From NKAA, Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (main entry)

Logan County (KY) Enslaved, Free Blacks, and Free Mulattoes, 1850-1870

Logan County, located in south-central Kentucky on the Tennessee state line,  borders five Kentucky counties. Formed from Lincoln County in 1792, it was named for Benjamin Logan, a Revolutionary War veteran and pioneer from Virginia.

Logan County is one of the largest counties in Kentucky. The county seat is Russellville, named for William Russell, Sr., who was also a Revolutionary War veteran.

The 1800 population for Logan County was 5,807, according to the Second Census of Kentucky: 4,939 whites, 775 enslaved, 93 free coloreds. In 1830 there were five free African American slave holders in Russellville. The 1860 population was 12,667, according to the U.S. Federal Census, excluding the enslaved. Below are the numbers for the slave holders, enslaved, free Blacks, and free Mulattoes for 1850-1870.

1850 Slave Schedule
  • 981 slave owners
  • 4,591 Black slaves
  • 791 Mulatto slaves
  • 301 free Blacks
  • 64 free Mulattoes
1860 Slave Schedule
  • 1,230 slave owners
  • 4,863 Black slaves
  • 1,501 Mulatto slaves
  • 265 free Blacks
  • 105 free Mulattoes
1870 U. S. Federal Census
  • 3,955 Blacks
  • 1,691 Mulattoes
  • About 295 U.S. Colored Troops listed Logan County as their birth location.
For more see the Logan County entry in The Kentucky Encyclopedia, edited by J. E. Kleber; Logan County, Kentucky, by the Logan County Chamber of Commerce; "Does God See This?": Shakers, Slavery, and the South (thesis), by R. L. Fletcher; Colored Marriage Bonds, Logan County, Ky. to 1900, by M. Vanderpool; Russellville's Black Bottom Project (videorecording), by M. A. Morrow and D. Rightmyer; and History of the A. M. Todd Family, by M. A. Morrow. See the "U.S., Colored Troops Military Service Records, 1863-1865" and other military service records in Ancestry for names and additonal information.

Kentucky County & Region

Read about Logan County, Kentucky in Wikipedia.

Kentucky Place (Town or City)

Read about Russellville, Kentucky in Wikipedia.

Item Relations

Cited in this Entry

NKAA Source: "Second census" of Kentucky, 1800; a privately compiled and published enumeration of tax payers appearing in the 79 manuscript volumes extant of tax lists of the 42 counties of Kentucky in existence in 1800
NKAA Source: The Kentucky encyclopedia
NKAA Source: Logan County, Kentucky
NKAA Source: "Does God see this?" : Shakers, slavery and the south (thesis)
NKAA Source: Colored marriage bonds, Logan County, Ky. to 1900
NKAA Source: Russellville's Black Bottom Project ; KHS library resources
NKAA Source: History of the A.M. Todd family
NKAA Source: Ancestry (online)

Related Entries Citing this Entry

NKAA Entry: African American Owners of Enslaved Persons in Kentucky

Cite This NKAA Entry:

“Logan County (KY) Enslaved, Free Blacks, and Free Mulattoes, 1850-1870,” Notable Kentucky African Americans Database, accessed July 26, 2024, https://nkaa.uky.edu/nkaa/index.php/items/show/2439.

Last modified: 2024-06-20 16:33:05