In 1780 Kentucky County, Virginia was divided into three Kentucky counties–Fayette, Lincoln, and Jefferson. The importance of Jefferson County to genealogists lies in the fact that, along with the other two counties, it was one of the parents of Kentucky’s present 120 counties. So Jefferson County’s records will be of interest to a wide audience of genealogists.

Excerpted from the important Filson Club History Quarterly, this work has transcripts of the earliest Jefferson County, Kentucky records known to exist–wills, deeds, surveys, administrations, inventories, and poll lists. These records are a unique body of information on early Jefferson County and its people–ordinary people for the most part–seen here in court records, swearing and fighting, trading with Indians, surveying land, registering the deeds to their property, or assigning property to heirs and relatives.

The records reprinted in this book are: Minute Books A and 1 (1781-1785); Will Books 1 and 2 (1784-1833); Bond and Power of Attorney Book 1 (1783-1798); and Division Book 1 (1797-1832).