Clay county was formed in 1807. It is located in the Eastern Coal Field region of the state. The elevation in the county ranges from 690 to 2235 feet above sea level. In 1990 the county population was 21,746 in a land area of 471 square miles, an average of 46.2 people per square mile. The county seat is Manchester. Most of Clay County is within the Daniel Boone National Forest. , 660,000 acres in Clay and other counties.
Manchester, the seat of Clay County, was established along Goose Creek in 1807 as Greenville, named for Green Clay, for whom the county was also named. It was renamed Manchester later that year since there was already a Greenville, Kentucky (in Muhlenberg County). The name Manchester may come from the city in England, reflecting local hopes for a future in industry. The post office opened in 1813 as Clay County Court House. The population in 1990 was 1,634.
Brief History of Clay County, Kentucky
The Kentucky Legislature created Clay County in December of 1806 from parts of Madison, Floyd, and Knox Counties. This went into effect on April 01, 1807. Between the years 1807 – 1878 parts of Clay County were used to help form other counties: Estill, Perry, Laurel, Breathhitt, Lee, Owsley, Jackson, and Leslie.
Clay County was named after General Green Clay who lived in Madison County. He was cousin to Henry Clay. General Clay served in the war of 1812. He was a Madison County legislator and a Kentucky surveyor. Green Clay was born in 1757 and died in 1826.
Clay County was the leading salt producer in the state during the nineteenth century. Salt was so important; Daniel Boone offered to re-route the Wilderness Road to pass the Goose Creek salt works. He did not get the approval, however, and the area had no suitable roads for some time. In 1811 the Kentucky River was made navigational, and a canal system was proposed during the 1820/1830’s. A pass by the Goose Creek salt works helped expand the market. Salt production peaked between 1835 and 1845. During the Civil War, about October of 1862, the Union ordered all salt production sites destroyed rather than risk them falling into the hands of the Confederates again. Only four salt sites remained after the war, the last one closed in 1908. Afterwards, Clay County had little contact with the outside world for quite a while, mostly due to lack of transportation. The railroad service came to the area in the early twentieth century; after the coal fields started developing, around 1914. In 1971, the Daniel Boone Parkway opened and linked Manchester to I-75.
Today, Clay County, Kentucky covers 471 square miles and is the sixteenth largest county in the area. Population of Clay County was 21,746 in 1990. Coal mines still provide approximately one-third of the local employment. The eastern Kentucky coal field covers the eastern end of the state, stretching from the Appalachian Mountains westward across the Cumberland Plateau to the Pottsville Escarpment. Coal mining is the major industry. Bordering counties are Knox, Laurel, Jackson, Owsley, Perry, Leslie, and Bell. Other neighboring counties include: Harlan, Whitley, Rockcastle, Madison, Estill, Breathitt, and Letcher. Clay County was the 47th county to be formed in the state of Kentucky. The county seat is in the city of Manchester.
New Clay County Kentucky Genealogy
Clay County, Kentucky How to Research
Hints and Tips for Beginners Are you starting to search for your ancestors? Have you been looking for awhile? I hope some of these small tips can help. Let me tell you first; I am not a professional genealogists. I started looking for my ancestors about five years ago. I put the papers away for awhile but got it back out when someone asked about a relative. That triggered my interest again. I am on several mailing lists and have talked with many people who have been very helpful. Most people are willing to help when you have a question. …
Clay County Kentucky Genealogy
Clay county was formed in 1807. It is located in the Eastern Coal Field region of the state. The elevation in the county ranges from 690 to 2235 feet above sea level. In 1990 the county population was 21,746 in a land area of 471 square miles, an average of 46.2 people per square mile. The county seat is Manchester. Most of Clay County is within the Daniel Boone National Forest. , 660,000 acres in Clay and other counties. Manchester, the seat of Clay County, was established along Goose Creek in 1807 as Greenville, named for Green Clay, for whom…
Clay County, Kentucky Cemeteries
Clay County Cemeteries at Kentucky Genealogy Brown Wilson Cemetery Engine Cemetery Old Ben Hacker Cemetery Old Benge Cemetery Paces Creek Cemetery Other Clay County Cemeteries Boone Cemetery Broughton Cemetery Burns/Davidson Cemetery Bundy/Delph Cemetery Campbell Cemetery Carpenter Branch Cemetery Davidson, R.H. Cemetery Fariview Cemetery Farmer/Asher Cemetery Harts Branch Cemetery Hatton Family Cemetery Hibbard Cemetery Hoskins Cemetery Hoskins Family Cemetery Hubbard Cemetery (partial) Hunter Cemetery Joe Smith Cemetery Maxline Baker Cemetery Mudlick Cemetery (Partial) Patsey Allen Cemetery Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Cemetery Pleasant Run Cemetery Rasner Cemetery Riley – Wagers Cemetery Rogers/Tanyard Cemetery Sams Cemetery Sizemore Cemetery (partial listing) Old Smith -…
Old Ben Hacker Cemetery
Directions – Out of Laurel County, East 472 into Clay County – Fogertown. Turn left at Russell House Store, 1/2 mile on left, top of hill. Westerfield, Edith Marie 13 Aug 1925 28 May 1947 Westerfield, Celia 7 Jan 1929 12 Mar 1932 Westerfield, Ernest G. 12 Jul 1902 23 Mar 1926 US 6th Cav. Westerfield, G.M. 21 Jan 1924 24 Jan 1926 Westerfield, Elza 18 Aug 1908 5 Aug 1922 Westerfield, Walter 19 Mar 1920 19 Jun 1920 Westerfield, Pearl 7 Mar 1916 12 Feb 1919 Marcum, Hiram R. 8 Mar 1877 26 Oct 1908 Feltner, Bill 2 Mary…
Old Benge Cemetery
great-great-great-great granddaughters of Sarah Hicks Clark Submitted to Clay Co. Ancestral News, dated 12/30/99 Printed in the Spring / Summer 2000 issue with these directions: “Old Benge Cemetery” is located on Euwell and Ann Rader’s farm at Fogertown, KY on Highway 472, between Burningsprings and London, KY. There are 68 identifiable graves with markers and others marked only with field stones. Mosley, Darrel 12-29-1955 12-1-1970 Grimes, Angela L. 1967 1985 Mosley, Donna J. 4-29-1951 5-5-1951 Mosley, Kenneth J. 12-29-1954 10-11-1975 Mosley, Eldon 8-26-1910 7-19-1949 Mosley, Margaret N. 1884 1954 Mosley, William 1883 no date Mosley, Richard 1905 1976 WWII Sgt. US…
Paces Creek Cemetery
Paces Creek Cemetery is in Garrad, Clay County, Kentucky, up on RR 3. The post office is listed as Manchester. I have listed the entire cemetery here, with the help of my parents, Arla and Gladys (Owens) Smith. Explanation of terms used: s/o = son of d/o = daughter of w/o = wife of Female maiden name added when known. Front, left side of the drive. Addition and corrections marked with * and enclosed in brackets *[ ] by: James E. Welch, Sr. 54 Creekstone Lane, London, KY 40741 Gray, Hobert M. May 10, 1933 Jan. 5, 2001 *[s/o Shirley…