Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk.

Hide Profile

Butler, the fifty-third Kentucky county, was formed in 1810 from parts of Logan and Ohio Counties. It is named for General Richard Butler, and Morganstown is its county seat.

The Butler County Clerk, whose duties are numerous and diverse, records and maintains various legal instruments and Fiscal Court records. In addition, the clerk registers motor vehicles (KRS 186.020); issues and records marriage licenses and certificates (KRS 402.080, 402.220, 402.230); and receives, maintains, and reports voter registrations (KRS 116.045, 116.075, 116.095). The county clerk also serves as chair of the county Board of Elections (KRS 117.035) and has a variety of primary and regular election responsibilities.

The Office of County Court was established in each county when Kentucky became a state in 1792. Many of the duties and functions of the new county courts were carried over from those of the existing courts of Virginia, and as such may not have been specified in the Kentucky Constitution or by the Kentucky General Assembly (1792 Acts, Ch. 23, Sect. 6). The stated jurisdiction of the county courts included appointing guardians, recording deeds and wills, and overseeing matters concerning mills and roads. Justices of the peace in each county were appointed by the governor. The justices duties included presiding over a monthly meeting of the county court (1792 Constitution, Art. II, Sect. 8; 1792 Acts, Ch. 23, Sect. 1-4). In 1796, each county court was given the power to erect and maintain a courthouse and a jail (1796 Acts, Ch. 256, Sect. 5).

Each county court was permitted to appoint a clerk (1792 Constitution, Art. VI, Sect. 5). The constitution of 1850 provided for the election of a county clerk, a presiding judge, and two associate judges to four year terms (Art. IV, Sect. 29-30; Art. VI, Sect. 1). The associate judge offices were abolished the next year (1851 Acts, Ch. 419, Sect. 1). The 1891 constitution reaffirmed the election to four year terms of a county judge and county clerk (Sect. 99).

Occasionally, the jurisdiction of the county court was altered by the General Assembly. For example, in 1851 the county courts were given concurrent jurisdiction with the circuit courts in all actions involving sums of over fifty dollars but less than one hundred dollars, and in granting writs in relation to idiots and lunatics (1851 Acts, Ch. 419, Sect. 9, 11). In 1851, the judge of the county court also became judge of the newly created quarterly court in each county (1851 Acts, Ch. 419, Sect. 8). In 1906, a juvenile court was formed as a branch of the county court, with the county judge presiding and the county clerk in charge of its records (1906 Acts, Ch. 64, Sect. 2).

In the 1970s, the General Assembly made significant changes to Kentucky's court system. The office of county judge/executive was created, and the various judicial duties of the county judge and county court clerk were transferred to the circuit and district courts. Since the county judge/executive is in charge of the administrative affairs of the county (1976 Acts, Ch. 20, Sect. 2-6), the title "county clerk's office" is now used to more accurately reflect its present nature.

The county clerk may, except in counties with a city of the first class, serve as clerk of the fiscal court. The county clerk's office also serves as the official repository for fiscal court records (KRS 67.120).

From the description of Agency history. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122466052

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Deeds [microform], 1872-1876. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Land Records - Processioners' Book, [microform] 1843-1884. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Deed books, 1809-1986 [microform]. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Probate Records - Guardian Bond Books (Indexed), [microform] 1856-1882. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Deeds [microform], 1857-1865. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Tax assessment books, 1811-1964 (bulk 1811-1816, 1818-1823, 1825-1831, 1833-1835, 1837-1875, 1879-1892, 1961-1964). Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. General cross index to marriages, 1814-1984 [microform]. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Marriage records [microform], 1856-1864. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Road Records - Road Surveyors' Register, 1899-1935. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Order books (indexed), 1810-1977 (bulk 1810-1864, 1870-1977) [microform]. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Marriage records [microform], 1875-1878. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Deeds [microform], 1795-1883. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Probate records [microform], 1813-1973. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Agency history. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Marriage records [microform], 1823-1882. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Marriage books (indexed), 1856-1983 [microform]. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Deeds [microform], 1840-1851. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Road Records - Road Order Book, 1898-1900. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Marriage records [microform], 1861-1869. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Marriage Certificate Book (Indexed), [microform] 1894-1897. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Deeds [microform], 1810-1833. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Birth, marriage, and death records, 1852-1910. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Probate records [microform], 1973-1987. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Constables and Marshalls Bond Book, 1872-1930. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Deeds [microform], 1863-1968. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Deeds [microform], 1833-1840. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Marriage records [microform], 1869-1875. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Deeds [microform], 1851-1857. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. General cross index to deeds, 1795-1986 [microform]. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Will books, 1813-1912 [microform]. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Minute Books, 1849-1889, (bulk 1849, 1876-1889). Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Mental Inquest Records - Pauper Idiot Committee Bond Book, 1894-1911. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Marriage Registers (Indexed), [microform] 1814-1903, (bulk 1814-1893, 1897-1903). Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Veterans' Records - Militia Book, [microform] 1860-1875, (bulk 1860, 1863, 1875). Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Probate records [microform], 1856-1882. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Election Records - Record of Justices' Districts, [microform] 1851. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Probate records [microform], 1987-1999. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Marriage records [microform], 1873-1893. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Republican Publishing Company - Minute Book, 1884-1895. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Bonds in Liquor Cases Book, 1929-1930. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Deeds [microform], 1868-1872. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Butler County (Ky.). County Clerk. Marriage records [microform], 1814-1929. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky Historical Society. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Kentucky--Butler County
Butler County (Ky.)
Kentucky
Subject
African Americans
County clerks
County officials and employees
Deeds
Deeds
Deeds
Deeds
Estates, (Law)
Fiscal policy
Inheritance and succession
Inheritance and succession
Insanity (Law)
Land titles
Land titles
Land titles
Marriage records
Marriage records
Marriage records
Marriage records
Mentally ill
Naturalization
Occupations
Probate record
Probate records
Real property
Real property
Real property
Property tax
Recording and registration
Registers of births, etc.
Roads
Tax assessment
Taxation
Wills
Wills
Occupation
Activity
Assessing
Indexing deeds
Indexing marriage records
Naturalizing
Recording decisions
Recording legal instruments
Recording wills

Corporate Body

Active 1868

Active 1872

Active 1833

Active 1840

Active 1856

Active 1983

Active 1795

Active 1986

Active 1863

Active 1968

Active 1860

Active 1875

Active 1823

Active 1882

Active 1873

Active 1893

Active 1814

Active 1984

Active 1810

Active 1977

Active 1814

Active 1903

Active 1811

Active 1964

Active 1872

Active 1930

Active 1884

Active 1895

Active 1809

Active 1986

Active 1875

Active 1878

Active 1861

Active 1869

Active 1856

Active 1882

Active 1973

Active 1987

Active 1843

Active 1884

Active 1987

Active 1999

Active 1894

Active 1911

Active 1851

Active 1857

Active 1869

Active 1875

Active 1872

Active 1876

Active 1857

Active 1865

Active 1849

Active 1889

Active 1813

Active 1973

Active 1814

Active 1929

Active 1813

Active 1912

Active 1899

Active 1935

Active 1856

Active 1864

Active 1898

Active 1900

Active 1929

Active 1930

Active 1852

Active 1910

Active 1894

Active 1897

Active 1810

Active 1833

Active 1795

Active 1883

Active 1840

Active 1851

Related Descriptions
Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w68b1xr5

Ark ID: w68b1xr5

SNAC ID: 86738746