TIP #311 WHY ARE THERE SO MANY COUNTIES IN KENTUCKY AND COUNTY COURT DAY If you think about it, Kentucky has an lot of counties - 120 of them, being beaten out only by Texas and Georgia. Why did the State Legislature decide on so many for a state the size of Kentucky? They thought it would ensure that every resident of the state would be no further than a one day's journey from a county seat! Plus, if a citizen of a county didn't like what was going on with the local politics in their county, given enough backing and signatures, he could petition the State to create another county. Now, if by hapchance, that man's land just happened to be picked as the county seat of the new county, up went the property value! Finally, after the Civil War, people in Kentucky were getting quite upset at the creation of a county every time they turned around and by 1891, the State Legislature limited the ability to establish counties. Only one county was created after that time. As noted in the Kentucky Encyclopedia, Kentuckians are fiercely loyal to their county; it is more like a large community or town. This is the first state where I have resided where if you lived in the city, it is considered the city; but if you live in the country - here it is referred to as living in the county. The county was the most important part of Kentucky; everything centered around it and its activities. The Justices of the Peace in each county were responsible for minor judicial and law enforcement powers and formed courts and appointed most of the other county officials. The courts in turn could set the tax payments, handled will probations; took control over guardianships; saw to the development and maintenance of the county roads, heard cases involving illigetimacies, set the tavern rates and restrictions, took care of the poor of the communities - in other words, most of the day to day business affairs of the county. If was a normal circumstance for the senior Justice of the Peace to become sheriff and he served a two-year term. When a new Kentucky constitution was formed in 1850, the county judge office was created; he designed to preside over the county court when it was transacting business. The justices of the peace still sat in on the court of claims. Voters, in 1850, also elected all the county officers. The County Clerk's title was one sought actively as in the richer counties, this could be a very well paid position. The County Coroner position was created and many men were elected to this office even when many had no medical experience at all! And one old position almost faded into obscurity - that of the county surveyor. A special occasion should be noted here than many readers might remember in Kentucky - County Court Day. It is said that this day originated from the English county fairs and local government. Virginians brought the custom to Kentucky. Since the Justices of the peace were originally charged with the responsibilities shown above, County Court Day developed approximately when the voters of the state were allowed the responsibility of electing the county officials. County Court Day was a time when the citizens who had business at the county seat liked to come into town with their families and the day soon became also a day for people just to get together and catch up on the latest news. Later, the day also became a time for horse races and various athletic contests. Special events included most of the family including sledge throwing, bar heaving, foot races, plus just rough and tumble fighting. While all this was going on - the judges were on the bench hearing cases! During the second quarter of the 19th century, more events were added. It became also market day. Farmers would bring in all their livestock, farm produce and handcrafted materials to sell. Sadly to say, this also became a day to purchase slaves. Most courthouses had a place around the square or near the courthouse known as the slave block where the slaves were auctioned off. With all these activities going on: games, contests, races, slave selling, livestock and produce selling, this quickly became THE day of the year when the county folks would come into town and someone else soon took note of this. Much like the events of this current time of the year, the politicians saw a captive audience! Men appointed by the politicians would "work the crowd" - many times promising a big pot luck dinner or burgoos for anyone who would gather at a certain spot and listen to what the current candidate had to say. And, to add to the din and excitement, many counties, including the county where I live, Barren County, Kentucky, added the sale of mules. This was also called in some areas "Jockey Day". Mules were much needed and treasured by farmers as work animals and to add a little more clutter, mules were paraded around the squares with a stand where the auctioneer would sell the mules. Picture for just a minute what the little county seat towns would have been like in those days. The courthouse, a small log structure in the center of town, with the judges and county justices sitting in session. No air conditioning in those days, so the windows and doors likely open for a cool breeze even in the fall months. Citizens who were there for court business, dressed in their very best homespun clothes working their way towards the courthouse, making their way through the clutter of people and animals. The streets, not paved, would have been about a buggy wide or so, rutted, muddy if the fall rains had started. At one end of the square, an auctioneer auctioning off slaves who were standing their proudly despite their servitude, praying for at least a good master who might not sell off his wife or children to one man and he to another. Stripes possibly on his bronzen back from years of serving with a not-to kind master. Along another side of the square, mules and horses being auctioned off with the menfolk comparing the age, teeth, strength, legs of a horse they were considering buying, or a mule strong enough to pull a plow. Mothers keeping their children in tow so they wouldn't get trompled with the hooves of the nervous animals as they are paraded around for viewing. On the next side of the square, most of the womenfolk had gathered, selling their potatoes, corn, beans and other produce likely off the bags of their wagon. The grandmothers might have been seated on the wagon bed, proudly lining up in baskets the fruits of their gardens proudly, with the children perhaps fetching the chosen food or goods from the grandmother and taking it over to the purchaser. Women comparing their fruits and vegetables or handmade goods with the lady at the next wagon, commenting to herself or passerby's that HERS was much better, much fresher and oh so much tastier. And on the last side of the square, a roped off area possibly for the games of chance and skill. Here were the young, robust young men, too young to be worried about the horses and the mules, too macho to wander through the produce sections ... here they could show off their strength and muscles to an admiring crowd of shy young ladies who might have ventured from their mother's sides to see who would make a suitable beau. The laughing, the squealing, the applause rang through the square making it difficult for the auctioneers to be heard. Then, one of the streets leading off the square was likely chosen for the horse races. It is said that Race Street in Glasgow was THE racing spot in Glasgow, with laws passed later on forbidding the horses to be charged down the street endangering life and limb. Or, possibly, they had a course laid out on the outskirts of town - remember most towns were only several blocks wide and deep and the rest would be farm or timber land. Lastly, the politicians! Can you imagine one of his helpers quickly erecting a make-shift stage area and hustling all the willing listeners (who can turn down a barbeque?) to a clear spot where they would stand somewhat impatiently, waiting for the politician to either run out of ideas or voice, while smelling the aroma of the potlick awaiting them? And, I would imagine the moonshine or other alcohol were there too causing great distress to the sheriff and jailer and they walked or rode through the crowds trying to keep some semblance of peace and order? What an event it must have been! (c) Copyright 5 October 2000, Sandra K. Gorin. All Rights Reserved. sgorin@glasgow-ky.com Col. Sandi Gorin, 205 Clements, Glasgow, KY 42141 (270) 651-9114 Member: Glasgow-Barren Co Chamber of Commerce Publishing: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/ <>< TIPS: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ky/Tips KYBIOS: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ky/Bios SCKY ARCHIVES: http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl Surname Registry: http://sckyregistry.homestead.com/SCKYHome.html Merged Surname Registry all counties in South Central KY: http://www.public.asu.edu/~moore/files/surnames/surnames.txt