Owsley County history society preserves roots, records and family histories
Inside Booneville’s Farm Bureau Building, Owsley County families can trace names through obituaries, cemetery pages and history books that keep the county’s past within reach.
Inside the Farm Bureau Building in Booneville, the Owsley County Historical Society keeps a working archive that reaches from old land names to recent obituaries. For families trying to reconnect with Owsley County, the value is immediate: records are local, names are indexed, and the county’s own history is built into the search.
A county shaped by small numbers and deep memory
Owsley County was organized in 1843 and named for William Owsley, who later became governor of Kentucky. Booneville, the county seat, was incorporated in 1846 after Elias Moore donated land for the seat in 1843, and the town was once known as Boones Station and Moores Station. Booneville sits on the South Fork of the Kentucky River at KY 11 and KY 30.
The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 Census count for Owsley County was 4,051 residents, with the population estimates base at 4,053 in 2020 and 4,001 in 2023. The Census Bureau’s QuickFacts page also lists a 2020 to 2024 measure showing 51.6% of residents below 150% of poverty and a 2018 to 2022 bachelor’s degree or higher rate of 11.1% for adults age 25 and older.
What the historical society holds
The Owsley County History and Genealogy Society collects and preserves county history by archiving documents, books, photos, artifacts, microfilm and family histories; conducts research; provides publications; preserves cemeteries and buildings; and keeps families connected to their past.
The pictorial family and history book is sold out, but the collection still includes titles such as *Women of Owsley County: Their Joys and Their Hardships*, a 258-page volume with stories of 154 women, and *Men of Owsley County: Their Dreams and Their Accomplishments*, a 406-page volume with stories of 198 men. Other items include the DVD *Fall of the County Store*, *Pictorial Tribute to the Veterans of Owsley County* and *Owsley County Recipes - Then and Now*.
Obituaries, cemetery pages and the quickest way to a name
The society’s obituary page is alphabetized and transcribed by members of the Owsley County Historical Society, making it one of the fastest starting points for a family search. A name found in an obituary can lead to burial grounds, spouses, children and other relatives, especially in a county where family lines often overlap across generations. The obituary archive is also current, so it bridges older records and more recent community losses.
Cemetery transcriptions push that work further. Newnam Cemetery in Pebworth is documented at the Crossroads Tom Cornett Farm with names, dates and family relationships. Island City First Baptist Church Cemetery includes coordinates, while Isaac B. Isaacs Cemetery on Venable School Road lists multiple family members and notes handmade markers and burial details.
A practical search in Owsley County usually runs in this order:
1. Start with the obituary listing to locate a surname, spouse or burial clue.
2. Match that name against the cemetery pages, especially Newnam Cemetery, Island City First Baptist Church Cemetery and Isaac B. Isaacs Cemetery.
3. Use the published books to fill in family stories, especially the women’s and men’s volumes.
4. Compare the results with county and state records when a branch of the family line still needs confirmation.
Booneville’s library and the wider research map
The Owsley County Public Library is at #2 Medical Plaza in Booneville. Lesa Marcum is director, and the phone number is 606-593-5700. That makes the library a practical stop for anyone who wants local context before moving into county history files or state archives.
The historical society’s office is in the Farm Bureau Building in Booneville, with office hours by appointment only on Thursday and Friday, and the phone number is (606) 593-6755. For many family searches, that combination of a library, a historical society office and a local obituary index is enough to get a line of inquiry moving in a single afternoon.
Beyond Booneville, two state resources widen the search. The Kentucky Historical Society operates a research library at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, and the Kentucky State Digital Archives provides online access to archival public records created by state and local government agencies.
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