KYMCCREA-L Archives

From: "June & Stephen Bork" <>
Subject: Wayne Co, KY Court Order Book B is finished
Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 18:35:33 +0000

Wayne Co, KY Court Order Book B is finished

WAYNE COUNTY, KENTUCKY
Court Order Book B
Courts held June 1824 through December 1830

The old Court Orders are actually an Index to the daily Court proceedings.
Orders were given by the Gentlemen Justices called Esquires to the Sheriff
and or Commissioners to take care of the business at hand. The orders will
name people and places that are not found in any other record, proving the
person you are searching for was living in Wayne County at a certain time
and most of all, the orders will tell you something about their personal
life, like those who were neglecting their children or who was caring for
the poor or the orphans and who was suing whom. Most often the disputes
were over land boundaries, thievery, debts due and unpaid. Those who died
during 1824 to 1830 are mentioned along with the Executors, Administrators
and Appraisers of the estate and occasionally the Heirs.

The establishment and maintenance of public roads was one of the most
important functions of the County Court. As each new road was opened, it
was maintained by an Overseer of the Highways or Road appointed by the
Gentlemen Justices. The Overseer of the Road was assigned all the
Labouring Male Tithables' living on or near the road for this purpose.
These individuals then furnished all their own tools, wagons and teams and
were required to labour for six days each year on the roads.
Major projects such as bridges over rivers, demanding considerable
expenditures were executed by the Commissioners appointed by the Court to
select a site and to contract with workmen for the construction. In the
summer of 1827-1828, you will find a major road was built, possibly what we
would call today, a freeway.' "Ordered that JAMES JONES SURVEYOR of this
County together with GEORGE BERRY & ROGER OATTS as Commissioners be
appointed to comply with the Provisions of An Act of Assembly passed at the
last Session of the Legislature approved 9th of February 1828 entitled An
Act Appointing Commissioners to View and Mark out a STATE ROAD from
FRANKFORT to the TENNESSEE LINE in the direction to GEORGIA and ALABAMA and
it is ordered that the said Surveyor and Commissioner be instructed to View
and Mark out as well to STOCKTON VALLEY on a direction to the TENNESSEE
LINE by VANWINKLEs ROAD in direction to GEORGIA and that said SURVEYOR &
COMMISSIONERS make Special Report of all their proceedings concerning said
Road as the law directs and It is further ordered that all expenses arising
from making the Survey on the VANWINKLE ROAD be considered as an Individual
expense and not chargeable to this County"

The Road Orders are especially important to learn who was living near your
ancestor. Birds of a Feather usually flock together.' Wagon trains left
one area and arrived at another. In this way, their security was neighbors
helping neighbors. As each new family arrived in Wayne County, they were
added to the road gangs supervised by the Overseer. By careful examination,
you can easily see the latest arrivals on that road.

County Court Day was held the 4th Monday of each month. This was not only
a day for Court business, but a day for horse racing, cock fights, card
games and all sorts of gambling and drinking bouts at the taverns. I was
surprised to find so many taverns existed in Wayne County during 1824-1830:

NATHAN DABNEY & JONATHAN SOUTHERLAND to keep Tavern at their house

HIRAM GREGORY to keep Tavern at house now occupied by MESHECK GREGORY

MESHECK GREGORY to keep Tavern at his house in Monticello (after Mesheck
died, his widow ANNA kept the Tavern at her house).

THOMAS HANSFORD JR, a Justice of the Peace to keep Tavern at his house

ELIJAH HUTCHISON and DANIEL COOPER to keep Tavern at ELIJAHs house

JOHN HUTCHISON to keep Tavern at his own house in Monticello

JAMES LYNCH to keep Tavern at his own house in County

ARCHIBALD C. McBEATH to keep Tavern at his own house in Monticello

ROGER OATTS Esquire to keep Tavern in Monticello

WILLIAM RAY to keep Tavern at his house in Monticello

MESHECK STOCKTON and ABNER PHILLIPS to keep Tavern in Monticello

June Court 1829 - The Court a majority of all the Justices being present
proceeded to Regulate and fix the TAVERN RATES in this County which is as
follows to wit
For Each Meal of Victuals.25 cents
For Lodging per night.12 cents
For Single Horse feed.12 cents
For Single Horse feed for 12 hrs or one night.25 cents
For Rum & French Brandy per half pint.25 cents
Peach Brandy per half pint.22 1/4 cents
Whiskey per half pint.06 cents
Apple Brandy per half pint.06 cents
Cider per quart.06 cents
For Cider Oil per quart.18 3/4 cents
For Wine per pint (Foreign) .25 cents
For Wine per pint (Domestick).06 1/4 cents


Wayne County, KY Court Order B is not an abstract, but a complete copy of
the original book. One hundred fifty (150) pages of Index with 9,787
entries cross-indexed into categories.

Please write me for details.

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• Wayne Co, KY Court Order Book B is finished by "June & Stephen Bork" <>