I found this in "The Handy Book for Genealogists" by Everton Publishers; Long before any white man had explored the entire Kentucky area, it was claimed by Virginia as part of her Augusta County. It was included in the Virginia County of 1584. The first permanent settlement in Kentucky was at Harrodsburg in 1774. Boone was not the first to investigate the possiblities of Kentucky. The eastern section of the area was explored by Dr. Thomas Walker as early as 1750. Twenty five years later the Transylvania Co. was organized ..under Col Richard Henderson of N. C. ..He purchased almost half of what is now the state of Ky, all land between the Ky River in the central part of the state and the Cumberland River in the western part. Previous to these explorations all of Kentucky had been made part of Fincastle County, Virginia. During Boone's activities in the section, Kentucky was designated as Kentucky County, Virginia. This designation was made in Dec 1776. In 1780 it was divided into three counties, Fayette, Jefferson and Lincoln. By 1790 those three counties were subdivided in nine counties, Mason, Bourbon, Woodford, Fayette, Madison, Jefferson, Mercer, Nelson and Lincoln. Dorothy