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COUNTY HISTORY

Created by an act of the General Assembly approved Dec. 15, 1821. Kentucky's seventy-second county was formed on Nov. 3, 1822, from a section of Hickman County. The original boundaries of Calloway County included present day Marshall County. A near perfect rectangle in shape with approcimately 390 square miles or 252,800 acres, its soils were well suited to the growth of "Gold Leaf Tobacco," once the chief product of the county. At one time, as many as 15 tobacco factories operated in Calloway County. Long before the formation of Kentucky Lake, its principal waterways initially included Tennesse River, Blood River, Clarks River, Rockhouse, Bee, and Jonathan Creeks. In 1776 Colonel Richard Callaway, a friend of Kentucky adventurer and explorer Daniel boone, came to Kentucky and became active in the affairs of early settlements. It was in his honor that Calloway County was named. ( There is no explanation for the difference in spelling of the county's name.) In June 1822 the Legislature passed an act authorizing the opening of a land office at Wadesboro, and appointed Edmund Curd receiver. Wadesboro served as the county seat from 1822 to 1842. On Feb. 13, 1823, the first circuit court of Calloway County was held in the courthouse at Wadesboro, with Honorable Benjamin Shackelford acting as circuit judge. John Bearden and Reuben Rowland as associate judges and James Calloway as Clerk, with William Curd his deputy.

MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE FROM 1859-1879

SENATE: John L. Irvan 1859-1863,Col. G.A.Christian Holt 1867-1875 (Elected speaker of the Senate 16-Feb-1871 and acting Lieutenant Governor until Sep-1871)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Virgil Coleman 1859-1861,Daniel Matthewson 1861-1863 (Expelled 21-Dec-1861, for being connected with the Confederate Army, and for being a member of Russellville Convention), was succeeded by Leroy Brinkley 1862-1863, John Whitnell 1863-1865 (Died in 1865) was succeeded by W. H. Covington 1865-1867,Francis U. Dodds 1867-1869,William M. Hamlin 1869-1871,W.W. Ayers 1871-1875, John D. Gardner 1875-1879

RECORDS OF INTEREST

Biographies Military Records Birth Records Marriages Obituaries
Cemeteries Surnames Wills Deeds Deaths
Census Bible Records Death Certificates Ellis Island Photos
Funeral Homes Peace Officer's Newpapers Tax Records Court Records

CALLOWAY COUNTY LIBRARIES

Genealogical Society

1405 Main Street

Murray,KY 42071

Pogue Library

North 15th Street

Murray,KY 42071

PLACES OF INTEREST

CITIES OF CALLOWAY COUNTY

New Concord -- Dexter -- Hamlin -- Kirksey -- Hazel-- Murray -- Almo

SURROUNDING COUNTIES

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