mine property, and it was not until 1939 that the UMW was finally recognized as a bargaining agent for most of the state's miners. Labor disputes and strikes have persisted; some are still accompanied by violence.
"A Miner"
(Russell Lee Photographic Collection, 1979, Kentuckiana Digital Library)
Harlan County Websites
Harlan County Kentucky Research
Harlan County, Kentucky Census Records
MapStats Links for Harlan County Kentucky
Harlan County, Kentucky Cemetery Records
For help with Harlan County Research, use KDLA's Ask a Librarian email reference service.
County of the Month: Harlan
Harlan County was created in 1819 out of part of Knox County. Later, portions of its territory went to form Letcher, Bell, and Leslie counties, leaving a county about fifteen to twenty miles wide and about fifty miles long.
At the time the county was created, there were only a few settlers in the area, which included Yellow Creek to Cumberland Gap, Cumberland Ford and Pine Mountain. Four mountain ranges run across the county (Pine, Black, Little Black and Stone). These ranges made travel cross-county difficult. Often, settlers were forced to walk or drive oxen carrying a few possessions. Travel by wagon was not a viable option.
Forests covered much of the county's acreage, and Indians used the area for a hunting ground. During the 19th century, residents supported themselves by farming and by bartering ginseng, produce and hides. The county's hogs, mules, and cattle went for sale to buyers who drove them to markets outside the mountains. After the Civil War, logging became a major industry. Walnut, cherry, poplar, oak, and chestnut logs were sent down the Cumberland to mills at Wasioto and Williamsburg. In 1913, Harlan Countians formed the state's first forest fire protective association; in 1919 the county was the site of the first state forest, Kentenia, on Pine Mountain.
The early pioneers of Harlan County were predominantly of Anglo-Saxon descent, mostly English, Scotch, Irish, German, Dutch and French. Their arrival in Kentucky is attributed to unrest in some Christian sects: they were followers of Friends, Quakers, Knox, Wesley, Calvin, Luther among others. One of the oldest names in the county is Slater's Fork, which was originally "Slaughter's Fork." The Slaughters were from a long line of rectors in the Church of England.
Some French Hugenots also found asylum in Kentucky and family names such as Arnett, Branson, Colette, Codelle, Brummet, Cornett, Cope, Farler, Felices, Frency, Fultz, Fuson, deWitt, dePreist, Harris, Hoskins, La Force, Le Fevers, Littell, Nance, Napier, Parson, Poteete, Pope, Maupin, Shakleford and Wildre are attributed to these first pioneers.
Harlan County Trivia
According to census records, Nancy Bailey Turner (born 1785 near Evarts) is thought to be the first white child born in Harlan County.
"...The countryside is full of stories of the "Howard War," in which were killed I dare not say how many people. The redoubtable Jim, chief of the Howards, is said to have slain with his own hand no less than thirteen men during those two years of virutal civil war. If ever a Homer should arise in these mountains, Jim Howard will be the Cahilles of his song.
At that time, they told me, people in Harlan were afraid to go out of doors after dark. Almost every house in the place shows the marks of bullets. Each little community in the county sided with or against the Howards and the favorite pastime of men on one "branch" was to start out and "wipe up" the hostile settlement on the next. At one time, I was told, the Howard men penned the Sheriff and his men in the court house which they beleaguered from their station on Ivy Hill overlookinig the town, and instantly opened fire upon anyone so hardy as to venture out...."
- "Along the Cumberland River in the Mountains of Kentucky 100 Years Ago." Thomas H. Kearney, Jr., 1897. Reprinted by the Kentucky Explorer, June, 1994.
Early Marriage Records of Harlan County
- Carolin McGeorge to Israel Nance, 2/26/1818, by George Brittain
- James Hall to Sally Pace, 3/20/1818, by Rev. George Brother
- Thomas Ball to Rachel Kelly, 3/9/1820, by Rev. Galvin Bailey
- Isaiah Steely to Isabel Rose, 3/2/1820, by Elisha Green
- Thomas Forrester to Sally Harris, 3/14/1822, by Rev. Galvin Bailey
- Mary Hall to Alexander Estep, 3/21/1830, by Rev. Samuel Howard
- William Turner to Stacy Smith, 3/24/1824, by Rev. John Lewis
- Charles Noe to Jane Dunlap, 3/22/1822, by Calvin Bailey
- Jemimah Lewis to John Jenkins, 7/20/1825, by John Creech
- Peggy Marks to William Benjey, 7/21/1825, by Elisha Green
- Sally Cornett to A. Holloway, 1/11/1826, by John Lewis
- Robert Noe to Polly Forrester, 7/22/1826, by Rev. Luke Noe
- Joannah Turner to Thomas Sowell, 9/24/1827, by John Noe
- Milley Smith to Milton Greenbill, 5/24/1827, by Rev. Thomas Marcum
- Winston Huff to Stanny Parker, 2/12/1827, by Rev. Luke Noe
Family History and Harlan County Research Resources
Below are some resources available at KDLA for genealogists and researchers interested in the Harlan County area.
County Clerk records
- Agency history
- Articles of incorporation books (indexed) – 1902-1999
- Blueprints – 1900-1964
- Administrator’s bonds books (indexed) – 1917-1977
Committee’s bonds books (indexed) – 1923-1978
Guardian’s bonds books (indexed) – 1908-1978 - Minister’s bonds books (indexed) – 1871-1991
Public official’s bonds books (indexed) – 1882-1981
Sheriff’s bonds book (indexed) – 1886-1913 - General cross index to deeds – 1820-1920 and 1942-1961
General index to deeds – grantee – 1820-1983 and 1989-1991
General index to deeds – grantor – 1820-1983 and 1989-1991
Deed books – 1820-2001
Reports of commissioners’ of division of land (indexed) – 1876-1913 - Record of the board of election commissioners – 1932-2002
- Inventory, appraisement and sale bill books (indexed) – 1926-1981
- General cross index to marriages – 1820-1979
Marriage bond books (indexed) – 1870-1902
Marriage books (indexed) – 1878-2000
Marriage licenses – 1910-1965
Marriage registers – 1823-1914 - Medical registers (indexed) – 1889-1991
- General cross indexes to mineral leases – 1910-1963
Mineral lease books – 1910-2000 - Miscellaneous books – 1893-2000
- General index to mortgages – mortgagee – 1832-1991
General index to mortgages – mortgagor – 1832-1991
Mortgage books – 1915-2001 - Order books (indexed) – 1820-1904 and 1911-2001
County Judge/Executive order books (indexed) – 1981-1988 - Power of attorney books (indexed) – 1961-2001
- Record of encumbrance on real estate books (indexed) – 1896-2000
- General index to recorded instruments – grantee – 1992-1998
General index to recorded instruments – grantor – 1992-1998 - Administrator’s and guardian’s settlement books (indexed) – 1866-1980
- Tax assessment books – 1820-1977
Board of supervisor’s revised assessments books (indexed) – 1938-1980 - Voter registration books – 1920 and 1926
- Will books (indexed) – 1850-2000
Circuit Court records
- Agency history
- Roster of attorneys – 1948 and 1951
- Committee bonds books – 1889-1946 and 1950-1954
- Bonds in liquor cases book – 1922-1929
- Certificates and affidavits pertaining to land and slaves – 1828-1848
- General indexes to civil and criminal cases – 1825-1942
General indexes to civil cases – 1906-1980
General index to criminal cases – 1821-1917
General index to criminal cases – defendant – 1923-1977 - Civil and criminal case files – 1821-1949
Civil case files – 1935-1980
Criminal case files – 1949-1977 - Feeble-minded inquest book – 1920-1922
Idiot inquest books (indexed) – 1926-1932 and 1948-1962
Lunacy inquest books – 1913-1952
Mental inquest books (indexed) – 1945-1976
Orders de idiota inquirendo – 1897-1923 - Criminal judgment books – 1924-1939
Judgment from inferior courts books – 1865-1925 - Naturalization records – 1912-1959
- Order books – 1828-1887
Civil order books (indexed) – 1893-1977
Criminal order books (indexed) – 1887-1977
Quarterly Court records
- Civil order books (indexed) – 1936-1977
- Criminal order books (indexed) – 1929-1977
Court of Common Pleas records
- Order books (indexed) – 1888-1892
Fiscal Court records
- Order books (indexed) – 1927-2000