The History of Logan County

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Logan County, Kentucky takes it's history very seriously:

Dr. Gordon Wilson, long time head of English Department at Western State College, Bowling Green, Kentucky,(now WKU) said there are five or six counties of southern Kentucky, lying along the Tennessee line, which he calls "a language isle of the old south." Logan County is one of these counties. Dr. Wilson says this section was settled by Virginians and their language, culture and heritage are that of Virginia. He says he can tell a student from one of these counties by his speech as soon as he enters the classroom.

The county was the thirteenth of 120 counties formed, attaining separate status in September 1792 after the state separated from Virginia in June of 1792. Fincastle County, Virginia, from which Kentucky was formed was the frontier county of Virginia from 1772 through 1776. When it was dissolved, Kentucky County, Virginia, was formed. In May 1780, three counties were formed, Fayette, Jefferson and Lincoln from Kentucky County, Virginia. Further divisions were made with additions of Nelson, Bourbon, Mercer, Madison, Mason, Woodford by the time Kentucky became a state. When the first legislature met, they added Washington, Shelby, Scott, Logan, Clark, Hardin and Green Counties.

The county, cut from Lincoln County, ran from Elk Lick on Little Barren River to the North Carolina (now Tennessee) line, westward to the Mississippi River, along the Ohio and Green Rivers on the north. Twenty-eight counties have been formed wholly or in part out of Logan. Size was reduced quickly, however, for in 1796 Christian and Warren Counties were cut off, Muhlenberg in 1798, Butler in 1810, and Todd and Simpson in 1819. Except for minor line adjustments, it has remained the same since the last two named counties.

Finley's History of Logan County says Kasper Mansker, who made a settlement near Goodlettsville, TN, visited Logan County in 1776, being perhaps the first recorded white man in the area.

The county is named for Benjamin Logan, settler of Logan's Fort in Lincoln county, near Stanford. He was elected a representative from Lincoln county to the Kentucky legislature several time and a member of the first two Constitutional Conventions in 1791 and 1799.

Russellville was named for William Russell, born in Culpepper County, Virginia, on May 6, 1735. In 1756 he was captain of a company of rangers under Gen. Braddock in the French and Indian War. In 1776 Capt. Russell was made Colonel in the American regular army. He participated in the battles of Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth. In 1781 he rejoined the American army under Gen. Washington and he witnessed the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown in October 1781. He was given a grant of 2000 acres of land near Russellville and the town was named for him. One of his sons, Henley, was one of the first trustees of the town.

Taken from THE STORY OF LOGAN COUNTY by Edward Coffman 1962

For more history about this county you can contact the Archives Building in Russellville.

Logan Co., Kentucky Archives & Logan Co., Kentucky Genealogical Society, Inc.
P. O. Box 853
Russellville, KY 42276-0853
270-726-8179

The Logan County, Kentucky, Archives is open from 8:30 until 3:00 daily except for state holidays. The Genealogical Society, Inc. maintains work space and a research room in the Logan Co., KY, Archives, the 1874 jail building at 278 West Fourth Street.

This group has been responsible for preservation of old records since the 1979 renovation of the building. The society is composed of volunteers who maintain the office each Tuesday while a clerk paid by the court keeps the office open the other weekdays. Hours are 8:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. with the office closing for lunch from ll:30-12:00 when the clerk is the solitary worker.

The building was constructed in 1879, the front section as residence for the jailer with the back section containing the cells. The vault or jail cell area is constructed of stones 24" tall, 24" thick, and 36" long and houses the original court records. Humidity and temperature controls help maintain the records which are boxed in acid-free boxes with acid-free interface papers.
In the front rooms of the Archives that are open to the public, you will find:

• A clerk or volunteer to help you in your research
• Tables, chairs, and work space
• Over 2,500 books purchased or donated to the Society for genealogical research
• File cabinets and shelf space for family research donated by other researchers
• Copy machine, 25 cents a page, letter or legal sized paper
• Microfilm of death certificates from 1911 through 1955 and a microfilm reader-printer
• Microfilm reader
• Microfiche index of KY death certificates
• Books for purchase from the Society or to use for research within the facility
• Circuit court equity and ordinary card file index