Nelson County, Kentucky Genealogy

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

Description
Nelson County was named for Thomas Nelson, Jr. The county is located in the north-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Nelson County Courthouse 113 E Stephen Foster Ave Bardstown, KY 40004 Phone: 502-348-1820 Nelson 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:

Biographies

 * Kentucky Biographies Project

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


 * Interment.net, Kentucky cemetery records by county.
 * Cemetery Junction, Links to cemetery transcriptions
 * Naming the Forgotten, The Eastern State Hospital Project
 * Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness, Local volunteers may take photographs of headstones found in county cemeteries.

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


 * 1790 - Lost, but a substitute is available, see Taxation.
 * Kentucky Census Transcriptions 1850-1930, USGenWeb
 * Census Images, USGenWeb
 * KY Census Online, Links to online census records

Church Records

 * Kentucky Christian Church Directory, ChurchAngel
 * Catholic Parishes in the Diocese of Lexington
 * Catholic Parishes in the Archdiocese of Louisville

Baptist
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Little Union. Church minutes and membership lists (1811-1919) are available online.
 * New Salem. Church minutes and membership lists (1801-1910) are available online.
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1779-1873 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1780-1801 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1782-1816 (*); Circuit and District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1785-1815 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1785-1825 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images


 * 1790-1791 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1790-1849 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1791-1810 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1793-1815 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1794-1802 (*); Court of Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1795-1802 (*); Court of Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1795-1817 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1796-1799 (*); Supreme Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1797-1809 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1802 (*); Court of Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1802-1821 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1803-1843 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1804-1902 (*); 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

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

Genealogies

 * [Abell] House, Katherine Lucille. George Monroe Abell and Lucinda Ludwell Able: A Story of Two Nelson County, Kentucky, Families; with Some Allied Families, Callahan, Carpenter, Coppage, Hurst, Linthicum, Pennebaker, Slaughter, Tucker and Related Families. Utica, Ky.: McDowell Publications, 2001.
 * [Abell] House, Katherine Lucille. George Monroe Abell (1841-1900) and Lucinda Ludwell Able (1853-1934): A Story of Two Nelson County, Kentucky Families, with Ancestors Including George Abell (1802-1866) and Robert Able (1794-1840). Utica, Ky.: McDowell Publications, 2005.
 * [Able] See Abell.
 * [Beard] Cowles, Frank. William Beard of Nelson County, Kentucky and His Descendants. Baltimore, Md.: Gateway Press, 1986.
 * [Beeler] Pappas, Carolyn H. "Christopher Beeler, 1705-1775," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 43, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1999):243-255; Vol. 44, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 2000):18-30; Vol. 44, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 2000):115-125. Digital version at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($)..
 * [Blue] 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.
 * [Bowling] Bowling, Katherine Louise. Bowling: Thomas Bowling: His Forefathers of Maryland, His Descendants of Nelson County, Kentucky. Cuyohoga Falls, Ohio: K. L. Bowling, 1976.
 * [Brown] House, Katherine Lucille. The Descendants of William E. Brown and Katherine Mary Edwards in Nelson County, Kentucky: and Including Brown, Edwards and Sharp family; Ancestors in Washington, Mercer and Anderson Counties in Kentucky. Utica, Ky.: McDowell Publications, 2003.
 * [Carter] Darling, Lu Ann W. The History and the Mystery of the William Carter Family of Nelson County, Kentucky and Crawford County, Illinois. Los Angeles, Calif.: L.W. Darling, 1997.
 * [Craven] Craven, Patricia. The Craven Clan of Southwestern Pennsylvania and Various Kentucky Counties Nelson, Washington, Marion, Boone, Fayette, Jessamine, Henry. Chicago, Ill.: P. Craven, 1988.
 * [Davis] Moore, Robert P. Ancestors and Nelson Co., Ky., Associates of the Kincheloe, Wickliffe, and Davis Families of Prince William County, Virginia. Lexington, Ky.: R.P. Moore, 1996.
 * [Finn] House, Katherine Lucille. The Hurst and Finn Families of Nelson County, Kentucky: Descendants of Abraham B. Hurst and Sabina Bowles and John Finn and Mary Conroy. Utica, Ky.: McDowell Publications, 1999.
 * [Frakes] Frakes, Nina Howlett. Descendants of Philip and Phoebe (Case) Frakes of Nelson County, Kentucky and Sullivan and Vigo Counties, Indiana: With Known Data on Other Friggs--Freake--Fraiks--Frakes Families. San Mateo, Calif.: N.H. Frakes, 1979.
 * [Gilkey] Gilkey, Kenneth Edward. Gilkeys of Early Kentucky 1780-2000: This Book Focuses Primarily on William Gilkey of Caldwell Co., Ky. and His Descendants and His Brothers, David Gilkey of Union County, Ky. and John Gilkey of Nelson Co. Ky. and Their Descendants. Newburgh, Ind.: K.E. Gilkey, 2000.
 * [Greenwell] West, Patricia Greenwell. The Ancestors and Descendants of Thomas Rapier Greenwell: Born 18 June 1889, Nelson County, Kentucky. Blanchester, Ohio: P.G. West, [1984?].
 * [Hurst] House, Katherine Lucille. The Hurst and Finn Families of Nelson County, Kentucky: Descendants of Abraham B. Hurst and Sabina Bowles and John Finn and Mary Conroy. Utica, Ky.: McDowell Publications, 1999.
 * [Kincheloe] Moore, Robert P. Ancestors and Nelson Co., Ky., Associates of the Kincheloe, Wickliffe, and Davis Families of Prince William County, Virginia. Lexington, Ky.: R.P. Moore, 1996.
 * [LaRue] Mather, Otis May. Six Generations of LaRues and Allied Families: Containing Sketch of Isaac LaRue, Senior, Who Died in Frederick County, Virginia in 1795, and Some Account of His American Ancestors and Three Generations of His Descendants and Families Who Were Connected by Inter-marriage: Among Others Carman, Hodgen, Helm, Buzan, Rust ... : Copies of Six Old Wills and Other Documents, Various Incidents Connected with the Settlement of the Nolynn Valley in Kentucky; Also a Chapter on the La Rue Family and the Child Abraham Lincoln. Hodgenville, Kentucky: O.M. Mather, 1921. Available at ; [2 listings at FHL]; digital versions at Ancestry ($); Internet Archive - free.
 * [McClaskey] McClaskey, Michael J., Carol F. McClaskey, Kenneth L. McClaskey, and Barbara M. McClaskey. Descendants of James McClaskey of Nelson County, Kentucky. Idaho Falls, Idaho: B. M. McClaskey, 1981.
 * [Mills] Hackett, John Davis and Kathryn Dickerson Shannon. "Mills Families of Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 35, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1991):215-228; Vol. 35, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1991):284-296; Vol. 36, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1992):34-48; Vol. 36, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1992):109-119. Digital version at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($)..
 * [Popham] Burgess, Jane F. "John Popham (by 1757-1815/7) of Culpeper County, Virginia, and His Children," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 45, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 2001):299-304; Vol. 46, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 2002):57-64; Vol. 46, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 2002):119-125. Digital version at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($);.
 * [Rhodes] Stovall, Wilda Ortkiese and Fern Walker Blanford. Herod Rhodes 1826-1915 Wife Mary Sarah Frances Jenkins 1829-1920 of Nelson County, Kentucky with Some Descendants. n.p.: F.W. Blanford, 2008.
 * [Rogers] Rogers, Lon B. "Colonel James Rogers (1742--1828) Nelson County Pioneer," The Kentucky Genealogist, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1961):3-6.
 * [Thompson] Lovejoy, Florence Thompson. Athanatius Thompson, Maryland to Nelson Co., Ky., ca. 1780. MSS., Willard Library, Evansville, Ind. Reproduction:
 * [Wickliffe] Moore, Robert P. Ancestors and Nelson Co., Ky., Associates of the Kincheloe, Wickliffe, and Davis Families of Prince William County, Virginia. Lexington, Ky.: R.P. Moore, 1996.

Land and Property Records

 * The KY Land Office

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Kentucky (1776-1939)
 * KYGenWeb compiled list of maps
 * Click on the county to go to the KYGenWeb site
 * 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

Confederate soldiers
 * - 6th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry, Company I.
 * - 9th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry, Company I.

Union soldiers
 * - 1st Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry, Companies A, B, E and I.
 * - 1st Regiment, Kentucky Veteran Cavalry (Wolford's Cavalry), Company A.
 * - 15th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.
 * - 28th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry, Companies B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I.

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 Indexes and Records


 * 1774-1989 Kentucky, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1774-1989 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
 * 1784-1851 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1784-1851 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1785-1830 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1785-1926 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1786-1961 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1790-1807 Nelson County, Kentucky Will Book A 1790-1807; The Kentucky Genealogist - V. 1. No. 1 (Jan/Mar 1959). By Grayson, Benjamin. Washington, D.C. : Martha Porter Miller, 1759. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1790-1807 Nelson County, Kentucky Will Book "A", 1790-1807 (Abstracts). By Crume, Barney D, Mrs. Lubbock, Texas : Nelson County, Kentucky, n.d. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1792-1828 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1799-1872 Kentucky Genealogy and Images of Old Wills, Estates, Inventories, Annual Returns, Marriages at Kentucky Pioneers ($)
 * 1823-1962 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — 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

 * 1785-1796 - Schroeder, Margaret Johnson and Carl A. Schroeder. Residents of Nelson County, Virginia (now Kentucky) Recorded in Tithable and Tax Lists. [1785-1796] 4 vols. Bardstown, Ky.: Schroeder, 1988. . Volume 1 (1785-1791) is available through the FamilySearch Catalog.
 * 1787 - Schreiner-Yantis, Netti and Florene Speakman Love. The 1787 Census of Virginia: An Accounting of the Name of Every White Male Tithable Over 21 Years, the Number of White Males Between 16 &amp; 21 Years, the Number of Slaves over 16 &amp; Those Under 16 Years, Together with a Listing of Their Horses, Cattle &amp; Carriages, and Also the Names of All Persons to Whom Ordinary Licenses and Physician's Licenses Were Issued. 3 vols. Springfield, Va.: Genealogical Books in Print, 1987. Available at . [Sources for this publication are 1787 personal property tax lists and 1787 tithable lists. Nelson County is included in Vol. 2.]
 * 1790 - Heinemann, Charles B. "First Census" of Kentucky 1790. Washington, D.C.: n.p., 1940. 1981 reprint: ; digital version at Kentucky Kinfolks. ["1 volume of 1792 was used." (p. 2)]
 * 1800 - 1800 Tax List of Nelson 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
 * 1852-1861 - Nelson County Birth Index 1852-1861. Batch at FamilySearch
 * 1874 - Nelson County Birth Index 1874. Batch at FamilySearch
 * 1875 - Nelson County Birth Index 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 $
 * 1785-1815 Nelson County, Kentucky Marriage Records, 1785-1815 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1785-1979 – at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1797-1954 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1852-1861 - Nelson County Marriage Index 1852-1861. Batch at FamilySearch
 * 1875-1876 - Nelson County Marriage Index 1875-1876. Batch at FamilySearch
 * 1876-1878 - Nelson County Marriage Index 1876-1878. Batch at FamilySearch
 * 1973-2000 Searchable KY Marriage Records
 * 1973-2000 Kentucky Marriage Records 1973-2000
 * 1785-1815 - Nelson Marriage Records. Kentucky Pioneers ($)
 * 1960-1993 Kentucky Marriages, 1960-1993 at MyHeritage ($) — index

Death

 * 1843-1970 – at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 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

 * Bardstown Kentucky Family History Center
 * Elizabethtown Kentucky Family History Center
 * Lebanon Kentucky Family History Center
 * The Kentucky Historical Society Library - an affiliate library.
 * Green County Public Library - an affiliate library.

Libraries
Nelson County Public Library 201 Cathedral Manor Bardstown, KY 40004 Phone: 502-348-3714 FAX: 502-348-5578 Email: [mailto:nelsoncopublib@hotmail.com nelsoncopublib@hotmail.com] Website

Societies
Ancestral Trails Historical Society P.O. Box 1796 Elizabethtown, KY 42702-1796 Phone: 270-982-0881 Website Facebook Nelson County Genealogical Roundtable P.O. Box 409 Bardstown, KY 40004 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
 * The USGenWeb project May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Nelson County, Kentucky Genealogy and Family History(Linkpendium)
 * Nelson 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