Garrard County, Kentucky Genealogy

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

Description
Garrard County was named for James Garrard. The county is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Garrard County Courthouse Public Square Lancaster, KY 40444 Phone: 859-792-3071 Garrard 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:

Bible Records

 * Garrard County Bible Records at Kentucky Kinfolk
 * Garrard County, Kentucky Bible Records at USGenWeb Archives

Biographies

 * Kentucky Biographies Project

Cemeteries

 * Interment.net, Kentucky cemetery records by county.
 * African American Cemeteries Online, Partial index/transcriptions of African American cemeteries
 * Naming the Forgotten, The Eastern State Hospital Project

Census Records

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

The 1890 U.S. Federal Census is lost; however, a substitute is available. See Taxation.

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Kentucky Christian Church Directory, ChurchAngel
 * Catholic Parishes in the Diocese of Lexington
 * Catholic Parishes in the Archdiocese of Louisville
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1797-1924 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1799-1868 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1813-1827 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1837-1930 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1856-1901 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images


 * 1876-1880 (*); Court of Common Pleas at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1876-1898 (*); Circuit 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.


 * Drake-Elkins Cemetery, Muhlenberg Co. Kentucky : [Garrard County, Kentucky Will Book A 1797-1808 Continued from v. 5, p. 151], The Kentucky Genealogist - v. 6, no. 4 (Oct/Dec 1964). 1964. Washington, DC : Martha Porter Miller. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Kentucky Court of Justice at KYCourts.gov

African Americans

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

Funeral Homes

 * Ramsey-Young Funeral Home and Monument Co. in Lancaster.
 * Spurlin Funeral Home in Lancaster.

Genealogies
Forrest Calico studied many Garrard County families. His large collection of files, kept in Lancaster, Ky., were microfilmed in 1959:.


 * [Alford] James, Jessamine Bland. Family Records of Andrew Hunter of Louisa County, Virginia, and Jacob Alford of Garrard County, Kentucky, and Charles Alford of Garrard Co., Ky. Copied from Court Records, Bibles, and Tombstones. Typescript. Donated 1958.
 * [Alford] James, Jessamine Bland. Records of the Andrew Hunter Family of Louisa Co., Virginia, and Jacob Alford Family of Garrard County, Kentucky, and Charles Alford of Garrard County, Kentucky. Typescript, National Library, D.A.R. Microfilmed 1971.
 * [Bainbridge] Buford, Marcus Bainbridge. A Genealogy of the Buford Family in America, With Records of a Number of Allied Families. San Francisco, Calif., 1903. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
 * [Bland] James, Jessamine Bland. Records of the Andrew Hunter Family of Louisa Co., Virginia, and Jacob Alford Family of Garrard County, Kentucky, and Charles Alford of Garrard County, Kentucky. Typescript, National Library, D.A.R. Microfilmed 1971.
 * [Bruce] Smith, Zachary F. and Mary Rogers Clay. The Clay Family. Louisville, Ky.: John P. Morton and Company, 1899. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
 * [Finley] Finley, Carmen J. and James D. Finley. Before David: An Addendum to David Finley (1754-1848) of Garrard, Kentucky and Orange County, Indiana. Santa Rosa, Calif.: C.J. Finley, 1983.
 * [Finley] Finley, Carmen J. "John and Mary Finley of Montgomery (Wythe) County, Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 34, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1990):243-255; Vol. 35, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1991):18-33; Vol. 35, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1991):122-135; Vol. 35, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1991):173-185; Vol. 35, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1991):251-262. Digital version at American Ancestors ($)..
 * [Finley] Finley, Carmen J. "John Finley of Montgomery/Wythe County, Virginia: Additional Children Identified," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 39, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1995):3-22; Vol. 39, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1995):94-103; Vol. 39, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1995):202-212; Vol. 39, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1995):282-294. Digital version at American Ancestors ($)..
 * [Frye] Wylie, William Bird. Bird Genealogy. St. Louis, Mo.: W.B. Wylie, 1903. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library;.
 * [Henderson] Robinson, Peggy H. Alexander Hamilton of Garrard County, Kentucky, and His Descendants. Lexington, Ky.: P.H. Robinson, 1975.
 * [Hill] Hill, L. Henry. Genealogy of the Hill Family of Garrard and Madison Counties, Kentucky. Evansville, Ind.: Unigraphic, 1978.
 * [Jennings] Loeber, Charles. Jennings Family, Garrard County, Kentucky: Address Delivered ... Consulting Engineer for the Jennings Family Record ... Richmond, Virginia, at a Meeting Held in Garrard County Court House, Lancaster, Kentucky, Monday, December 23rd, 1929 at 7 P.M. Lancaster, Ky.: Printed by the Central Record, 1929..
 * [Letcher] Buford, Marcus Bainbridge. A Genealogy of the Buford Family in America, With Records of a Number of Allied Families. San Francisco, Calif., 1903. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
 * [McIntosh] Buford, Marcus Bainbridge. A Genealogy of the Buford Family in America, With Records of a Number of Allied Families. San Francisco, Calif., 1903. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
 * [Robertson] Buford, Marcus Bainbridge. A Genealogy of the Buford Family in America, With Records of a Number of Allied Families. San Francisco, Calif., 1903. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
 * [Rogers] Irwin, Lyndon N. The Rogers Family of Paint Lick and Crab Orchard: Ancestry and Descendants Joseph and Ellen Steward Rogers of Garrard, Rockcastle, and Lincoln Counties in Kentucky. Bois D'Arc and Ozark, Mo.: L. Irwin, 1994.
 * [Sassin] Allen, Cameron. "Francois Sasin/Sassin of Manakin Town: The First Six Generations of the Sassin/Sasseen Family in America," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 37, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1993):3-17; Vol. 37, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1993):99-116; Vol. 37, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1993):193-205; Vol. 37, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1993):259-271. Digital version at American Ancestors ($)..
 * [Warner] Reynolds, Lyman Foster. Peter Warner Born Maryland - Fredrick County: Revolutionary War Soldier (with George Washington in Capture of Trenton) to Lincoln County Kentucky 1780's, Children Settled in Kentucky; Lincoln, Garrard, Boyle, Mercer &amp; Washington Counties; Indiana Putnam County. Louisville, Ky.: L.F. Reynolds, 2007.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * The KY Land Office
 * The organization Strictly By Name provides free online indexes to early Garrard County land records. They offer a record retrieval service to photocopy and transcribe microfilm copies of the original documents for a small fee. Available indexes:


 * 1) Deed Books 1797-1802

Local Histories

 * Historical Sketches of Lancaster and Garrard County. N.d. By James B. Kinnaird. [Richmond, Kentucky : Garrard County Historical Society]. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library;.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 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

 * Abstracts of Pension Papers Pertaining to Soldiers of the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Indian wars Who Resided in Garrard County, Kentucky. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Military Resources, Revolutionary War through Civil War.
 * Paymaster Records of Regiment. Kentucky Militia 1808-1813. Kentucky Pioneers ($)

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


 * - 1st Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Union), Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J and K.
 * - 1st Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union), Company B.
 * - 1st Regiment, Kentucky Veteran Cavalry (Wolford's Cavalry) (Union), Company C.
 * - 3rd Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union), Companies A, B, C, E, F, G, H, I and K.
 * - 4th Regiment, Kentucky Mounted Infantry (Union), Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.
 * - 7th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union), Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and K.
 * - 8th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union), Company A.
 * - 12th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry (Union), Company A.

World War I

 * Fallen Soldiers in WWI from KY

Korean War

 * Korean War Memorial, 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 Daily Times, Citations to over 15,000,000 obituaries (Ancestry)
 * 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.
 * 1796-1851 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1797-1924 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1797-1958 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1798-1943 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1812-1872 Kentucky Genealogy and Images of Old Wills, Estates, Inventories, Annual Returns, Marriages at Kentucky Pioneers
 * 1873-1977 (*); Clerk of the County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1875-1881 (*); Clerk of the County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1910-1928 (*); Clerk of the County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * Kentucky: Garrard Co.-William Powe Wills, 1839, 1823; Poe Pages : Poe, Pow, Powe, etc., V. 10 (Apr. 1992). 1986. By Long, Anne Avonne Granville Payne. Garrard County, Kentucky : Garrard County, Kentucky. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Kentucky Vital Statistics, Record of Wills in Garrard County, Kentucky, for the Period of Years 1796 to 1851 Inclusive. 1933. By Bell, Annie Walker Burns. Garrard County, Kentucky : Garrard County, Kentucky. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.

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.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records

 * 1797, 1799 - Kurtz, Harold J. 1797 and 1799 Tax List of Garrard County, Kentucky. Lancaster, Ky.: Garrard County Historical Society, 1990.
 * 1797-1802 - Kurtz, Harold J. 1797-1802 Taxpayers of Garrard County, Kentucky. Lancaster, Ky.: Garrard County Historical Society, 1990, 1997.
 * 1800 - 1800 Tax List of Garrard County, Kentucky Genealogy is included in Clift's Second Census of Kentucky 1800, digitized by Ancestry ($).
 * 1890 - Kurtz, Harold J. 1890 Tax List of Garrard County, Kentucky. Richmond, Ky.: Garrard County Historical Society, 198-.
 * Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records, Ancestry ($)

Birth

 * 1839-1960 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1852-1859 - Garrard County Birth Index 1852-1859. Batch at FamilySearch
 * 1874 - Garrard County Birth Index 1874. Batch at FamilySearch
 * 1875 - Garrard 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 $
 * 1785-1979 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1797-1954 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1852-1859 - Garrard County Marriage Index 1852-1859. Batch at FamilySearch
 * 1875 - Garrard County Marriage Index 1875. Batch at FamilySearch
 * 1876-1878 - Garrard County Marriage Index 1876-1878. Batch at FamilySearch
 * 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
 * 1911-1965 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1911-2000 Searchable KY Death Index
 * 1900-1999 Kentucky Deaths, 1900-1999 at MyHeritage ($) — index
 * - How to Use this Collection
 * The Kentucky Vital Records Project, Transcriptions and Images of Kentucky Death Certificates

Divorce

 * 1962-2005 Kentucky, U.S., Divorce Records, 1962-2005 at Ancestry - index ($)

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

 * Lebanon Kentucky FamilySearch Center
 * Lexington Kentucky FamilySearch Center
 * The Kentucky Historical Society Library - an affiliate library.
 * Lexington Public Library - an affiliate library.

Societies
Garrard County Historical Society 208 Danville St Lancaster, KY 40444 Phone: 859-792-9786 Facebook

Websites

 * Garrard Co. KYGenWeb
 * 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.
 * Garrard County,Kentucky Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Garrard 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