HarrisonCountyKy.US

 

Visit "My Harrison County" to learn about all the old stuff which is new to this site!

 

 

 The Home of Harrison County History and Genealogy


 

History   |   People   |   Places   |   Pictures   |   Records   |   Military

 

Welcome!


 

 

Dig up a little history . . . without getting dirty--Turn back the clock by using the links below to reveal some of Harrison County's forgotten past and bring it to light again.

 

General Topics

Resources for

Guides & Resources

Publications

(Full texts w. indexes)

Publications

(Indexes only)

Of Special Interest

 

Questions?

Suggestions?

 

If you have any questions or suggestions about the site or genealogy or local history research in Harrison County, please contact Philip, and he will see what can be done to answer your queries or to improve the site.

 

 

SEARCH THIS SITE WITH GOOGLE

 

 

Note:  You still might have to search the selected document or page after clicking on a link in the list of results.  Once there, just punch CTRL + F to continue your search.

 

The clocks are all ticking, but no one seems to have the time.  Isn't that so true of so many who put off the research of their family until it is too late?  Questions about family history don't get asked while those who lived it are still living.  What may be piece of junk to some isn't realized to be a family heirloom until after it gets thrown away.

 

Yet it is never too late if you begin now, especially with the virtual explosion in the interest in all things genealogical.  Websites like Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, Fold3.com, Google Books, and Archive.org offer millions of records to search and examine.  Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Flickr, and YouTube offer ways to connect with others who have a passion for learning about their family's heritage.  Television shows like Who Do You Think You Are? help to grow the interest and spread the word even further.

 

 

HarrisonCountyKy.US is a website that is designed to aid the visitor in his or her research of the history and genealogy of Harrison County, Kentucky and its people.  In 1992 I took up the research of my maternal grandmother's family.  I have discovered that most of her ancestors liked the Northern Kentucky area well enough to spend about two hundred years around that verdant little spot on the globe.  Even even though the area has its many charms, it took most of them thousands of years to get there . . . but with a little help from the information at this site it need not take you that long to follow in their footpaths and find your own ancestors!

 

Searching This Site--Many of the records available at HarrisonCountyKy.US are arranged in alphabetical order within a record group.  So if you want to located a subject in one of the online indexes, it might just be better to go to that record group, such as marriage records or funeral records, and just scroll away.

 

If you are interested in a particular topic or if you are looking for your research subject's place in history, such as might be found in one of the many fine articles or books at HarrisonCountyKy.US, then you might want to give Google a spin by entering some text about your subject in the box below. All the standard search rules apply. To learn how to get the most out of any search visit "How to search on Google."

 

All you have to do now is just click, read, learn, and enjoy!

 

Happy Hunting!

 

Philip Naff

Indianapolis, Indiana

 

 

The Genealogy Box


Since 2007 a special supplement, published several times a year, has been added to issues of the Harrison Heritage News, the newsletter of the Harrison County Historical Society.  Entitled The Genealogy Box, its goal is to focus a light on genealogy and local history resources that are available for research, both online and in person in Cynthiana and elsewhere.

 

Each issue basically serves as a research guide to one particular topic, in as much as a few printed pages can.  Also included are transcriptions, abstracts, and indexes of people and important records.  News of recent genealogical events, features at this site, and other items of interest have also been featured.

 

Harrison County Marriage Indexes in Print and for Sale:  Whenever you feel you need to add an index of Harrison County records to your library, especially for marriage records.  Spend a little time . . . and maybe a little money at TheGenealogyBox.com; you will be the one all the richer for it!

 

Despite several courthouse disasters, Harrison County's marriage record archive has survived intact.  There are marriages records for every month going back to 1794.

All told, there are over 50,000 marriages, dare I say love stories, documented by Harrison County records.  But there were a few last-minute cancellations.

The records-keeping system was established in the early 1890s.  Prior to 1866, African American records, although rare, were not segregated.

The transcription and publication of General Index to Marriages No. 3 (1948-1984) and Marriage Records Index, 1985-2008 were completed in 2009.

 

Contributions Welcome


Despite rumors to the contrary and being a cousin unto myself, I only have one pair of hands and while still working on my "family forest" in Harrison County, but I can always add a little more to this site.

 

If you have any materials or suggestions to improve the site, please let me know.

 

David Smith has offered this wonderful photograph of his great-grandmother, Marietta (Renaker) Smith (1872-1959) for use in the Family Photo Album of the County pages.

 

Other generous offers of family photos, school photos and records, and Bible records have also been accepted and posted to this site.

 

Do you have anything you would like to share?

 

A Note from Ye Webhost


My name is Philip Naff and, for better or worse, I live in Indianapolis, Indiana.  The better part is that I live closer to Kentucky than I have ever lived before; the worse part is that Indiana isn't Kentucky!' ;-).

 

Genealogy and local history research have been two interests of mine for the past three decades now.  When I began to look into my own family's past in Harrison County in 1992, I didn't know a whole lot about genealogy, how to research one, or where to look for the records that would answer my questions.

 

Harrison County is a little far away for me, and to make the most of each research trip to  Kentucky, I used to find it necessary to copy a lot of material so that I could have the information within easy reach at home for future reference, the end result being a collection of information for my own personal research library which I can share through this website.

 

I hope that you can find something of what you are looking for in trying to fill in those blanks in your family tree.

 

Happy Hunting!

 

Philip

 

Website creator and editor of HarrisonCountyKy.US

Staff writer & assistant editor for the Harrison Heritage News, the monthly newsletter of the Harrison County (Ky.) Historical Society

Recipient of the 2007 Kentucky Genealogical Society's Outstanding Service to Genealogy Award

Member, Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels (Since 2007)

 

What Visitors Have Had to Say about the Site


Well, actually no one had to say anything at all, none of these comments was solicited, but I do say "Thank You" to all who have been thoughtful enough to share their appreciation with me.  P.

 

If this isn't the best history/genealogy website, it's near the best. Congratulations, and thanks for your work.--Eric F.

This is truly the most unbelievable, awesome, comprehensive, interesting genealogy site on the internet.--Jim D.

You ought to get a medal. You have done a great job and I have yet to see a history/genealogy site with as much information and so well displayed.--Barry M.

Thanks for having a great place to remember the past, God Bless!--Jerry M.

Thank you for all the work on the Harrison County, Ky. site. I know this required a lot of work on your part. Just wanted to let you know that some of us appreciate the work.--Rita B.

Each time I visit the Harrison site I'm always left with a feeling of having visited the most professional, friendly and comprehensive amount of information available for a web site . . . I always find your web site so informative and a joy for reading everything. You have produced what others need to understand. Genealogy can be informative and fun while being professional. As I read many years ago, genealogy should be regarded as a science, not a hobby. You have given credence to that statement.--Tom C.

[T]he Harrison County, Kentucky website is wonderful. I have visited Cynthiana many times and will continue to return to the home of my ancestors to find more info. But your site allows me to work on genealogy when I don’t have time to travel to find something new. Keep doing a great job!--Cindy A.

Bless your heart!!!--Jean E.

 

 

History   |   People   |   Places   |   Pictures   |   Records   |   Military

The content of www.HarrisonCountyKy.US has been written, compiled, transcribed, abstracted, extracted and/or edited by Philip Naff, except for content which has been submitted for use at the site by unpaid volunteer contributors or where otherwise noted, and he maintains all rights in these web pages as defined by the copyright laws of the United States of America.  No content of this website may be used at or viewed through any other website without the express written consent of Philip Naff.

 

Last Edited Update: 01.01.2017

© 2006-17 - Philip A. Naff