Commonwealth of Kentucky
History
Kentucky was the first region west of the Allegheny Mountains to be settled by American pioneers. James Harrod established the first permanent settlement at Harrodsburg in 1774; the following year Daniel Boone, who had explored the area in 1767, blazed the Wilderness Trail through the Cumberland Gap and founded Boonesboro.Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth (the others being Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts). Originally a part of Virginia, in 1792 it became the 15th state to join the Union.
Adjacent States
Kentucky's northern border is the Ohio River with Illinois, Indiana and Ohio north of that river, Virginia is to the east, Tennessee on the south and the Mississippi River is the border to the west with Missouri on the western bank of that river.Map
Map of Modern Day Kentucky CountiesResources
Original probate documents online for Kentucky counties at FamilySearch.org -Kentucky Digital Newspaper Program