Pendleton County was the 28th KY county, formed from Bracken and Campbell Counties and named for Judge Edmund Pendleton, a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses & the Continental Congress. (ref: "The Kentucky Encyclopedia")

The Act to create Pendleton County was approved on 13 December 1798 and became effective 10 May 1799.

Text of Act Creating New County:

An ACT for erecting a new County out of the Counties of Campbell and Bracken. Approved December 13, 1798.

SECTION 1. BE it enacted by the General Assembly, that from and after the tenth day of May next, all that part of the Counties of Bracken and Campbell within the following Bounds, viz: Beginning on the Ohio River two miles below the mouth of Big Stepstone Creek, thence a direct line across main Licking as far below the main forks of Licking as it is from that place to the mouth of the north fork of Licking above the said Forks, to continue the said line south seventy six degrees west until it shall strike the Scott and Franklin lines, thence with the same to the Harrison county line, thence with the same to Main Licking to the mouth of the north fork thence a direct line to the mouth of Big Stepstone and down the Ohio to the Beginning, shall be one distinct county and called and known by the name of Pendleton, but the said County of Pendleton shall not be entitled to a separate representation until the number of free male inhabitants therein contained above the age of twenty-one years shall entitle them to one Representative agreeable to the Ratio that shall be hereafter established by law.

SECTION 2. The Courts of Quarter Sessions for the said county shall be held on the first Tuesday in the months of August, November, March, and May, and the Courts for the county shall be held on the first Tuesday in every month in which the Court of Quarter Sessions are not hereby directed to be held.

SECTION 3. The Justices to be named in the Commission of the Peace for both Courts of said County of Pendleton shall meet at the house of Thomas Anderson in the Town of Falmouth in the said County upon the first Court day after said division shall take place, and, after having taken the oaths prescribed by law, and a sheriff being legally qualified to act shall then proceed to fix upon a place to hold courts in the said county in such place as shall be deemed the most central and convenient for the people, and thereafter the County Court shall proceed to erect the public buildings at such place, and until such buildings are completed (sic), the court of quarter sessions and county court may adjourn to such place or places, as they may think proper. The Justices of the Court of Quarter Sessions at their first Session, and the Justices of the County Court shall proceed to appoint and qualify their Clerk. Provided, however, that the appointment of a place to erect the public buildings, shall not be made unless a majority of the Justices of both Courts concur therein, nor of a Clerk unless a majority of the court of which he is to be appointed concur, but such appointment shall be postponed until such majority can be had, then such court may appoint a clerk pro tempore.

SECTION 4. It shall be lawful for the Sheriff of Campbell and of Bracken to collect and make distress for any public dues and officers’ fees, which shall remain unpaid by the inhabitants of said Counties at the time such division shall take place, and shall be accountable for the same in like manner as if this act had not been made.

SECTION 5. And the Courts of the said Counties of Campbell and Bracken shall have jurisdiction in all actions which shall be depending before them at the time of such division, and they shall try and determine the same, issue process, and award execution thereon.

This ACT shall commence and be in force from and after the tenth day of May next.
Legislation signed by Governor Garrard; Edmund Bullock, Speaker of the House of Representatives; Alexander S. Bullitt, Speaker of the Senate; and Harry Toulmin, Secretary.

REF: Microfilm Roll #1 – Governor James Garrard: Executive Journal & Enrolled Bills.

Counties Involved in Boundary Change: Campbell
Date Approved (Boundary Change): 1/12/1843

Reference For Boundary Change: "Acts of the Kentucky General Assembly”, 1843, pg. 10

Text of Act Approving Boundary Change:

CHAPTER 6. An ACT to provide for running and re-marking the division line between the counties of Campbell and Pendleton. Approved January 12, 1843.

Be in enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, That the Surveyors of the counties of Campbell and Pendleton shall, on or before the first day of May next, proceed to survey and re-mark the division line between the counties of Campbell and Pendleton, and should any division of opinion arise between them, in relation to the said survey, the same shall be submitted, by them, to the Surveyor of Boone county, whose decision shall be final; and after the said survey is completed, they shall report the same to their respective County Courts, together with a bill of the fees and wages of the Surveyors, chainmen, marker, &c., and the said County Courts shall respectively provide, in their next county levies, for the payment of one half of said bill.

REF: “Acts of the Kentucky General Assembly”, 1843, pg. 10.