Logan County, KY, Genealogical Society, Inc.

Logan County, KY, Order Book 1A

23 July 1793 – 21 June 1802

Notes

Logan County, KY, has Order Book 1 and 1A with mixed dates for earliest court records. 

At first, both seem to be copied books from some other source as the handwriting is very ordered, even, and neat.  There are gaps in the records with space left to fill at a later time but it never happened.  They are, however, the original books as far as anyone now living knows.  1A becomes more irregular after page 102, October 1798, and seems to have been used considerably more than Book 1.

Book 1 has the earlier dates but at page 66 becomes not a report on court activities but a land entry book with lengthy bounds given.  In Book 1A the land references are 1 line sentences and begin about page 217 with some other court business intermingled.

So – back to the “notes” of interesting things from the books – this being the 1A book.

Creative spelling is used throughout.  Eligah, Elijah, and Elisha Bailey may be the same court officer, same for James Mar, Mares, Mears, and Marrs.

Within Logan Co., KY Order Book 1A, we have 4 sheriffs appointed, West Maulding, Reubin Ewing, Urbin Ewing, Israel McGrady, with Jacob Pennington and Robert Ewing later recommended to the governor but with no record of which man was appointed.

Samuel Caldwell serves as county court clerk throughout the book.

William Reading serves as surveyor and county attorney throughout the book.

The following are given license to perform the rites of matrimony, no denomination given on any: Thomas Williams (p.24), Revd. William Nixon (p. 43),  Revd. James McGrady (p. 56), Francis Stump (p. 86), James Balch (p. 103), James McGrady again (p. 115), Joseph Anderson (p. 120), Lewis Moore (p. 130), and John Rankin (p. 157).

If anyone can explain the legal reasoning for declaring a man “a person of honest probity and good demeanor,”  please enlighten me.  It occurs several times in this book and multiple times later on.  In Book 1A it lists Francis Hall (p. 129) and Isaac McNutt, John Hamilton, Thomas Stewart, Seth Lewis, Samuel Donelson (p. 166).  Also in 1798, James Tigart (p. 86) is granted a certificate as to his good behaviour and citizenship and county seal affixed to same.

P. 1, 1793, John Nancarrow is appointed constable for Gasper River area.

P. 2, 1793, James Dromgoole is “appointed commissioner of the tax in the room of Young Ewing.”  Can anyone explain this phrasing?

P. 5, 1793, Henry Skinner is examined for “felonyously” stealing a cow from Mathew McClain and bound over to the Oyer and Terminer court.

P. 6, 1793, as payment for services, the high sheriff is allowed 1400 lbs. tobacco, 800 for 1792, balance for 1793.

P. 10, 1794, George Herndon is paid for building a pound and Zach Askey is paid for repairing pound in same court meeting.  367 tithables are to pay one shilling and seven pence per tithe.

P. 11, 1794, John Cox, Roland Madison, & Robert Ewing qualify according to law as justices of peace and on p. 12 they sign with Ambrose Mauding at court meeting.

P. 12, 1794, Joseph Burden, John Grammer, and Wm. McFadin are fined for they did not turn in their lists of taxable property for 1793 as law directs.

P. 15, 1794, Thomas Patison (?) came to court and proved he had his left ear “accidently bit off.”  Several ear marks for livestock are given on these pages but I believe this one to be quite different.

P. 18, 1794, Reason Bowie, father of Jim Bowie of knife and Alamo fame, is to help lay out a road to Red Banks, OH.

P. 34, 1795, Wm. Whitsett is paid for hinges to jail 9 shillings 9 pence listed as payment.  Reubin Ewing is paid for the lock to the courthouse.  Undertaker is a term used for the person taking care of the courthouse.

P. 34, 1795, Charles Boyd is paid 7 pounds for courthouse repair.

P. 48, 1796,  Robt. Lam & Wm. McKey are paid 12 pounds 7 shillings 6 pence for courthouse repair and later entry in same day states “further courthouse repair” for 6 pounds.

P. 63, July 1797, Warren County line is to be run.

P. 64, July 1797, Christian County line is to be run.

P. 71, 1797, William Taylor Jr. is exempted from paying county levy.  Later books mention inability for exemptions but for most in this book, no reasons are given.  In the index they are just marked with an “ex” beside their names.

P. 72, 1797, William Lanham’s estate is returned to court but no further information is given here nor in the Will Book in his case.