Franklin County (KY) Slaves, Free Blacks, and Free Mulattoes, 1850-1870
Start Year : 1850
End Year : 1870
Franklin County, located in central Kentucky, was formed in 1794 from portions of Mercer, Shelby, and Woodford Counties. It is surrounded by six counties, and was named in honor of Benjamin Franklin. Frankfort is the county seat and the state capital, it is believed to have been named for Stephen Frank, a pioneer who was killed during an attack by Indians in 1780 at a location on the Kentucky River that became known as Frank's Ford. The 1800 county population was 5,078, according to the Second Census of Kentucky; 3,687 whites, 1,369 slaves, and 22 free coloreds. In 1830 there were six African American slave owners in Frankfort. By 1860, the population was 9,270, according to the U.S. Federal Census, and excluding the slaves. Below are the figures for the slave owners, slaves, free Blacks, and free Mulattoes for 1850-1870.

1850 Slave Schedule

• 634 slave owners
• 2,748 Black slaves
• 612 Mulatto slaves
• 248 free Blacks
• 110 free Mulattoes

1860 Slave Schedule

• 598 slave owners
• 2,553 Black slaves
• 834 Mulatto slaves
• 252 free Blacks
• 197 free Mulattoes

1870 U.S. Federal Census

• 3,647 Blacks
• 1,048 Mulattoes
• About 123 U.S. Colored Troops listed Franklin County, KY, as their birth location.

For more see the Franklin County entry in The Kentucky Encyclopedia edited by J. E. Kleber; visit the Center of Excellence for the Study of Kentucky African Americans (CESKAA) at Kentucky State University; Capital on the Kentucky by C. E. Kramer and W. B. Scott; Early Frankfort and Franklin County, Kentucky by W. R. Jillson; A Brief History of the Colored Churches of Frankfort, Kentucky by E. E. Underwood; and Community Memories: a glimpse of African American Life in Frankfort, Kentucky W. L. Fletcher et. al.
Subjects: Slave Owners, Slaves, Free Blacks, Free Mulattoes in Kentucky, 1850-1870 [by county D-J]
Geographic Region: Franklin County, Kentucky