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Our Programs

We Digitize Records of Genealogical Value in Kentucky

Projects Funded

Money Invested

Counties Served

Our Society is pleased to award grants to holders of genealogically significant Kentucky records for digitization.

The Digitization Grant Program furthers one of the Society’s primary missions to encourage the preservation and availability of Kentucky records that are essential to genealogical and historical research.

The Society launched the digitization grant program in 2019 to encourage the digitization of records that are at risk of being lost forever or are otherwise valuable to Kentucky genealogical researchers.

As recent events demonstrate, some Kentucky records are one fire, flood, or tornado from being lost forever. These natural disasters can strike at any time.

The Digitization Grant Program is funded by the generosity of members and the general public.

Our Digitization Projects

Since 2019, we have awarded grants to genealogical or historical societies and public libraries throughout Kentucky. Here are our past Grant winners.

Kentucky Digitization Grant Program

2024 - South Central Kentucky Cultural Center – Private and Business Documents

This collection consists of private and business documents that record the nature of daily life in the early settlement period of South Central Kentucky. Many residents of the area during this period are in various documents which are vital to genealogy researchers.  The records include slave sales records from the early nineteenth century, church records, distillery business license, and tax records from the mid-nineteenth century. Also included are early surveys with hand drawn maps, deeds, wills, statement of Revolutionary War service and letters describing life in the early settlement period.

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2024 - Historic Russellville Inc. dba SEEK Museum – Logan County School Documents

This collection consists of over 5,000 pictures and obituaries of African Americans across the state of Kentucky, including many people from Logan and surrounding counties who have migrated across America. It includes original appointment documents and other papers related to the founding of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in Kentucky in 1866. Also included are the Logan County School Census documents from the 1870s until the 1930s.

Kentucky Digitization Grant Program

2024 – Woodford County Public Library – Newspapers Collection and Research Files

The microfilm records of the Woodford County History Room contain vital records from Woodford County, local newspapers, collections of past community historians, and artifacts from the collection of the Woodford County Historical Society.  This collection contains a wealth of genealogical information for researchers in Woodford County and the surrounding area that is not available outside of the History Room.

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2023 – Madison County Public Library – Guardianship, Apprenticeship and Related Documents

This collection contains early Madison County records, including guardianships and apprenticeships, commissioner deeds, affidavits of descent, and guardian settlements, as well as records of enslaved people. The records span from the early 1800’s to the mid-1900’s and primarily covers what was once the original Madison County geographic area in central and western Kentucky, formed from Lincoln county, the area that includes present day counties of Madison, Garrard, Clay, Estill, Rockcastle, and Jackson.

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2023 – The Loretto Heritage Center – Sisters of Loretto School Records

This connection contains the records of four Kentucky schools run by the Sisters of Loretto, including information about pupils, their parents, and employees at their institutions as well as financial documentation and transactions involving tuition payments, expenses, and in some cases transfer of property. The record set spans a period between 1838 -1948 and covers the geographic area of Marion and Nelson Counties.

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2023 – Johnson County Historical and Genealogical Society – Val McKenzie Collection

The collection belonged to the late local historian Val McKenzie, including pictures, journals, church records, military records, family bible genealogies and handwritten notebooks he created while working on his collection. The record set spans a period dating back 150 years and covers the geographic area of Johnson, and Floyd County prior to 1843 when Johnson County was created. This important collection represents a unique case study of the western expansion by Scots/Irish and English settlers to the hills of Eastern Kentucky.

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2023 – Hickman County Historical Society – Hickman County Gazette

This collection contains newspapers published in the county, and Civil War ephemera. In addition to valuable court records, the collection includes a hand-written letter from a Civil War Soldier, an original 1865 edition of a newspaper published in Columbus, Kentucky – a Civil War battle community, original editions of the newspaper Hickman County Gazette from 1899 to the time the paper ceased publication in 2017; and unique photos dating back to the flood of 1927. This record set covers a geographic area including Clinton, Columbus and Hickman Counties, the Benge Route of the Trail of Tears, and the Jackson Purchase in Kentucky.

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2022 - Greene County Library - County History

This collection contains a variety of records from Greene County’s unique past. Many printed record transcriptions, historic photos, oral histories, and other miscellaneous items.

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2022 - Cynthiana-Harrison County Library - Log Cabin Newspaper

The Log Cabin was a local newspaper that was in print from 1896-1960. This collection offers access and insight to information seekers regarding obituaries, special events, the pandemic of 1918 as well as both World Wars. Vital statistics that are integral to the continuation of genealogical research are often found in birth and marriage announcements as well as obituaries.

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2022 - Ballard Carlisle Historical and Genealogy Society

This collection contains personal narratives, photos, maps, correspondence from the city. It includes the following areas: Ballard County cemeteries, Bandana, Barlow, Blandville, Ceredo, East Cairo, Fort Jefferson, Gage, Hinkleville, Ingleside, Kevil, La Center, Lovelaceville, Monekey’s Eyebrow, Needmore, New York, Oscar, Slater, Wickliffe, and Wickliffe Mounds. The following areas are also covered: Carlisle County, Carlisle County Cemeteries, Arlington, Bardwell, Burkley/Berkley, Cummingham, Kribyton, Laketon, McGee Springs, and Milburn. Some of these records are over 100 years old.

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2021 - Filson Historical Society - Bullitt Family Papers

Records of enslaved and free African Americans are found in various media in the Bullitt Family Papers, include correspondence, journals, memoirs, receipts, bills of sale, account and ledger books, court cases and depositions, and estate inventories and divisions. This collection focuses on materials related to enslaved African Americans in the southeastern United States, with a focus on Kentucky.

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2021 – Carroll County Public Library – Local Historical Records

The collection contains one-of-a-kind original maps, drawings, photographs, genealogical records, family histories, historical writings, newspapers, scrapbooks, and other items of interest to researchers.  The records are old and fragile ranging from 30 to 100 years in age.

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2020 - The Filson Historical Society - Baptist Orphan's Home Records

As the first Baptist orphanage in the United States, the Louisville Baptist Orphan’s Home is the oldest continuously operating children’s home in the south. After the Civil War, the home was established to serve the many children who were left orphaned and impoverished. By 1888, over 500 children had been admitted to the orphanage. Its mission in later years has included many other children in need. By 1969, the home had cared for an estimated 8,000 children.

Collection contains: Correspondence, 1873-1910, to Mary A. Hollingsworth, matron, and others about the placement of orphan children, the occasional return of the same to the home, recommendations for foster parents, descriptions of children, medical treatment, accomplishments, etc.  Miscellaneous bills and receipts, arranged alphabetically, 1871-1897, from Kentucky businesses concerning payment for food, fuel, repairs, equipment, etc., listings of donations from various churches and others.



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2020 - Todd County Library – Frances Fox Collection

This collection contains handwritten and typewritten documents from late local historian Frances Fox. The records are based on interviews and offer personal accounts and stories of Todd County families.

Is your institution wanting to digitize your collection?

We have awarded grants for a variety of projects.

Eligible records cover a wide variety of topics such as newspapers, directories, school or organization yearbooks, church records, trade or vocational records, funeral home records, and pension records.  This list, however, only scratches the surface on the records in need of digitization.

Each year we accept applications from July through October. We have a grant application package available to those who are interested.