More Bourbon County Resources from the
Former Bourbon County Genealogical Society Files
Researching in Bourbon County by Mary Hatton
The Bourbon Times / The Citizen Advertiser
123 W 8th Street
Paris, KY 40361
859-987-1870
Email: citadinc@aol.com
Facilities near Bourbon County
Crabbe Library
Eastern Kentucky University
521 Lancaster Ave.
Richmond, KY 40475-3100
Special Collections
Family Files, Oral History Project
LEXINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Central library address and hours of operation.
140 East Main St., Lexington, KY 40507, (859) 231-5530
Hours: Monday - Thursday: 9 am - 9 pm
Friday - Saturday: 9 am - 5 pm
Sunday: 1 pm - 5 pm
Vertical files, death certificates 1911-1953, census, county histories, family histories, local newspapers, maps, state and local government documents. Family Files, Oral History Project
100 W. Broadway
Frankfort, KY 40601
502-564-1792, 877-444-7867
KHS@ky.gov
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday - Friday
CLARK COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
370 South Burns Avenue
Winchester, KY 40391-1876
859-744-5661
Contact: Maruskin, Julie
300 Coffee Tree Road
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
Phone:(502) 564-8300
Archives Research Room: 8:00 - 4:00, Monday - Friday
BATH COUNTY MEMORIAL LIBRARY
24 West Main Street
P.O. Box 380
Owingsville, KY 40360-2015
Phone: 606-674-2531
Special Collections and Digital Programs
Margaret I. King Library
Lexington, KY 40506-0039
Phyllis Vannoy Spiker, Volunteer Genealogical Specialist
859-257-8611, pspik2@uky.edu
Early Bourbon County Families:
Rockbridge Baptist Church Graveyard/Edward Boone Memorial Committee
Searchable Databases:
General Research & Links of Interest
Legacy.com - Nationwide resource for obituaries and guestbook's
Illinois State Archives Databases
Area Newspapers Online:
Resources for other States:
RESEARCHING IN BOURBON COUNTY, KENTUCKY
By Mary Hatton
For anyone researching in Bourbon County, Ky. The following is suggested:
Go to the second floor of the court & ask for the room with all the old records.
The County Clerk & the ladies who work in the office are wonderful to help in any way they can. Don’t hesitate to ask questions or ask for some help.
It should be noted that some of the books are bound so that anyone researching can take the books apart and copy the pages. This makes copying easier. If the researcher is unsure that a book can be opened then ask the wonderful staff in the county clerk’s office.
Part 1:
Research completed on 16 May 2007 will be used as an example.
Researcher had the name of Richard Biddle.
The following steps were taken to find probate records in Bourbon County, Ky.
1. Look in the Index to Estates find Richard Biddle & his # was 828.
2. Look in the corresponding Estate Book #1-2000 & find #828 for Richard Biddle.
Richard Biddle had the following records:
1. Wills (Will Book) G inv (inventory) pages 384 (when the inventory was pulled pages 384-386 were copied).
2. Estates Settled-B page 202 (pages 203 & 203 were copied), page 207 (pages 207-212 were copied).
3. Orders H (Order Book)-admin. 364, inv 366, 464, 500, 523, 524, & 535
It should be noted some probate records may contain one small notation in an order book while other estate records may contain a full will, inventory, sale bill, estate settled, guardian papers, and several order book entries. The Anthony Thornton estate records had a will, several inventories, appraisement, sale bill, several estates settled. See: http://www.rootsweb.com/~kybourb2/family/thornton.htm & http://www.rootsweb.com/~kyafamer/Bourbon/thornton.htm
There will be a series of articles on researching in Bourbon County, Ky.
Part 2:
Research completed the week of June 25-29, 2007 will be used as examples.
Researcher had the names John Ward, Isaac Baker, Jacob Baker, and Absolom Crose, and The Prescott Cemetery.
The following steps were taken to find probate records in Bourbon County, Ky.
1. Look in the deed index book A-Z find the name and it gives a page number.
2. Go to the page number. The second page will give the name, deed book number, and page.
1. James Ward had the following records:
1) Deed Book H-James Ward to William Ward-pages539 & 540 were copied. The deed was dated June 6, 1812.
2) Deed Book I-Samuel Blair and his wife Mary, William Ward, George W. Ward to James Ward-pages 131-135 were copied. The deed was dated January 7, 1813.
2. Isaac & Jacob Baker had the following deeds:
1) Deed Book G-James Tinsley to Isaac Baker for $79.00, land first patented by Ambrose Rucker on Somerset Creek next to Isaac Baker’s line and Aikman’s line in the amount of 39 ¾ acres. Dated June 5th 1809-pages 40 and 41 were copied.
2) Deed Book G-James Aikman to Isaac Baker for $200.00, 150 acres where Baker lives it being part of a tract granted to Abraham Shepherd on Somerset Creek. Dated June 5th 1809-page 42 was copied.
3) Deed Book M-Michael Sappington and Mary to Jacob Baker for 50 cents, 60 acres of land on Somerset Creek. Page 202 was copied.
3. Crose Family had the following deeds:
1) Deed Book 51-Caroline S. Crose (widow of the late James Crose) to Thomas Jones in the amount of $1,200.00 for 101 acres on the land of Green Creek in Bourbon County under the decree of the Bourbon County Circuit Court in the suit of Robert Hume, Absolom Crose, and James Crose. The deed was recorded on 19th October 1859. Pages 124 and 125 were copied.
2) Mortgage Book 1-James Crose to Absolom Crose and James M. Crose Mortgage 2 tracks of land for $1.00 in hand on Green Creek in Bourbon County. This mortgage was recorded on the 11th day of August 1840. Pages 113-115 were copied.
3) Mortgage Book 1-Absolom Crose Jr. to James M. Crose, guardian of Rebecca Crose, in the amount of $3,534.05 for 52.3 acres of land on Green Creek. This mortgage was recorded 27th day of August 1840. Pages 124 & 125 were copied.
4) Mortgage Book 1-James Crose to Austin C. Porter and Absolom Crose for $2,000.00 in the amount of 100 acres on Green Creek in Bourbon County. This mortgage mentioned other persons and $ amounts, and conditions. This mortgage was recorded 3rd day of June 1841. Pages 195 & 196 were copied.
5) Mortgage Book 1-Absolom Crose to Austin C. Porter-pages 196 and 197 were copied. Mortgage of Negroes dated 7th June 1841.
This indenture made this seventh day of June AD one thousand eight hundred and forty one between Absolom Crose of the County of Bourbon and the state of Kentucky a party of the first part and Austin C. Porter of the County aforesaid a party of the second part Witness that the said party of the first part for and in consideration of the liability of said Porter as surety of said Crose and of the indebtness of said Crose to him as hereinafter stated has granted bargained and sold and by these presents doth grant bargain sell convey and confirm unto the said party of the second part the following negro slaves to wit one woman named Mary and her two boy children named John and George. Together with all the promises, improvements, rights, and privileges thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining. To have and hold the said slaves promises and appurtenances aforesaid unto the said party of the second part his heirs and assigns forever. But the above deed is subject to the following condition to wit that whereas the said Porter is bound as surety for said Crose to John L. Hickman for the payment of a debt to fall due about the month of March 1843 for about six hundred and fifty dollars and the said Crose is also indebted to said Porter in the sum of ninety dollars. Now if the said Crose shall pay to said Porter said last mentioned debt and shall also pay to said Hickman said debt for which said Porter is bound as unity when the same shall fall due and completely indemnify the said Porter then the above deed shall be void, else be and remain in full force. In Witness where of the said Crose has been unto set his hand and seal the day and year first above written.
Absolom Crose (Seal)
Commonwealth of Kentucky and County of Bourbon Sct. I Thomas P. Smith clerk of the County Court of said County do certify that this Mortgage from Abaslom Crose to Austin C. Porter was this day produced and acknowledged before me in my office by the said Crose to be his act and deed.
Where upon said Mortgage together with this certificate hath been duly admitted to record in my office. Given under my hand this seventh day of June 1841.
Tho. P. Smith Clerk
By Tho. P. Smith D/C
6) Mortgage Book 1-Absolom Crose Sr. to James M. Crose in the amount of $1,820.00 for the right to a track of land containing 61 acres in Bourbon County in the village of Clintonville. This Mortgage was recorded on the 10th day of June 1841. Pages 199 and 200 were copied.
7) Mortgage Book 2-Absolom Crose Jr. to Ferdinand E. Peck in the amount of $120.00 for a special bail for $350.00 for the right title to the Dower land on Green Creek in Bourbon County, Kentucky allotted to Mrs. Elizabeth Crose in the estate of his Father Levi Crose. This Mortgage was recorded on 1st day of November 1842. Page 6 was copied.
It should be noted some names such a Johnson and Johnston are listed as Johnson and the researcher then uses a first name to try and narrow the search but many similar names such as Robert were found. Another example is McClanahan the first names are William or Thomas. In a cases such these, a deed index can be copied and sent to the person who asked for research. The person asking for research may see a first name that they recognize and this can the researcher.
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