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 Ancestry.com is where you can access the best resources on the web! Affordable, reliable & results oriented, it's a "must have" in genealogy research!
     

Don't forget to check County Records for Birth, Marriage & Death, Census, Tax & Land records and Surname Resources for direct links to surname specific records and other free genealogy resources...

All of the following have FREE records & resources unless otherwise noted...
 Ancestry.com Affordable fee, reliable & results oriented, a must have in genealogy research!

Adoption Agencies, Orphanages and Maternity Home Resources
Adoption Agencies, Orphanages and Maternity Homes that have operated in KY - FYI the State holds the records for many of these.

African American Resources
1927 African American Community in Norfolk, Virginia (VA)
A Kentucky Journey *hint: do a 'Find' for "African"
African American History
African Americans during WWII photos from the National Archives
African Americans in Lawrence County, Kentucky pre-1865
Civil Rights Movement in Kentucky Oral History
Finding African American Marriage Records before the Emancipation *NEW*
Freedman's Bureau Online
Hangings & other murders in Kentucky 1792-1900
Kentucky African American Griots
Kentucky African American History
Library of Congress Searchable African American History Collections
Slavery Days in Old Kentucky. A True Story of a Father Who Sold His Wife and Four Children
                                             by one of the children, Isaac Johnson, 1844-1905
Some Slave Names contains wills with names of slaves
The University of Florida's Africana Heritage Project
U.S. Slavery History

Book Indexes
The East Kentuckian Index quarterly published by Clayton Cox 1979 -1995.

Cemetery Resources
Bell County Cemeteries 
Boyd County, Kentucky Cemeteries
Bourbon County, Kentucky Cemetery Transcriptions
East Kentucky Cemeteries
Estill County, Kentucky Cemetery Transcriptions
Harlan County Cemeteries 
Johnson County, Kentucky Cemeteries
Johnson County Burials & Cemetery Surname Index Transcriptions & Photos
Kentucky Cemeteries
Kentucky Cemeteries at Cemetery Junction transcriptions and photos
Kentucky Cemetery Locator
Kentucky Cemetery Photographs Indexed by County
Kentucky Cemetery Records Database
Kentucky Find A Grave
Kentucky Historical Society Cemetery Search
Letcher County, KY Cemetery Transcriptions 
Lawrence County, Kentucky Cemeteries
Montgomery County, Kentucky Cemetery Transcriptions  
Morgan County Cemetery Transcriptions
Nationwide Gravesite Locator burial locations of veterans and their family members in VA National Cemeteries, state veterans cemeteries, various other military and Department of Interior cemeteries, and for veterans buried in private cemeteries when the grave is marked with a government grave marker.
Owsley County Cemetery Transcriptions 
Rowan County Cemetery Transcriptions
West Virginia Cemeteries transcriptions and photos
Wolfe County, Kentucky Cemeteries
More Wolfe County Cemeteries  
Virtual Cemetery This is an awesome project, please consider contributing your photos of headstones!

Church & Bible Records Resources
Bible Records Online
Lexington, Kentucky St. Michaels Episcopal Church
Library of Virginia Archives and Manuscripts Catalog - Document images for 6,000 family Bible records are available online.
Owsley County Churches searchable records & histories
Union Association of the Old Regular Baptist Minutes Obituaries from Kentucky, Virginia,
                                                                              West Virginia & Michigan
Whitley County, Cow Creek Baptist Church Minutes  from Oct 1846 to October 1847
Whitley County, Sandhill Christian Church Records  Lists members from the late 1800's through the early 1900's

Colonial Resources
Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia Extracted from the Original Court Records of Augusta County 1745-1800 by Lyman Chalkley
Virtual Jamestown

County General Resources
Note: Many other categories on this page have more specific county resources listed (for instance Photos and Queries & Message Forums, Maps).  Make sure to check the other sections for the county you're looking for!
Bourbon County, KY (Early Families of)
Breathitt County, KY TONS of free records
Breathitt County & Jackson (establishment of) *NEW*
County Seats of Kentucky's Counties
The Floyd County Historical & Genealogical Society
Floyd County, Kentucy Historical Markers
Harlan County, Kentucky Research - birth, marriage, death, census, tax & land records, photos, cemetery transcriptions & photos - this is a great site!
Hazard Kentucky & Perry County A Photographic History & old news articles
Johnson County Historical & Genealogical Society
Johnson County Mayhem & Murder
Kentucky Counties
Kentucky Counties Formation 1780-1912
Kentucky County Formation Timeline
Kentucky County Formations & Courthouse Disasters
Knott County Historical & Genealogical Society
Knott County Kentucky Kinfolk
Knox County, Kentucky Rootsweb Home
Lawrence County Historical Society
Magoffin County KYGenWeb Project
The Magoffin County Historical Society
Magoffin County Melungeons *NEW*
Morgan County Kentucky Genealogy
History of Morgan County, Kentucky
Owsley County History & Genealogy Society
Owsley County Old School Info & Photos
Perry County Communities & Post Offices 
Perry County Yellow Pages Telephone Directory for 1936-1937
Pike County, Kentucky Data & Resources  
Pulaski County, Kentucky KYGenWeb Resources

DNA Resources
The Genographic Project Description from their site: The National Geographic Society, IBM, geneticist Spencer Wells, and the Waitt Family Foundation have launched the Genographic Project, a five-year effort to understand the human journey—where we came from and how we got to where we live today. This unprecedented effort will map humanity's genetic journey through the ages.

Genealogy General & Search Help Resources
 Ancestry.com Affordable fee, reliable & results oriented, a must have in genealogy research!
BMD-Certificates a fast, safe and easy way to obtain official UK birth, marriage and death certificates from between Jan 1837 through July 2004. Fee
Google Genealogy Search Help

Immigration & Emigration Resources
Ellis Island Records
Immigrant Ship Passenger Lists
Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild *NEW* *go down the page to the main menu and click on the "Passenger Lists" button
Ships & Passenger Lists

Journal, Biography, Historical Books and Oral Histories Free Online
A Diary, Etc. for the year 1845 The Journal of Samuel Hervey Laughlin. There are many references to Kentucky relatives and aquaintances here.
A History of the Middle New River Settlements and Contiguous Territory 
by David E. Johnston, 1906. 
A Well Spent Life The Journal of Harrison Gregory Arnett, an absolutely amazing resource  documenting most east Kentucky surnames and life from 1848-1934. *May 2006 Free Resources Excellence Award Winner*
The Adventures of Col. Daniel Boone
Big Sandy Valley Book by William Ely
Biography of Peter H. Alley
Brief History of Magoffin County & Appalachia
Civil Rights Movement in Kentucky Oral History
The Conquest of the Old Southwest: The Romantic Story of the Early Pioneers into Virginia, The Carolinas, Tennessee, and Kentucky 1740-1790 by Archibald Henderson
Country Boys featured on PBS's FrontLine, this is "a moving portrait of the trials and triumphs of Chris Johnson and Cody Perkins, two boys coming of age in the Appalachian hills of Floyd County in eastern Kentucky."
Devil Jim Turner, Outlaw of Harlan County by Holly Fee - He got his name for good reason!!!
Dr. Thomas Walker's Diary of Exploration
The Great Moonbow of Cumberland Falls, KY
Harman's Station Book by William Connelley
Historical Comments by Todd Preston - Archived Columns from the Salyersville Independent
Indian Atrocities Along the Clinch, Powell and Holston Rivers of Southwest Virginia, 1773-1794
John G. Burnett's Story of the Removal of the Cherokees took place in Tennessee, but very compelling reading.
Kentucky Biographies
Kentucky Feuds including a page specifically on Southeastern Kentucky feuds
Kentucky Explorer Read many stories & more from the magazines by using the preview links at
                            the bottom of the page!
The Last Indian Raid Upon the Western Frontiers of Virginia
Letters from Virginia, Translated from the Fench
Melungeon Historical Articles
Sandy Gorin's Kentucky Biographies Thousands of biographies reproduced from varied genealogical resource books!
Slavery Days in Old Kentucky. A True Story of a Father Who Sold His Wife and Four Children. Written by one of the children, Isaac Johnson, 1844-1905
Talk to Todd *NEW* Salyersville Independent columns written weekly by Todd Preston of the Magoffin County Historical Society - an awesome Magoffin County resource!
University of Louisville Oral History Texts Online

Journals & Historical Books ***for a Fee*** Online
Note: ***for a Fee*** Please support the historical societies featured here...they work so hard at tending our roots!
 Ancestry.com Affordable, reliable & results oriented, a must have in genealogy research!
Bell County Historical Society
Breathitt County & Troublesome Creek Books by OH Napier
Estill County Historical & Genealogical Society Publications
Hazard Kentucky & Perry County
Johnson County Historical & Genealogical Society Publications
Letcher County Historical and Genealogical Society
Magoffin County Historical Society Order Form
Owsley County History & Genealogical Society Publications

Map Resources
1850 Map of Virginia including West Virginia
Kentucky County Formation Maps  VERY cool and SO useful...make sure you push the "Play" button under the picture!
Map Collection: 1500-2004 From the US Library of Congress
The Origins of Kentucky, Daughter of Virginia
Wilderness Road & Kentucky 1774-1785 *NEW*

Medical Terminology Resources
Epidemics
Glossary of Ancient Diseases
Old Time Diseases
Terminology & Meanings of Early Illnesses & Diseases

Melungeon Resources
Core Melungeon DNA Project
Encyclopedia: Melungeon from Nationmaster
Historical Melungeons
Jack Goins Research
Melungeon Health Education & Support Network
Melungeon Heritage Association
Melungeon Historical Articles
Melungeon Research  blog containing research and articles of interest on the Melungeons, a group of mixed ancestried people found originially in the Appalachian regions of NC/VA/KY/TN/WV
The Melungeon Mystery Solved
Sand Mountain Melungeons

Military Resources
7th Kentucky Cavalry Union Rosters
10th Kentucky Cavalry Diamonds "Yankee Chasers"
14th KY Union Volunteers
American War Calendar
The American Revolution great detailed timeline of day to day events for each year!
Dunmore's War (Virginia Payrolls/Public Service Claims, 1775) - Description from their site: The index contains the names of Virginia citizens or soldiers from the counties of Augusta, Bedford, Botetourt, Culpeper, and Fincastle who were compensated in 1775 for supplies or service during Dunmore's Expedition in 1774. Entries in the volume include names, length of service or item being compensated for, and the amount of compensation in pounds, shillings, and pence.
Floyd County, Kentucy Historical Markers
Kentucky Archives, Burials Forts & Stations make sure to go to the bottom of the page and click on the link that says "Please click here to cont. w/KY Archives"
Kentucky Civil War Rosters
Kentucky Land Office Revolutionary War Warrants Database
Lawrence County Veterans
Lawrence County Military Page
Library of Congress Selected Civil War Photos contains over 1300 photos
Nationwide Gravesite Locator
Pike County, Kentucky Veterans Graves
Revolutionary Soldiers Buried in Madison County, Kentucky
Sons of Confederate Veterans
Sons of Union Veterans
Veteran's History Project an awesome searchable project from the Library of Congress that features interviews, photos an info on US Veterans. You should submit your veteran's info here now!
Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Wall
The Library of Virginia Digitized Military Resources TIP: Choose "Names in Subject" in the "Field to Search" dropdown menu for best results. This awesome online resource contains digitized records available for online viewing for: Dunmore's War, Culpeper County Classes 1781, Revolutionary War Bounty Warrants, Revolutionary War Land Office Military Certificates, Revolutionary War Public Service Claims, Revolutionary War Rejected Claims, Revolutionary War Virginia State Pensions, Index to War of 1812 Pay Rolls and Muster Rolls, Confederate Disability Applications and Receipts, Confederate Pension Rolls, Veterans and Widows, Index to Confederate Veteran Magazine, Index to Virginia Confederate Rosters, Robert E. Lee Camp Confederate Soldiers' Home Applications for Admission and World War I History Commission Questionnaires
Whitley County War Heroes  

National Resources
Note: Many other categories have more specific national resources listed.
Ancestry.com  **for a fee, but a great resource, well worth it, and there's usually a free trial
Census Online
Cindy's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet
Library of Congress Searchable African American History Collections
Library of Congress Searchable Native American History Collections
National Archives Search *NEW*
National Genealogical Society *NEW*
The United States Internet Genealogical Society
The USGenWeb Project
U.S. Slavery History

Native American Resources
1851 Census of Cherokee's east of the Misssissippi 
Blue Ridge Mountain Cherokees
A Brief History of the Trail of Tears
The Great Moonbow of Cumberland Falls, KY
Guion Miller Roll Index
History of the Cherokee
John G. Burnett's Story of the Removal of the Cherokees took place in Tennessee, but very compelling reading.
Library of Congress Searchable Native American History Collections
Magoffin & Morgan County Families to the Chickasaw Nation in Indian Territory
NARA Index to the final Rolls (Dawes)
Native American Indian Tribes
Native American DNA Testing
Trail of Tears Association tons of information

Newspaper Resources
The Courier-Journal *NEW* Louisville, KY
The Floyd County Times
The Paintsville Herald
Williamson Daily News

Occupational Resources
1816 Kentucky Post Offices & Postmasters
1859 Kentucky Lawyers
Kentucky Coal Heritage includes info on Coal Company Towns in Eastern Kentucky, 1854-1941, history, timeline & more
Letcher County Coal Mines

Photo Resources
Note: There are many good photo resources listed in the Surname Resources section of this site.
The Arnold Hanners Photograph Collection includes much of the Boyd County area with emphasis on Ashland.
Bell County Photos
Breathitt County Museum Photos *NEW* people, newspapers, organizations, military, historic buildings and events & oh so much more!
Browsing Southwest Virginia  from the Virginia Tech Imagebase - over 1700 awesome historical photos
East Kentucky Pictures
Estill County Family Photos 
Floyd Photo Album
DeadFred
Hazard Kentucky & Perry County: A Photographic History
Jefferson County 1945 Flood Photos *NEW* from "The Point" in Louisville, Ky
Johnson County Schools Genealogy Resources 
Kentucky Cemetery Photographs 
Kentucky School Photos & Yearbooks all KY counties listed...if there's nothing under your county, please submit what you have!! This is an awesome resource.
Library of Congress Selected Civil War Photos contains over 1300 photos
The Library of Virginia Digitized Photo Collections
London, Kentucky & Laurel County Photos 
Morgan County, Kentucky School Pictures & Yearbooks
Morgan County, Kentucky Photos
Owsley County, Kentucky Photos  you can add your ancestor's photos too
Owsley County School Photos *NEW*
Wolfe County Photo Album over 100 pages of pictures
WWII Photos *NEW* from the National Archives

Pioneer Resources
Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia Extracted from the Original Court Records of Augusta County 1745-1800 by Lyman Chalkley
Early Lower Troublesome Creek Settlers Breathitt County
The First American West: The Ohio River Valley, 1750-1820
Louisville's First Families 
Pioneer Preachers
Westward Movement: The Kentucky Microcosm

Projects That Need YOUR Help
The Eastern State Hospital Project The goal is to identify those who lived and died at the hospital in Danville, Boyle County Kentucky before 1956.

Queries, Message Board Forums, Mailing Lists & Help
Note: See also (of course!) the MagoffinCountyRoots.com Message Board and Surname Resources for surname specific query, message board and forum resources
All Kentucky County Boards on Ancestry
All Kentucky County GenForum Boards
Coat of Arms Forum
DNA Forum
East Kentucky Genealogy Board
Genealogy Chat You must register, but it's free, organized and extremely helpful!
Johnson County Historical Society Board
Kentucky Mailing Lists
Knott County Historical Society Board
Magoffin Board
MagoffinCountyRoots.com Message Board
Magoffin County, KY GenForum
Martin County Historical & Genealogical Society Board
Public Records Lookups Forum
SE Kentucky Board
Kentucky State GenForum Board
US Outlaws Forum

Reunion Resources 
Kentucky Reunions Message Board

State Resources
Note: Many other categories have more specific state resources listed.
Historical Maps of Kentucky
History of North Carolina Counties *NEW*
Kentucky Cities & Counties Database (statistal & city & county government web site links)
Kentucky County Formations & Courthouse Disasters
Kentuckiana Digital Library
Kentucky Historical Markers Database
Kentucky Historical Society Research Databases
Kentucky Newspapers Online
Kentucky US GenWeb Resources
Kentucky Vital Records Index (Deaths 1911-1992, Marriage & Divorce 1973-1993)
Kentucky Vital Records Project
New River Notes a wealth of historical info & resources on North Carolina & Virginia!
North Carolina Rootsweb Resources
North Carolina US GenWeb Resources
Pennsylvania US GenWeb Resources
Tennessee US GenWeb Resources
Virginia US GenWeb Resources
Library of Virginia Archives and Manuscripts Catalog - Document images for 6,000 family Bible records are available online.

Tragedy Related Resources
Hangings & other murders in Kentucky 1792-1900
Jefferson County 1945 Flood Photos *NEW* from "The Point" in Louisville, Ky
Kentucky in the 1873 Cholera Epidemic