Shelby County, Kentucky Genealogy

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



Description
Shelby County was named for Isaac Shelby. The county is located in the north-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Shelby County Courthouse 501 Main Street Shelbyville, KY 40065-1133 Phone: 502-663-4410 Shelby 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
Additional Information The county is named after Kentucky's First Governor Isaac Shelby (1750-1826).

Biographies

 * Kentucky Biographies Project

Cemeteries

 * Find A Grave can be searched by the name of a person or family to find where a person is buried. Usually gives birth and death dates often with a picture of the tombstone.  May give obituaries, names of family members and links to their information in Find A Grave.
 * Find A Grave also gives a list of cemeteries in Shelby County and links to the information for the individuals buried there,
 * Kentucky Cemeteries lists the national cemeteries in Kentucky with links to their websites. The first link under Online Kentucky Cemeteries goes to the Kentucky section of Interment.net
 * Shelby Co. KY USGenWeb Tombstone Project usually gives the names of the deceased in alphabetical order by last name with birth and death dates plus any remarks.
 * The FamilySearch Catalog lists . Some of the books or others may be on Google Books or available at public libraries.
 * Tombstone Transcription Project, Partial transcription of cemetery tombstones, USGenWeb
 * The Kentucky Historical Society Cemetery Database
 * Cemetery Junction, Links to cemetery transcriptions
 * Naming the Forgotten, The Eastern State Hospital Project

Census Records
1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population schedules of Shelby 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.


 * Kentucky Census Transcriptions 1850-1930, USGenWeb
 * Census Images, USGenWeb
 * KY Census Online, Links to online census records

Church Records

 * Baptist Church Records
 * Catholic Parishes in the Diocese of Lexington
 * Catholic Parishes in the Archdiocese of Louisville
 * Kentucky Christian Church Directory

Baptist
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Brashear's Creek. Typescript of church minutes (1807-1818) available at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
 * Buffalo Lick. Church minutes and membership rolls (1805-1838) are available at the Filson Historical Society, Louisville: Description.
 * Burks Branch. Church minutes (1801-1872) available at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
 * Pigeon Fork. Church minutes (1825-1920) are available online.
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1804-1868 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — 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.


 * Kentucky Court of Justice at KYCourts.gov

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

Genealogies

 * [Boswell] Hasskarl, Eula Richardson. The Boswells of Shelby County, Kentucky. Ada, Okla., 1970..
 * [Bush] Skelley, Mildred. The John Bush Family of Washington County, Indiana. 1976..
 * [Cottrell] Edgeworth, M.J. Some Descendants of Rev. Reuben Cottrell, Shelby and Daviess Counties, Kentucky. Microfilmed 1968:.
 * [Figg] Figg, Edward Clarence. Sketches of the Figg Family From 1719 to 1921. Press of Moll &amp; Company, 120 South First Street, Louisville, KY, 1921. Archives.org - free.
 * [Flournoy] Rivers, Flournoy. "The Flournoy Family," The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Jul. 1894):81-90; Vol. 2, No. 2 (Oct. 1894):190-213; Vol. 2, No. 3 (Jan. 1895):318-327; Vol. 2, No. 4 (Apr. 1895):437-447; Vol. 3, No. 1 (Jul. 1895):67-79; Vol. 3, No. 4 (Apr. 1896):414-416; Vol. 4, No. 1 (Jul. 1896):97-101. Digitized by JSTOR - free.
 * [Gilliland] Weedman, H.N. The Robert and Adam Gilliland Families of Shelby County, Kentucky. St. Louis, Mo.: H.N. Weedman, 1988, 1990..
 * [Graves] Erickson, Emma Louise Graves. Richard and Cynthia Goggins Graves Descendants, Shelby Co., Kentucky, Pulaski Co., Arkansas, Northern California: Side Line of Abraham and John Blue of Nelson Co., Ky., Washington Co., Miss., Chicot Co., Ark. Corvallis, Ore.: E.L. Erickson, 1982..
 * [Gregg] Roberts, Gary Boyd. Ancestors of American Presidents. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009..
 * [Hickman] Fay, Mary Smith. "The Three James Hickmans: Identifying Revolutionary War Veterans," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 41, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1997):52-54. Digital version at American Ancestors ($)..
 * [Hollingsworth] Stewart, J. Adger. Descendants of Valentine Hollingsworth, Sr. Louisville, Ky.: John P. Morton and Co., 1925. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * [Holmes] Roberts, Gary Boyd. Ancestors of American Presidents. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009..
 * [Lane] Quackenbush, Nancy. "Some Northern Neck Lanes," Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 24, No. 4 (Nov. 1986):3-22. Digital version at Ancestry ($);.
 * [Lee] Scott, Hattie Marshall. Miscellaneous Records on the Lee Family of Shelby, Kentucky, 1798-1871. 2006. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * [Miles] Miles, Samuel Robert. Record of Samuel and Sarah James Miles, about 1740, and Their Descendants. Typescript. Microfilmed 1967:.
 * [Snider] Franklin, James O. Descendants of Jonas Snider and Anna Hostutler Snider, Shelby and Spencer Counties, Kentucky. 1950; reprint 1990s.
 * [Truman] Roberts, Gary Boyd. Ancestors of American Presidents. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009..
 * [Young] Davis, Elsie Jean Spry. Descendants of Jacob Young of Shelby County, Kentucky: Including President Harry S. Truman. Coronado, Calif.: E.S. Davis, 1980.
 * [Young] Roberts, Gary Boyd. Ancestors of American Presidents. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009..

Land and Property Records

 * The KY Land Office

Local Histories

 * History of Shelby County, Kentucky. 1929. By George L. Willis. [Louisville, Kentucky] : Shelby County Genealogical-Historical Society. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Ancestry ($);.
 * Some Old Time History of Shelbyville and Shelby County. 1984. By Ed. D. Shinnick. Shelbyville, Kentucky : Shelby County Historical Society (Kentucky). Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library;.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Kentucky (1776-1939)
 * KYGenWeb compiled list of maps
 * Click on the county to go to the KYGenWeb site
 * Kentucky.gov for Current and Historical Maps
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * Military Resources, Revolutionary War through Civil War

Civil War
'''Online 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)
 * 1912-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

World War I

 * Fallen Soldiers in WWI from KY

Korean War

 * Korean War Memorial for Soldiers from KY, KYGenWeb

Newspapers

 * USNPL, Kentucky, Kentucky newspaper index with links
 * World-Newspapers, Kentucky, Kentucky newspaper index with links
 * Kentucky Newspapers on Microfilm

Obituaries

 * Kentucky Footsteps Archives, KYGenWeb
 * Kentucky Obituary Sources, KYGenWeb
 * Browning Genealogy Database, Compiled by Charles Browning.
 * Kentucky Obituaries, USGenWeb
 * Afrigeneas, African American death notices, obituaries and funeral programs compiled by users from current newspapers and historical sources
 * Obituary Depot, Kentucky Newspaper Citations
 * Obituary Daily Times, Citations to over 15,000,000 obituaries including interactive search function
 * Nashville Christian Advocate Death Abstracts

Other Records

 * Kentucky Postcards, USGenWeb

Probate Records
'''Online Probate Records


 * 1771-1845 Will of: Col. Richard Marrott Booker Sr. (1771-1845) of Shelby County; Bluegrass Roots - V. 25, No. 3 (Fall 1998). By McAskill, Mary Louise Fuqua. Frankfort, Kentucky : Kentucky Genealogical Society, 1998. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1774-1989 Kentucky, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1774-1989 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
 * 1794-1817 Shelby County, Kentucky Wills: 1794-1817 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1794-1817 Will Records of Shelby County, Kentucky, 1794-March, 1817. By Ellsberry, Elizabeth Prather. Chillicothe, Missouri : Ellsberry, Elizabeth Prather, n.d. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1794-1913 (*); Clerk of the County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1798-1943 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1799-1872 Kentucky Genealogy and Images of Old Wills, Estates, Inventories, Annual Returns, Marriages at Kentucky Pioneers ($)
 * Wills, Probates, Land, Tax & Criminal at Ancestry ($)
 * 1804-1868 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1816-1854 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1816-1854 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

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

 * 1800 - 1800 Tax List of Shelby County, Kentucky Genealogy is included in Clift's Second Census of Kentucky 1800, digitized by Ancestry ($).
 * Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records, Ancestry ($)

Birth

 * 1839-1960 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1852-1862 - Shelby County Birth Index 1852-1862. Batch at FamilySearch
 * 1869, 1874-1875 - Shelby County Birth Index 1869, 1874-1875. Batch at FamilySearch
 * 1911-1912 Searchable KY Birth 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
 * 1795-1878 - Shelby County Marriage Index 1795-1878. Included on several batches at FamilySearch
 * 1792-1800 Shelby County, Kentucky Marriage Bonds: 1792-1800 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1797-1954 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1973-2000 Searchable KY Marriage Records
 * 1973-2000 Kentucky Marriage Records 1973-2000
 * 1960-1993 Kentucky Marriages, 1960-1993 at MyHeritage ($) — index

Death

 * 1843-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1900-1999 Kentucky Deaths, 1900-1999 at MyHeritage ($) — index
 * 1911-1965 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1911-2000 Searchable KY Death Index
 * - How to Use this Collection
 * The Kentucky Vital Records Project, Transcriptions and Images of Kentucky Death Certificates

Divorce

 * 1973-1993 Kentucky Divorce Records 1973-1993, University of Kentucky Vital Records Databases

Archives
Archives of Appalachia East Tennessee State University Website

Family History Centers

 * Louisville Kentucky Family History Center
 * Shawnee Kentucky Family History Center
 * The Kentucky Historical Society Library - an affiliate library.
 * National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution - an affiliate library.

Libraries
Shelby County Public Library 309 8th Street Shelbyville, KY 40065 Phone: 502-633-3803 Website

Societies
Shelby County Historical Society PO Box 444 627 Main Street Shelbyville, KY 40066 Phone: 502-513-5555 Email: [mailto:director@shelbykyhistory.org director@shelbykyhistory.org] Website Facebook

Websites

 * KYGenWeb project. Has maps, name indexes, history or other information for each county. Select the county.
 * State of Kentucky Website
 * USGenWeb Kentucky Archives
 * Shelby County, Kentucky Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Shelby County KY Genealogy (Kentucky Genealogy)
 * Kentucky Genealogy - Guide to Ancestry and Family Tree Records
 * . 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