Early Goodmans of America
Kentucky
County Formation History
Adair/Russell/Barren/Hart Counties, KY
In this section, I am only documenting my research into a few KY counties associated with my own Goodman line. Researchers interested in Goodman and related lines of other counties of KY should go to appropriate primary sources or GenWeb web sites for the appropriate counties and other web sites for their surnames and lines.
In 1790, Lincoln County was comprised of what are now Barren, Adair, Warren, Monroe, Hart, Green, Russell and Pulaski Counties. Barren Co. was formed in 1798 from parts of Warren and Green counties. Adair co. was formed in 1801 from Green Co. Hart Co was formed in 1819 from parts of Hardin and Barren Counties. In 1820, Monroe Co. was formed from the southern part of Barren, and part of Cumberland Co. Russell Co was formed in 1825 from parts of Adair, Wayne and Cumberland. Small pieces of Barren, Green, Adair, Cumberland and Monroe were combined to form Metcalf Co. in 1860.
In 1790, KY was part of VA, and all census records were lost. The census records of all KY counties for 1800 were also lost. However, KY tax lists of 1800 show a Jesse Goodman and a John Goodman in Barren Co., and a Samuel Goodman in adjacent Warren Co. Others were in Madison, Shelby and Pulaski.
One thing to remember as census data is examined, is that these early counties were often sub-divided and/or combined between census dates, as described previously. Therefore, even though an individual appears to be in different counties from census to census, in fact, it is often the county boundaries that have moved, and not the family.
