County of the Month: Lincoln

Lincoln County, named for Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, was established by the legislature of the Commonwealth of Virginia when Kentucky County was divided into three distinct areas: Jefferson, Fayette, and Lincoln Counties. Originally consisting of much of the lower portion of the state, over the years Lincoln County has been whittled away to 337 square miles, making possible the establishment of Mercer, Madison, Logan, Green, Garrard, Pulaski, Knox, Casey, Rockcastle, and Boyle counties. Lincoln County assumed its present boundary in February 1843.

The county seat is Stanford. Stanford was originally known as Logan's Fort, then as Standing Fort because it withstood many Indian attacks during the late 1770s. It was situated on a slight elevation about 50 yards west of St. Asaph's Spring. Only seven cabins were constructed, along with three blockhouses, making it one of the smallest forts in Kentucky. However, the fort was unique in that a ditch, about three feet wide by four feet deep, was dug from one blockhouse to the spring. Puncheons were placed over the top, and these were covered with dirt, making a tunnel through which a person could crawl to obtain water. This helped the occupants withstand the many sieges beset on the fort by the Indians.

The name "Stanford" may originate from a derivation of "Standing Fort;" although no official documentation exists. The town was issued its charter in 1786, making it one of the first chartered towns in the Kentucky territory of Virginia. Stanford's Main Street was once part of the Wilderness Road and is the oldest Main Street in Kentucky.

Among the first settlements established were Knob Lick Station, Montgomery's Station, Pettit's Station, Spear's Station, McCormack's Station, McKinney's Station, Whitley's Station, Owsley's Station, Barnett's Station, Briggs Station, and Helm's Station. These settlements eventually evolved into the towns of Hustonville, Crab Orchard, and Waynesburg, as well as smaller villages known as McKinney, Kings Mountain, Preachersville, Walnut Flat, Milledgeville, Turnersville, Hubble, Turkeytown, Broughtontown, and Dog Walk.

Lincoln County is known as “The Land of Firsts.” It’s home of Kentucky’s first governor, Isaac Shelby; first chartered school in the state; first brick house in Kentucky; first courthouse west of the Alleghenies; first bank west of the Alleghenies; as well as America’s first circular race track.

Source: The Kentucky Encyclopedia, Early Lincoln County History by Mrs. H.H. Dunn, Lincoln County Historical Society Papers

Lincoln County Trivia

Lincoln County's First Families

Among Lincoln County's first families were the following heads of household (ca. 1776-1777):

• Benjamin Logan
• Ben Petit
• William Whitley
• William Menifee
• George Clark
• James Mason
• Samuel Coburn
• John Martin
• John Kennedy
• James Craig
• William Hudson
• John King
• Azariah Davis
• Burr Harrison
• William May

Source: "Logan's Fort." Benjamin Logan by Charles Talbert

Origins of Some Lincoln County Place Names

Buffalo Springs derives its name from an incident which is recounted in a legend. It is said that a buffalo, which had been killed at the brow of the cliff above the spring, toppled over into the water.

Crab Orchard Springs derives its name from the immense forest of apple trees which are indigenous to that section. The fruit of the orchard was a great boon to the pioneers who made confections from the fruit. In antebellum days, it was the rendezvous of great caravans of the southern gentry who were attracted by the virtues of its several medicinal waters and thereafter it was generally called Crab Orchard Springs.

The Dix River derives its name from Captain Dick, chief of the Indians, who advised some Long Hunters to cross Brushy Ridge and come to "his" river where they would find food. The Long Hunters named the stream "Dick's River" in honor of the Indian Chief. Over the years, the name became known as the Dix River.

St. Asaph's Creek, derives its name from a suggestion by a devout Welshman, who recalled to Benjamin Logan that May 1st, the day on which Logan landed at the spring, was the anniversary of the canonization of Asaph, a Welsh monk.

Source: "Place Names in Lincoln County," by Will N. Craig. Lincoln County Historical Society Papers: 1941-1953.

Family History and Lincoln County Research Resources

Unlike many other Kentucky courthouses, all original records of the county's history are intact. The earliest court records date to November 1779. Many old land records name pioneers such as Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton. A few original land deeds are recorded on sheepskin.

Below are some resources available at KDLA for genealogists and researchers interested in the Lincoln County area.

County Clerk records

• Agency history
• Administrator’s bonds books (indexed) – 1950-1977
• Executor’s bonds books (indexed) – 1933-1977
• List of executors and administrators books – 1871-1890 and 1904-1926
• Guardian’s bonds books (indexed) – 1877-1878 and 1919-1977
• List of guardians books – 1865-1891 and 1899-1916
• Committee’s and trustee’s bonds book (indexed) – 1939-1977
• Constable bonds book – 1852-1920
• Justice of the peace bonds book – 1874-1883
• Tavern keepers bonds books – 1852-1885
• Blueprints – 1951, 1955, 1958, and 1961-1962
• General cross indexes to deeds – 1780-1955
• General indexes to deeds, leases, and mortgages – grantee – 1955-1985
• General indexes to deeds, leases, and mortgages – grantor – 1955-1985
• Deed books – 1781-1987
• List of unrecorded deeds – 1854-1892
• Record of the board of election commissioners – 1898-1927 and 1952-1986
• Register of candidates for nomination in primary election – 1912-1917
• Voter affidavit for registration book – 1903-1917
• Idiot inquest book – 1892-1901
• Inventory, appraisement and sale bill books (indexed) – 1918-1977
• General cross index to marriages – 1854-1939
• General index to marriages (groom or bride) – 1784-1908
• Marriage bond books (indexed) – 1854-1882
• Marriage books (indexed) – 1781-1865, 1870-1872, and 1882-1987
• Marriage certificate books (indexed) – 1875-1917
• Marriage register – 1851-1876
• Freedmen’s declaration of marriage (indexed) – 1867-1902
• Order books (indexed) – 1781-1865 and 1895-1987
• Processioners book – 1852-1920
• Record of encumbrance on real estate and lis pendens books (indexed) – 1897-1985
• School census – 1889-1910
• Administrator’s, executor’s, and guardian’s settlement books (indexed) – 1889-1984
• Sheriff’s additional tax list – 1897
• Records pertaining to slavery – 1856-1859
• General indexes to survey books – 1781-1910
• Survey books – 1781-1910
• Tax assessment books – 1787-1947
• Board of supervisor’s revised assessments book – 1895-1913
• General index to wills – 1780-1984
• Will books (indexed) – 1781-1985

Circuit Court records

• Agency history
• Committee bonds books – 1887 and 1899
• General indexes to civil and criminal cases – defendant – 1876-1913
• General indexes to civil and criminal cases – plaintiff – 1779-1913
• General indexes to civil and criminal cases – 1913-1976
• General index to civil cases – 1976-1977
• General index to criminal cases – 1917-1976
• Civil case files – 1803-1917 and 1953-1977
• Criminal case files – 1893-1923, 1925-1936, 1939-1940, and 1945-1977
• Equity case files – 1780-1953
• Ordinary case files – 1790-1953
• Complete records books – 1800-1822
• Judgment book – 1851 and 1862-1877
• Order books (indexed) – 1802-1876
• Civil order books (indexed) – 1876-1977
• Criminal order books (indexed) – 1876-1977

Quarterly Court records

• Judgment books – 1868-1885
• Examining Trials order book (indexed) – 1881-1885 and 1890-1897
• Order books – 1876-1882, 1887-1888, and 1900

Court of Quarter Sessions records

• Docket books – 1785-1786
• Order book (indexed) – 1793-1798
• Rule docket/order book (indexed) – 1786-1792

Court of Common Pleas records

• Master commissioner’s report of land sales book – 1877-1879
• Judgment book – 1877-1880
• Judgment by default book – 1877-1880
• Order book – 1876-1880

Fiscal Court records

• Order books (indexed) – 1943-1988
• County treasurer’s settlements book – 1895-1923