During the June of 1780 Virginia General Assembly, Kentucky County, Virginia was divided to establish Lincoln County along with Fayette and Jefferson counties. Lincoln County, Kentucky became one of nine original counties created on June 1, 1792, when Kentucky became the 15th state to enter the Union. Lincoln County was named in honor of Benjamin Lincoln who was born January 24, 1733 in the Province of Massachusetts Bay and served as a general in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.