History of Perry County, Kentucky

By: Eunice T. Johnson, Pub. 1953, reprinted 2016, 286 pages, Index, ISBN #0-89308-919-2.  Perry County was created 1820 from Clay and Floyd Counties.  It in turn was carved up to create in part and whole the counties of: Breathitt, Harlan, Knott, Letcher, and Leslie.  This is the story of one of the most colorful communities in the Appalachian Mountains.  Located on the north fork of the Kentucky River, It sits in the southeastern corner of the state bordering Virginia.  This book covers the whole story from the time the first hardy pioneers moved across the mountains from Virginia to build cabins, stake out land claims, and subdivide this part of Kentucky into a county.  The author has also included a section of the book entitled “Early Perry County Families”: Baker, Begley, Boling, Brashear, Campbell, Combs, Cope, Cornett, Davidson, Duff, Eversole, Francis, Fugate, Grigsby, Gross, Hall, Holliday, Ison, Johnson, Lusk, Morgan, Napier, Noble, Ritchie, Smith, Stamper, Webb and  a list of individuals from the counties First Tax Book, 1821-1822.