Pulaski County, Kentucky Genealogy

Guide to Pulaski County, Kentucky ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Description
Pulaski County was named for Kazimierz Pułaski. The county is located in the south-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Pulaski County Courthouse 100 N. Main Street, #208 Somerset, KY 42502 Phone: 606-679-3652 Pulaski County Website

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

History Timeline

 * 1800, May - "First landing, for loading and unloading merchandise shipped by flatboats on the Cumberland River, was the James Montgomery landing."
 * 1802 - Road from Somerset (Pulaski County) to Danville (Lincoln County) started.
 * 1812 - By 1812 Goose Creek Salt Works was in existence, along with a road from Somerset to it that passed over a bridge at Flat Lick.
 * 1818 - Road from Somerset to the Mount Vernon viewed. (Intersecting a road named Tall Works, in direction of Henry James mill, and passing by Hughes mill.)
 * 1844, March 2 - River port town of Waitsboro was incorporated.

Bible Records

 * David Hubble Bible Record at USGenWeb Archives
 * Kentucky Bible Archives at USGenWeb Archives
 * Kentucky Bible Records at Access Genealogy
 * Kentucky Bible Records at Kentucky Genealogy
 * Pulaski County, Kentucky Bibles at USGenWeb Archives

Biographies

 * Kentucky Biographies Project
 * Pulaski County, Kentucky Biographies at KyKinfolk, index

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

 * Girdler Brothers. Girdler Brother Ledger, 1898-1900. See WorldCat.
 * Pulaski County (Ky) County Clerk. Account Ledger Books of Mercantile Establishments, 1849-1897. Available at Kentucky State Archives.
 * Pulaski County (Ky), County Clerk. General Ledger No 1. (Somerset Deposit Bank), 1866-1869. Available at Kentucky State Archives.
 * Wilson, John Truesdell. History of Banking in Pulaski County, 1818-1970. Somerset, Ky. : First and Farmers National Bank, 1970. Available at Filson Club Library in Louisville, Ky. Call No. 332.1 W749.

Cemeteries
The following web sites have additional information on Pulaski county cemeteries.


 * Interment.net Kentucky cemetery records by county.
 * Pulaski County, Kentucky: A Part of KYGenWeb has list of Pulaski County cemeteries with some linked to data.
 * Whitaker Cemetery on Line Creek, index
 * The Pulaski County Historical Societyhas several published volumes on the cemeteries in Pulaski county, Kentucky. These can be purchased through the society.
 * Young, Asher Leon. Relocated Cemeteries of Russell, Clinton, Wayne and Pulaski Counties, Kentucky. [s.l.] : A. L. Young, 1989. Available at Filson Club Library in Louisville, Ky. Call No. 929.3 Y68r.

Census Records
1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population schedules of Pulaski County are available online. For tips on accessing census records online, see Kentucky Census. If you're having trouble finding your ancestors in online indexes, try checking printed indexes. Created by local experts familiar with the area's families, these indexes are often transcribed more accurately than online nationwide indexes.

See Kentucky Population Schedule Indexes: Fiche, Film, or Book for more information about statewide printed indexes.

The Jr vs Sr notations in 1830 are a bit difficult to tell apart, so for a side by side comparison see page 37 (image 75) here.

For a 1890 census substitute see 1890 Pulaski Co, Kentucky Taxpayers and Surviving Soldiers, Sailors and Marines and Widow, etc.

Church Records
The most comprehensive collection of Pulaski County Church Records is found at the Pulaski County Historical Society. Upon arriving at the Pulaski County Historical Society, request a current "Church" list which will contain a listing of church records and histories and their call numbers. Not all their listings have dates of coverage or location within Pulaski county stated so the reader will do well to be prepared with the known specific locality and dates of the ancestor being researched--and then approach the staff as to which church records on the list might be more likely to serve the ancestors area. Some, but not all of the Pulaski County Historical Society's collection is referenced on the wiki.

The Pulaski County Historical Society is not the only repository of church records. Many additional and/or original records still exist in the respective churches located in Pulaski county and in other repositories including denominational regional libraries and the Kentucky Historical Society, etc.

For more information see one of the following wiki pages:

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Pulaski County, Kentucky Baptist Church Records
 * Pulaski County, Kentucky Catholic Church Records
 * Pulaski County, Kentucky Christian Church Records
 * Pulaski County, Kentucky Church of Christ Church Records
 * Pulaski County, Kentucky Methodist Church Records
 * Pulaski County, Kentucky Presbyterian Church Records
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1782-1924 Kentucky, U.S., Land Grants, 1782-1924 at Ancestry - index, ($)
 * 1799-1805 Pulaski County. Deed Book 1: 1799-1805, index
 * 1799-1825 Pulaski County Deed Books: Vol. 5: 1799-1825, index
 * 1799-1940 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1799-1889 Line Creek Land Grants and Ownership 1799-1889, index
 * 1804-1901 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1806-1814 Pulaski County. Deed Book 2: 1806-1814, index
 * 1815-1819 Pulaski County Deed book 3: 1815-1819, index
 * 1819-1822 Pulaski County Deed Book 4: 1819-1822, index
 * 1853-1885 (*); Quarterly Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1870-1887 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1878-1880 (*); Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Kentucky Land Warrant Series: Quick Search at Kentucky Secretary of State, index & images
 * Cases Heard Before the Supreme Court for the District of Kentucky 1785-1792 at KYKinFolk.com
 * Abstracts of Early Kentucky Supreme Court Cases


 * Commonwealth of Kentucky, State Board of Elections at KY.gov
 * Contact information for all Kentucky County Court Clerks. Scroll down or use index at top of page to find desired county.

A variety of courts serve Pulaski county, Kentucky. Court types include: Chancery Court, Circuit Court, County Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Quarterly Court. Each of these courts have some common record types such as Order Books and Judgements; but some have records unique to their court such as the deeds and wills found in the County Court. Hence, for Deeds see Land Records and for wills, guardianship, and inventories see Probate Records.
 * Kentucky Court of Justice at KYCourts.gov
 * Pulaski County, Kentucky Deeds, 1799-1803 : [Continued from V. 6., P. 50]; The Kentucky Genealogist - V. 6, No. 3 (Jul/Sep 1964). 1964. By John Frederick Dorman. Pulaski County, Kentucky : Pulaski County, Kentucky. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.


 * Pulaski County, Kentucky Circuit Court Records
 * Includes divorce records and Chancery sittings of the Circuit Court.


 * Pulaski County, Kentucky County Court Records
 * Missing deeds and probate.

Directories

 * 1903 Somerset Telephone Directory, 1903; Pulaski County Historical Society Newsletter, May 2005 at Pulaski County Historical Society
 * 1934 Southern Continental Telephone Company New Subscribers List, Oct 11, 1934; Pulaski County Historical Society Newsletter, Nov 2006 at Pulaski County Historical Society
 * 1958-2001 Somerset City Directory (Various Years) at University of Kentucky Library in Lexington
 * 1995-2010 Somerset City Directory (Various Years) at Pulaski County Public Library

African Americans

 * African American Research (US) has more information about the kinds of records available
 * The KY African American Griots Project
 * Kentucky Minorities has information specific to Kentucky African Americans.
 * Sandi Gorin's Tips, Hangings in Kentucky 1792-1900

Pulaski county specific resources:


 * "Slaves in Wills and Estates" Lists all slaves mentioned in Will Book I, 1801-1818. And has selected listing after 1818. Abstracted by Valerie J. Davis, (former coordinator for the Pulaski County KYGenWeb site, and creator of the Pulaski County African American Project).
 * Dale Cordner, "Slaves in Court Records: Emancipations/Transfers Found in Deeds," Originally part of the Pulaski County African American Project, now at Pulaski County, Kentucky USGenWeb. This a marvelous resource, however it should be noted that it is a collection of abstracts, rather a compilation of all the emancipations to be found in the Pulaski county deed books.
 * Valerie Davis, "1820 Population &amp; Slave Schedule" (Highlights families that had slaves)
 * At the end of the 1852 Pulaski county, Kentucky Tax List is a list of all free African Americans and their ages. This list includes the childrens name and their ages.
 * 1852-1859 - "Slave Births" Pulaski county, Kentucky GenWeb.
 * "Taxpayers, 1866: The First Segregated Tax List", by Valerie J. Davis. Note that free African Americans do show up in the tax lists prior to 1866.
 * "1840 Census, Slave Schedule", plus links to digital image of pages containing "Free Colored Persons"; "1850 Slave Schedule"; "1860 Slave Schedule", abstracts by Valerie J. Davis.
 * "1870 Census and Mortality Schedule, Those Households Containing Persons of Color", abstract by Valerie J. Davis, with an attempt to match the mortality schedule to the census households.
 * "County Clerk's Book of Black Marriages, Vol 2 (1883-1895)" transcription by Valerie J. Davis.
 * African Am./Marriages, 1919-20 (sel.). See Pulaski County Historical Society Newsletter May 1998.
 * There is a picture of the Somerset Negro School in the Goodman-Paxton Photographic Collection, 1934-1942. See Kentuckiana Digital Library.
 * In 2008, Wanda Harper, a Pulaski County Historical Society staff member, was collecting material on the African American families of Pulaski county.

American Indians

 * "Resource list, Cherokee research," Pulaski County HIstorical Society Newsletter May 2002.
 * Cherokee Research

Funeral Homes

 * Lake Cumberland Funeral Home in Somerset.
 * Morris and Hislope Funeral Home in Science Hill.
 * Pulaski Funeral Home in Somerset.
 * Somerset Undertaking Co. and Crematory in Somerset.
 * Southern Oaks Funeral Home in Somerset.

Genealogies
The internet is perhaps the easiest starting point for compiled genealogies. Many sites have user pedigrees and there are people who have put their family history on their own genealogical websites. Pedigrees found on user sites are often lacking in documentation. Individual websites tend to do a bit better with documentation. For search strategies of compiled genealogy internet sites see Genealogy Search Tips &amp; Strategiesor watch the video Finding Your Ancestors Online: Search Engine Tips and Tricks.

Two major sources of compiled genealogies specific to Pulaski county, Kentucky are the FamilySearch wiki page Pulaski County, Kentucky Genealogy - Bibliography of Surname Books and the surname vertical file material at the Pulaski County Historical Society and the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS).

The Pulaski County Historical Society maintains vertical files on each Pulaski county surname. Often there will be several files for one surname. On the outside of the vertical file surname folders are references to any books found in the Pulaski County Historical Society's collection that are about that surname---most of which are not presently represented in the wiki. The Pulaski County Historical Society will search the vertical file and surname books for $5 per family.

The material in the vertical files is often the source material (although not cited) that was used for the compiled genealogies you will find on the internet in public trees of various companies and institutions; and in private individuals websites. This came about for two reasons. First, because the society was collecting genealogies long before the internet came into being. Second, because the average lay genealogist was (and often still is) uneducated as to the great importance of context and documentation.

If you find a compiled tree on the internet of your ancestors and the compiler is not able to provide you with documentation, nor are you able to find primary source documents to prove the tree, consider reviewing the vertical material at the Pulaski County Historical Society and Kentucky State Historical Society. There you may find the documents of a distant cousin, now deceased, who in his submission to the society included information gathered from his personal family records and/or family interviews. It is also possible that you may find a submission of work (old or recent) pertaining to your ancestor that is not published anywhere else---not everyone is internet savy. Both societies have taken great care to preserve the submitters name on his material. It will be the researchers job to carefully document, not only the ancestor and submitter, but also to credit the society from which the information was obtained.

Land and Property Records
Land Record Resources for Pulaski county, Kentucky.

Local Histories

 * Pulaski County Historical Research. N.d. By Woodrow Allen, Somerset Community College. N.p: n.p. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library;.
 * Ramey, Clarice Payne. History of Pulaski County. (Lexington, Ky. : s.n., 1935). This thesis is available at University of Kentucky Library.
 * Tibbals, Alma. A History of Pulaski County Kentucky. Bagdad, Ky. : G. O. Moore, 1952. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.963 H2t. Also at Filson Club Library.
 * Jillson, Willard Rouse, A Bibliography of Pulaski County, Kentucky: Citations of Printed and Manuscript Sources Touching upon its History. Frankfort, Ky. : Roberts Print. Co., 1954. Available at Filson Historical Society in Louiseville, Ky.
 * Davenport, Lawrence C. Local Historical Research by a Class in Local Historical Research. Somerset, Ky. : Somerset Community College, 1966. Available at Filson Historical Society in Louiseville, Ky. Call No. 976.973 D247.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Kentucky County Map Formation by Year - click 1799 to see Pulaski's formation
 * Pulaski County Map at transportation.ky.gov
 * Maps of Kentucky (1776-1939)
 * Kentucky County Formation Maps (click on 1799 to see Pulaski when it was created)
 * Sanborn Maps of Burnside and Somerset
 * Kentucky Atlas & Gazetteer - Pulaski co.
 * Historical State of Kentucky Maps
 * William Taylor papers : land transactions, 1787-1835. This collection is available at the Kentucky Historical Society and contains maps of Pulaski county, Kentucky.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration
In early days, migration into Pulaski county was via the Wilderness Road and Zane's Trace. Early settlers typically came from North Carolina and Virginia. The county seat of Somerset was settled by folks from Somerset, New Jersey. In the early 1800s, the Flat Lick area had many settlers from Caswell, North Carolina.

By 1818 and formation of the National Road many left Pulaski county for the west (Indiana, Ohio, Missouri).

In the mid to late 1830s there was a migration pattern out of Pulaski to Indiana; and later there was a quite a bit of migration to Missouri. There is an 1836 diary of a lady who went from Virginia via Mt Vernon and on to Indiana and Missouri. Map of her journey.

Military Records
''In deciding if your ancestor might have served in a war, keep in mind his age and place of residence at the date of a given war. And also his place of residence when war pensions were filed. ''


 * Triller, Gayle, coordinator. "Pulaski County Military Heritage", "Pulaski County, Kentucky: A Part of KyGenWeb," USGenWeb, 2009.
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1835 Kentucky Pension Roll for 1835 at Ancestry - index & images, ($)
 * 1883 Pulaski County, Kentucky List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883 at genealogytrails, index

The FamilySearch wiki has the following Pulaski county, Kentucky military record pages:

Revolutionary War

 * Revolutionary War Soldiers
 * Kentucky Pension Roll for 1835 Abstract ($);
 * Military claims are mentioned in the Pulaski County Court Order Book 1.

War of 1812

 * 1812 - Pulaski County, Kentucky War of 1812 Records
 * 1812 Kentucky, U.S., Soldiers of the War of 1812 at Ancestry - index & images, ($)
 * 1812 Kentucky Soldiers of the War of 1812 at Ancestry - index & images, ($)
 * 1883 "List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883" at Pulaski County Genealogy Trails

A reference to a War of 1812 soldier was found in Deed Book 2. A father was appointing a son as an agent to receive any money that another son (deceased) was entitled. The deceased soldier was part of Col Richard M Johnsons Regiment of mounted volunteer belonging to Capt James Davidson's company. There may be other fathers who did likewise. Suggest searching by surname rather than given name of a soldier.

War with Mexico

 * 1847 - Mexican War. For roll of Capt Lair's Company. See p. 208 of Tibbal's A History of Pulaski County, Kentucky

Civil War

 * See also Pulaski County, Kentucky Civil War Records.
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (Free)
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry— index (Free)
 * 1861-1866 Kentucky, U.S., Civil War Union Volunteers, 1861-1866 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * 1912-1930 Kentucky, U.S., Confederate Pension Records, 1912-1930 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * 1912-1950 at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Soldiers and Sailors Database
 * Kentucky Confederate Volunteers at Ancestry - index & images, ($)

Spanish-American War

 * 1898 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images

World War I

 * 1917-1918 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images

World War II

 * 1939-1945 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * World War II Army & Army Airforce Honor List of Dead and Missing Personnel, Pulaski county, Kentucky at Pulaski County Genealogy Trails
 * 1942 at FamilySearch - images
 * 1942 (images with partial index) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Veteran's Discharge - General Index 1 & 2, 1941-1968, 1961-1992. Available at Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Frankfort. Microfilm Roll No. 7016506.

Korean War

 * Kentucky Casualties in Korean Conflict NARA at National Archives
 * Pulaski County Historical Society, Twentieth Century war veterans, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Paducah, Kentucky : Turner Pub. Co., c1999)..

Vietnam War

 * 1961-1975
 * Kentucky Casualty/MIA/POW Vietnam NARA at National Archives
 * Vietnam War Casualtiesat Genealogy Trails

Persian Gulf War

 * Pulaski County Historical Society, Twentieth Century war veterans, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Paducah, Kentucky : Turner Pub. Co., c1999)..

Newspapers
Newspapers are used in genealogy to find obituaries, community news items (such as the visit of someone's relatives), legal notices and to provide historical content that document and enrich family history.

Pulaski county, Kentucky Newspaper Resources details sources available. Some sources have been microfilmed and/or digitized and are available at various repositories or on-line. Still others are in their original form at various repositories.

See also obituaries.

Obituaries

 * The Pulaski County Historical Society has several excellent collections of obituaries in various binders from the earlier Pulaski County newspapers, and is the most comprehensive place to start for obituaries in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
 * Pulaski County Historical Society Newsletter. ca 2008. Death records 1887+.
 * Somerset Ky Obits (Feb 2001-present)
 * Pulaski County, Kentucky Obituaries, Death Certificates and Funeral Notices at KYKinfolk, index
 * The Commonwealth-Journal (8/5/2008-current) is available through GenealogyBank.

Other Records
Collections: Manuscripts/Papers/Misc
 * Draper Manuscript Collection contains some information on Pulaski County, Kentucky residents. Search by surname or locality in various extent calendars, especially:
 * Mabel Clare Weaks, Calendar of the Kentucky Papers of the Draper Collection of Manuscripts (Madison, Wisc.: Wisconsin Historical Society, 1925) Indexed on Ancestry.com; Digital copy online; ; . Includes index.
 * Mitchell, Bernice. Bernice Mitchell Papers, 1941-1988. See Filson Library.
 * Jillson, Willard Rouse. Willard Rouse Jillson Papers, 1918-1963.See University of Kentucky Library.
 * John Brazillia Lewis Papers, 1927-1978. Farm life in 1880s. See University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
 * Owens, Joseph M. Papers : Letters and documents, 1849-1914. Available at Filson Club Library Special Collections.
 * Tibbals, Alma Owens. Alma Owens Tibbals papers, 1806-1940. See University of Kentucky. Alma Owens Tibbals served as regent for the Somerset, Ky. chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in the 1930s.

Message Boards
 * Pulaski County, Kentucky Genealogy Forum, courtesy: GenForum.
 * Pulaski County, Kentucky - Family History &amp; Genealogy Message Board, courtesy: Ancestry.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1727-1990 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1774-1989 Kentucky, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1774-1989 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1798-1943 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1800-1835 Pulaski County, Kentucky Index to Wills, 1800 to 1835. By Pulaski County Historical Society (Kentucky). Somerset, Kentucky : Pulaski County Historical Society (Kentucky), 1977. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1801-1936 (*) County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1817-1829 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1864-1909 (*) County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

As there is variation among counties in how probate records are organized, the reader will find it helpful to know that in Pulaski county the early will books include wills, administrations, inventories, bills of sale, and settlements; but by 1864 these things started being kept in separate books. Index and Abstract Resources

There are several sources available to make your search of Pulaski County probate records easier. No single source is all inclusive. Each offers it own help that the others don't.

Pulaski County Kentucky Index to Wills 1800 to 1950 (FS Library US/CAN Book 976.963 P22p) was published by the Pulaski County Historical Society in 1991 and replaces it 1977 edition (FS Library US/CAN Book 976.963 P22pu). In creating the index, the compilers searched the original will books at the Somerset Courthouse, the courthouse's 1935 typed index and microfilms. The powerful index found in the 1991 edition contains two sections. The first is an index to the wills, inventories and appraisements, settlements, sale of land, dower allotment, etc. The second is an index to the loose original wills that exist; Page 79 states, "the Pulaski County Historical Society has zerox [sic] copied all early original documents from the will files at the Pulaski County Courthouse. These documents are in the actual hand writing of the person who prepared the document. This list also includes some wills that were rejected by the court and were not recorded in the will books."

Abstracts of wills in Pulaski County, Kentucky, vol. 1 (FS Library US/CAN Book 976.963 P2b) compiled by Annie Walker Burns doesn't give the will book volume and page number of the wills abstacted, but it's index does include executors and witnesses, which is something Pulaski County Kentucky Index to Wills 1800 to 1950 does not. Abstracts of wills in Pulaski County, Kentucky, vol. 1 only covers 1803-1850.

Abstract of will book one of Pulaski County, Kentucky prepared by Margaret Dunn Frye is available at the Martin F Schmidt Research Library in Frankfort. (976.902 P981f) This work created a devisee index to Will Book 1 in addition to the abstracts, thus making it one of the most powerful resources to be found for early Pulaski county research.

Pulaski County, Kentucky Will Book Number Two (1817-1829) compiled by Margaret Dunn Frye includes an index to "deceased persons and their heirs". So she has created a devisee index for us, which again is something "Pulaski County Kentucky Index to Wills" didn't do. Additionally, in her typescript abstracts she includes the names of buyers, executors, commr, etc. Although these buyers are not indexed, her book (FS Library US/CAN Film 855,033 item 4) is only 37 pages of typescript and so it is a relatively easy read if you want to know if your ancestor was a buyer in an estate sale during this time period.

The General Index made by the county court is also available. (FS Library US/CAN FILM 1,912,828)

Some of the microfilms may be available at the state archives and also at the state and county historical societies. Most have already been discussed in this wiki section, however, new and/or additional resources may be found there.

Will Books

Bonds, Inventories, Appraisements, Settlement
 * 1801-1929 have been digitized by FamilySearch - free.
 * 1801-1838 Pulaski Co. Wills 1801-1838, index; Vol. 1: 1801-1816, Vol. 2: 1817-1829, Vol. 3: 1829-1838


 * 1864-1902 - Administrators bonds. See FamilySearch Catalog.
 * 1864-1871 - Inventory, Appraisement and Settlement Book at Kentucky State Archives.
 * 1870-1909 - Inventories, Appraisements and Sale Bills on microform at Kentucky State Archives.
 * 1871-1909 - Inventories, appraisements. See FamilySearch Catalog.
 * 1870-1907 - Settlements, v 8-12. See FS Library catalog.
 * 1865-1901 - Guardian Bonds. Available at KDLA on microfilm.
 * 1865-1901 - See FamilySearch Catalog.

Probate Files (Estate Packets)


 * 1800-1850 - Are not extant according to the Pulaski County Historical Society. County Clerk says these records would be found in the Circuit Clerks Office. Clerk of the Circuit Court does not think they exist. Loose original wills do exist. See content under wills.
 * 1993-present - Contact Pulaski County Clerk of the Circuit Court, 100 N Main St #302, PO Box 664, Somerset, KY 42502
 * Misc
 * 1922-1925 - Pulaski County, County Clerk. Probate Order Stub Book. Available at Kentucky State Archive.

Probate Records. Some of the microfilms may be available at the state archives and also at the state and county historical societies. Most, if not all, have already been discussed in this wiki section, but some new sources may be there.

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Tax Records

 * 1799-1801 Kentucky, U.S., Tax Lists, 1799-1801 at Ancestry - index & images, ($)
 * 1799-1829 Pulaski County Historical Society. Pulaski County, Kentucky Tax List Index 1799-1829. (Somerset, Ky. : Pulaski County Historical Society, 1982). See WorldCat.
 * 1800 1800 Tax List of Pulaski County, Kentucky Genealogy is included in Clift's Second Census of Kentucky 1800. Online at Ancestry ($).
 * 1800-1830 1800-1830 Line Creek Tax Lists
 * 1882-1884 Kentucky Treasury Dept. Withdrawal Reports: Tax Bills, 1882-1884. Description of this archival material located at the Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort can be found on WorldCat. Taxation for whiskey.
 * 1888-1916 Pulaski County, County Clerk. List of Non-Residents' Land, 1888-1916. See Kentucky State Archives.
 * 1888-1934 Pulaski County, County Clerk. Record of Land Sold for Taxes, 1888-1934. See Kentucky State Archives.
 * 1900-1934 Pulaski County, County Clerk. Supervisors' Revised Tax Assessment Lists. See Kentucky State Archives.

Kandie Adkinson's "Researching Early Kentucky Tax Lists: 1792-1840" is a must read. The beginning tax list researcher will find the second half of her article especially helpful and for the serious researcher she covers the legislation involved in the tax process in the first part of her article. She continues her work to 1880 in the 2011 editions of the periodical Kentucky Ancestors.

Vital Records
If you can't find your ancestor in the collections referenced above, consider locating, from the list below, abstracted sources created prior to the microfilming or digitalizing dates of the respective collections. Sometimes original records were lost between the time of an early abstractor's compilaton and the date of the first microfilming or digitialization of the original records. It is also of note that variation in indexing quality exists among collections. Lastly, the sources listed below identify extant dates, scope and alternative resources for missing dates.

Birth

 * 1839-1960 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection - index
 * 1847-1911 Kentucky, U.S., Birth Records, 1847-1911 at Ancestry - index & images, ($)
 * 1852-1859, 1861, 1874-1878 Kentucky Birth Records, 1852-1910 at Ancestry - index & images, ($) This is a digitization of KDLA microfilm of the county government records.
 * 1852-1859, 1861,1874-1878 Pulaski County Historical Society. Pulaski County, Kentucky Vital Statistics: Births 1852-1859, 1861, 1874-1878; Deaths 1852-1859, 1861, 1874-1875-1876-1878 (Somerset, Ky.: Pulaski County Historical Society, 1983). See WorldCat. This is NOT available at FS Library.
 * 1852-1861 - Pulaski County Birth Index 1852-1861. Batch at FamilySearch
 * 1852-1910 Gayle Triller, coordinator, KYGenWeb Team, Birth Index in Pulaski County, Pulaski County, Kentucky: A part of KYGenWeb. This sites data comes from a variety of sources. Year range is not complete--in part because of  non-extant county government birth records.
 * 1874 Pulaski County Birth Index 1874. Batch at FamilySearch
 * 1874, 1876 Pulaski County Births 1874, 1876 at KYKinfolk - index
 * 1875 Pulaski County Birth Index 1875. Batch at FamilySearch
 * 1911-1999 Kentucky, Birth Index, 1911-1999 at Ancestry - index, ($)
 * 1911-1999 Kentucky Births, 1911-1999 at MyHeritage - index, ($)

Marriage

 * 1609-2016 Kentucky, United States Marriages at Findmypast - index, ($)
 * 1785-1979 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection, index
 * 1787-1860 - Slevin, Ruth M. and Barbara Jordan. Marriage Bonds of Pulaski County, Kentucky, 1787-1860: with additional notes as obtained from the "consents". (Indianapolis, Ind., 1956). See Indiana State Library.
 * 1797-1954 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1798-1910 Kaurish, Mary Weddle. Pulaski County, Kentucky Marriage Records. (Somerset, Kentucky : Pulaski County Historical Society, 1974). FS Library US/CAN Book 976.963 V2p bk 1-4. Also note that the Pulaski County Historical Society will provide duplicated and certified photo copies of original marriage bonds and consent forms for the years 1799-1871 for a small fee.
 * 1799-1848 "Minister returns, marriages, 1799-1848," Pulaski County Historical Society Newsletter May 2007.
 * 1799-1850 Masley, Betty, et al. Pulaski County, Kentucky Records #1: Marriages, 1799-1850. (Indianpolis, IN : Researchers, 1997). See WorldCat.
 * 1799-1850 Gloe, Joan Gilbert. Pulaski County, Kentucky Marriages, 1799-1850. (Indianapolis, Ind. : Researchers, 1991). See WorldCat.
 * 1802-1850 Kentucky, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1802-1850 at Ancestry - index, ($); Completeness of this collection is unknown, but Pulaski is picked up. Index appears to be made from county government records.
 * 1852-1859 Birth, marriages, deaths, 1852-1859. Microfilm of original records. (FS Library US/CAN Film 216838 item 5)
 * 1852-1861 Pulaski County Marriage Index 1852-1861. Batch at FamilySearch
 * 1852-1855, 1857, 1874-1878 Kentucky, Marriage Records, 1852-1914, Ancestry ($). This collection contains index to and images of the county government marriage register. Only dates given in bold are found in collection. In the 1850s both parties were asked for the county and state of birth. In the 1870s, the birth place was dropped, but both parties were asked for their father and mother names.
 * 1852-1914 Kentucky, U.S., Marriage Records, 1852-1914 at Ancestry - index & images, ($)
 * 1864-1924 County Clerk, Pulaski county, Kentucky, Marriage Books 2-65. Available on microfilm at Kentucky State Libraries and Archives in Frankfort.
 * 1875 Pulaski County Marriage Index 1875. Batch  at FamilySearch
 * 1876-1878 Pulaski County Marriage Index 1876-1878. Batch at FamilySearch
 * 1973-2000 Searchable KY Marriage Records
 * 1973-2000 Kentucky Marriage Records 1973-2000
 * Gayle Triller, coordinator, KYGenWeb Team, Pulaski County Marriages, KYGenWeb.
 * Bell, Annie Walker Burns. Marriage Records of Pulaski County, Kentucky Typescript written in 1936. Filmed in 1973. FS Library US/CAN Film 928,021 items 3-4. See also WorldCat.
 * 1960-1993 Kentucky Marriages, 1960-1993 at MyHeritage ($) — index

Death

 * 1843-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1852-1859 Birth, marriages, deaths, 1852-1859 (FS Library US/CAN Film 216838 item 5)
 * 1852-1859, 1861, 1874-1878, 1908, 1910-1914 - Kentucky, Death Records, 1852-1963, Ancestry ($)
 * 1852-1859, 1861, 1874-1876, 1878 - Pulaski County Historical Society. Pulaski County, Kentucky Vital Statistics: Births 1852-1859, 1861, 1874-1878; Deaths 1852-1859, 1861, 1874-1875-1876-1878 (Somerset, Ky. : Pulaski County Historical Society, 1983). See WorldCat.
 * 1854+ Gayle Triller, coordinator, KYGenWeb Team, Death Certificates and Notices, KYGenWeb. Includes some Pulaski county related deaths published in the Nashville Christian Advocate.
 * 1870 County and state government death records not extant. For death information, see 1870 Mortality Index, Pulaski County Genealogy Trails. Ancestry has images.
 * 1875 Deaths, 1875. Microfilm of original records. (FS Library US/CAN Film 974666 item 8)
 * 1900-1999 Kentucky Deaths, 1900-1999 at MyHeritage ($) — index
 * 1911-2000 Kentucky Vital Records Project at KYGenWeb, index; has index and images of state issued death certificates.
 * 1911-1967 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * Limited 1849-1947 Kentucky, Deaths and Burials, 1843-1870 at FamilySearch. Free. Collection contains no records from 1843-1848, 1864-1866, 1868-1870, 1872-1874, 1876-1878, 1880-1883, 1885, 1887-1889, 1892, 1893-1895, 1898-1899, 1902-1906, 1912, 1914-1925, 1927-1935, ...., 1948-1970 that cite death location as Pulaski county. Years that DO contain death information, do NOT cover all known extant Pulaski county and state government records.
 * 1911-2000 Searchable KY Death Index
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * The Kentucky Vital Records Project, Transcriptions and Images of Kentucky Death Certificates

Archives
Archives of Appalachia East Tennessee State University Sherrod Library, Room 422 344 J L Seehorn Rd Johnson City, TN 37614 Phone: 423-439-4338 Email: [mailto:archives@etsu.edu archives@etsu.edu] Facebook Website

FamilySearch Centers

 * Corbin Kentucky FamilySearch Center
 * Whitley City Kentucky FamilySearch Center
 * Breathitt County Library - an affiliate library.
 * Green County Public Library - an affiliate library.

Societies
Pulaski County Historical Society 304 S Main St PO Box 36 Somerset, KY 42501 Phone: 606-679-8401 Email: [mailto:pchs1799@gmail.com pchs1799@gmail.com] Website

Websites

 * Pulaski County, Kentucky: A Part of KYGenWeb USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Pulaski County, Kentucky Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Cyndi's List - United States - Kentucky - Counties - Pulaski
 * Pulaski County KY Genealogy (Kentucky Genealogy)
 * . Free - The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records