Johnson County, Kentucky Genealogy
Johnson County, Kentucky family history and genealogy research page. Uncover links to record collections, history, and genealogy resources to assist you to you find your personal Johnson Co., ancestors. Learn how to start by putting together a Free Family Tree.
Johnson County was established on February 24, 1843 from Floyd County, Morgan County and Lawrence County. Currently the county was named in honor of Richard Mentor Johnson, Vice President of the United States (1837–1841) .
Currently the Johnson County Seat is situated in Paintsville additionally, the county government website is www.johnsoncountyky.com
Locations adjacent to Johnson County happen to be Lawrence County (north), Martin County (east), Floyd County (south), Magoffin County (southwest), Morgan County (northwest).
Cities and towns to be found in Johnson County comprise of Boonscamp, Collista, Denver, East Point, Flat Gap, Hager Hill, Leander, Meally, Oil Springs, Paintsville, Riceville, Staffordsville, Stambaugh, Swamp Branch, Thealka, Tutor Key, Van Lear, West Van Lear, Whitehouse, Williamsport, Wittensville .
Johnson County consists of Federal Census Schedules to guide in researching your family tree. Government Population Schedules are present for 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940. Johnson Co. Slave Schedules can be obtained for 1850 & 1860. Johnson Co. Mortality Schedules can be acquired for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Johnson Co. Industry and Agriculture Schedules can be acquired for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Johnson Co. Union Veterans Schedules can be obtained for 1890. One can find free down loadable and also printable census forms that can help with your research.
Johnson County Genealogical & Historical Societies and Family History Resources
A list of Johnson County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Forums, Message Boards, Libraries, Archives. See Also Kentucky Archives, Genealogical and Historical Societies for statewide Addresses and links.
- Johnson County Historical & Genealogical Society, 444 Main Street, P.O. Box 788, Paintsville KY 41240
- Van Lear Historical Society, Inc., The Coal Miners' Museum , P.O. Box 369 , Van Lear, KY 41265 ; Phone / FAX: (606) 789-8540 (Please call before faxing)
- KYJOHNSO. A mailing list for anyone with a genealogical interest in Johnson County, Kentucky. To subscribe send "subscribe" to kyjohnso-l-request@rootsweb.com (mail mode) or kyjohnso-d-request@rootsweb.com (digest mode).
- KYJOHNSON-HISTORY. A mailing list for anyone with a genealogical or historical interest in Johnson County, Kentucky. This list is strictly for genealogy/history discussions, chatting about other county-related topics is beyond the scope of the list. To subscribe send "subscribe" to kyjohnson-history-l-request@rootsweb.com (mail mode) or kyjohnson-history-d-request@rootsweb.com (digest mode).
- EASTERNKENTUCKY. A mailing list for all researchers who's ancestors settled in or traveled through the state of Kentucky. Some of the counties covered are Bell, Boyd, Breathitt, Carter, Clay, Elliot, Estill, Floyd, Greenup, Harlan, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Magoffin, Morgan, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell, Rowan, Whitley, Wolfe, and adjacent counties that represent the East Kentucky Coalfields. Additional information can be found on the East Kentucky Genealogy website. To subscribe send "subscribe" to easternkentucky-l-request@rootsweb.com (mail mode) or easternkentucky-d-request@rootsweb.com (digest mode).
- SE-KENTUCKY. A mailing list for anyone with a genealogical interest in the Kentucky counties that border Tennessee, West Virginia and Virginia, and surrounding south eastern Kentucky counties (i.e., Whitley, Knox, Bell, Harlan, Clay, Leslie, Perry, Letcher, Knott, Breathitt, Pike, Floyd, Martin, Johnson, Morgan, Lawrence). To subscribe send "subscribe" to se-kentucky-l-request@rootsweb.com (mail mode) or se-kentucky-d-request@rootsweb.com (digest mode).
- Kentucky State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- Johnson County USGenWeb Archives Project (usgwarchives.net)
- Johnson County, Kentucky Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Johnson County
- Johnson County, Kentucky Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com) read and post messages with other genealogy researchers for Johnson County
Johnson County Courthouse and Government Records
Genealogist frequently fail to notice the advantages of Johnson County court, probate, and land files as a useful resource of genealogical information and facts. Buried away in Kentucky courthouses and archives just about everywhere tend to be the dreams and frustrations of the many Kentucky citizens.
The odds are great that your chosen ancestors have left a detailed record of at least a number of facets of their lives in the Johnson County court records. Even if your forefathers is not brought up in a Court case, take into consideration all of the other methods which may have lead to her or him to appear in court records.
Please make sure to speak to the clerk's dept to affirm hours, mailing address, fees and other particulars in advance of visiting or inquiring about information because of sometimes changing contact information. The Department Offices DO NOT DO RESEARCH. The files are available to interested parties, barring confidential issues. A lot of staff will help people in locating the materials, however it is up to the individual to do the researching.
The following facts indicates what death, marriage, birth, land, probate, and legal records are located in Johnson County. The dates stated below tend to be the first widely known records in this county.
- Johnson County Clerk has three main responsibilities. One is the recording of Land records (the most common documents recorded are deeds, mortgage releases,
entries, warrants, surveys, mortgages, assignments, and indexes), Probate records (may include such documents as wills, estates, letters of administration, administrators, executors, probate journals, probate packets,
inventories, settlements, sales, accounts, guardianship, orphans,
insolvent estates, bastardy, apprentices, insanity and adoptions) and Marriage Liscenses
- Address: 230 Court St., Ste 124, Paintsville, KY, 41240
- Phone: (606) 789-2559
- Marriage Records: 1843
- Land Records: 1843
- Probate Records: 1843
- Johnson County Clerk of the Circuit Court has countywide jurisdiction over major civil and criminal cases, divorces, and appeals from inferior courts.
- Address: Johnson County Judicial Center, 908 Third St., Suite 109, Paintsville, KY 41240
- Phone: (606) 297-9567
- Court Records: 1843
- Johnson County Tax Information and Contacts. Some early tax schedules list watercourse, value and acreage of real estate, men over age twenty-one, young men between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one, slaves, and horses.
- Johnson County Elected Officials (ky.gov)
- Kentucky Department of Health (VDH) Office of Vital Records has copies for of birth & deathe certificates (1911 - present), marriage licenses & divorce decrees (since June 1958). There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information on Statewide Vital Records in Kentucky for current fees and application process.
Johnson County Genealogy Links
The following are links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Johnson County. These genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Professional Sites, Private Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some have to have a payment. This is basically a collection that has been gathered or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site over another. Feel free to submit your own preferred Johnson County genealogy or family history associated sites.
Johnson Co. KY Books, Newspapers & Publications
Johnson Co. KY Birth, Marriage & Death Records
Johnson Co. KY Court, Probate Land and Tax Records
Johnson Co. KY Census Records
Johnson Co. KY Cemeteries & Graveyards
Johnson Co. KY Church & Bible Records
Johnson Co. KY Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
Johnson Co. KY General and History Websites
Johnson Co. KY Immigration & Naturalization
Johnson Co. KY Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
Johnson Co. KY Military Records
Johnson Co. KY Schools & Directories