Graves County, KY
History
In the early 1800's, President Andrew Jackson authorized the negotiation of a land purchase from the Chickasaw Indians which is referred to as the Jackson Purchase. This area comprises the westernmost eight counties of Kentucky and is bordered on the east by the Tennessee River, the Ohio River to the north, the Mississippi River on the west and Tennessee to the south.Graves County was formed in 1824 from Hickman County and is located in the center of the Jackson Purchase. It was the 75th county in order of formation and the largest county in Kentucky, comprising 560 miles. The county is named after Major Benjamin Franklin Graves, legislator and soldier in the War of 1812.
A fire destroyed courthouse records in 1864, and again on December 18 1887.