Do you have family in early Kentucky? If so, have you wished for a statewide census to help you locate various family members? Unfortunately, those early statewide census records don’t exist. Instead, various sources used the county tax records to create a list of inhabitants.

While looking for books for Nemaha county, Kansas, I stumbled across the book Crawford Family History [Genealogical Research Institute, c1973] on my bookshelf. In that little book is a chapter titled, 1790 Census. This chapter includes a list of CRAWFORDs arranged by state.

While the chapter implies that these names are from 1790 records, a reading of the chapter indicates differently for Kentucky.

Additional names from a reconstructed 1800 census schedule (compiled from lists of taxpayers) for the state of Kentucky are also included.

Thus, the names listed for Kentucky are for 1800 and not 1790.

While the above list is helpful, it is also deceiving. Since the list was created from tax lists, one is dependent on the availability and legibility of those tax lists.

For example, based on other research, I’m aware of a David Crawford in Barren County. However, there isn’t a David Crawford on the compiled list. The 1799 tax list for Barren County includes a David Crawford.

There is also only one James Crawford in Barren County and none in Garrard or Madison counties.

In 1801, the tax list again shows a David Crawford along with James Crawford with multiple parcels of land.

By 1802, there are now two James Crawfords but David is missing.

Since I was aware of several James Crawford families in early Kentucky, I also wanted to identify those in Kentucky around 1790. I found a copy of the book, “First Census” of Kentucky 1790 on the FamilySearch site. This book is a compilation of residences from tax records. It lists the following CRAWFORDs living in Kentucky.

page 24
Craford, James Fayette 11/16/1790
Craford, James, Sr. Fayette 1/11/1790
Craford, William Fayette 1/11/1790
Crawford, Hugh Nelson 11/26/1792
Crawford, Hugh, Sr. Nelson 12/3/1792
Crawford, Isaac Fayette 2/27/1790

page 25
Crawford, James Madison 4/28/1789
Crawford, Jno. Lincoln 4/21/1790
Crawford, John Nelson 10/24/1792
Crawford, Joseph Jefferson 4/30/1789
Crawford, Mary Madison 4/22/1789
Crawford, Mary Madison 4/22/1789
Crawford, Robert Jefferson 5/2/1789
Crawford, Samuel Nelson 12/3/1792
Crawford, William Madison 4/29/1789

Heinemann, Charles B., compiler. “First Census” of Kentucky 1790. Provo, Utah: Stevenson’s Genealogical Center, 1940. available online at FamilySearch.org.

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Since I had already done a bit of research in Kentucky tax records for the early counties, I decided to check the remaining counties that were present in 1789. (map on mapofus.org/kentucky)

Based on that search of Kentucky tax records, I came up with the following CRAWFORD listings.

1787
• Lincoln County, KY Image 5 — Crofford John – 4 horses, 4 cattle
• Lincoln County, KY Image 21 – Crawford Rebekah (widow) – recorded on July 5th – no horses or cattle
• Madison County KY – Image 10 – Crawford Mary – 3 horses, 11 cattle
• Madison County, KY – image 10 –Crawford James – 6 horses, 15 cattle
• Madison County, KY – Image 11 – Crawford Willm – 6 horses, 8 cattle

1788
• Madison County, KY – Image 63 Crawford William – 1 white male taxable – 6 horses
• Madison County, KY – image 63 – Crawford, James – 1 white male taxable – 5 horses
• Madison County, KY – image 62 – Crawford Mary – 2 horses

1789
• Jefferson County, KY – image 9 – Crawford, Joseph 1 horse
• Jefferson County, KY – image 9 – Crawford, Robert, 1 male 16-21, 2 horses
• Lincoln County, KY Image 61 – Crawford Rebeca – 1 male 16-21; 6 horses
• Lincoln County, KY Image 104 – Crofford, Alexander – 9 horses
• Lincoln County, KY Image 117 – Crawford, John – 5 horses
• Madison County, KY – Image 82 – Crawford, Mary – 1 white tithable >16, 3 horses
• Madison County, KY – Image 82 – Crawford, James – 1 white tithable >16 – 7 horses
• Madison County, KY – image 82 – Crawford, William – 1 white tithable > 16, 4 horses
• Mercer County, KY – NIL

1790
• Lincoln County, KY Image 128 – Crawford John – 4 horses
• Lincoln County, KY Image 140 – James Crofford – 3 horses

1791
• Jefferson County, KY – image 40 – Crawford, Joseph – no horses (nothing)
• Madison County, KY image 123 – Crawford William – 2 [tithables] 5 [horses]
• Madison County, KY – Image 123 – Crawford James – 1 [tithable] 7 ]horses]
• Madison County, KY – image 123 – Crawford Mary 1 [tithable] 3[ horses]
• Mason County, KY – Image 17 – Crawford John 1 male > 16, 1 black > 16
• Woodford County, KY – image 54 – Josiah Crawford – 1 titheable, 2 horses

1792
• Bourbon County, KY image 134 – Crofford William – 1 male > 21, 2 horses. 5 cattle
• Madison County, KY Image 132 – Crawford William – 1 male >21; 2 males 16-21; 13 horses; 16 cattle; 180 acres
• Madison County, KY Image 132 – Crawford Mary — 1 male 16-21; 4 horses; 10 cattle; 100 acres
• Madison County, KY Image 132 – Crawford James – 1 male > 21; 2 horses – 1 cattle
• Madison County, KY Image 132 – Crawford James – 1 male > 21; 9 horses; 25 cattle; 150 acres
• Madison County, KY Image 133 – Crawford Alexander – 1 male >21; 1 horse; 9 cattle; 64 acres
• Nelson County, KY – Image 7 — Crawford John – 1 male > 21, 1 horse
• Nelson County, KY – Image 7 — Crawford Hugh – 1 Male > 21, 1 black < 16, 2 horses, 9 cattle, 112 acres

• Nelson County, KY – Image 7 — Crawford Hugh Snr – 1 male > 21, 4 horses, 11 cattle
• Nelson County, KY – Image 7 — Crawford, Samuel 1 male > 21, 1 horse

Mercer County missing 1790-1794

1795
• Mercer County, KY – Image 12 Crawford Jas 1 white male > 21, 1 horse, 5 cows
• Mercer County, KY Image 23 Crawford William 1 male > 21, 2 horses, 9 cows

As with the 1800 list, I found people in the earlier tax lists that are not in the “First Census” book. The most obvious discrepancy is Rebekah who is found on the 1787 and 1789 tax lists in Lincoln County, Kentucky.

Rebekah purchased 100 acres of land on the headwaters of Boone and Sugar Creeks in 1786. This land in Garrard county isn’t sold until after 1800. Thus, one would think there would be a tax record for this land.

This study of census/tax records will help me figure out the various Crawford families in early Kentucky and their migration.