Ballard County (KY) Slaves, Free Blacks, and Free Mulattoes, 1850-1870
Start Year : 1850
End Year : 1870
Ballard County, is located in western Kentucky and was established in 1842 from parts of Hickman and McCracken Counties. The county was named after Captain Bland Ballard, who was a District Court Judge and a member of the Kentucky Legislature. Wickliffe was voted the county seat of Ballard County in 1882. The first U.S. Federal Census for Ballard County was taken in 1850 when 4,654 persons were counted, excluding slaves. Below are the figures for slave owners, slaves, free Blacks, and free Mulattoes.

1850 Slave Schedule

• 190 slave owners
• 646 Black slaves
• 195 Mulatto slaves
• 6 free Blacks
• 19 free Mulattoes

1860 Slave Schedule

• 336 slave owners
• 1,132 Black slaves
• 585 Mulatto slaves
• 7 free Blacks
• 24 free Mulattoes

Note: The 1850 population for Ballard County (given above) is lower than that provided at the website Ballard County, Kentucky, Free Black and Mulatto Residents by Kathleen Hill. Additional information about the free Black and Mulatto families can be found at this website.

1870 U.S. Federal Census

• 979 Blacks
• 483 Mulattoes
• 30 U.S. Colored Troops listed Ballard County, KY, as their birth location

For more see the Ballard County entry in The Kentucky Encyclopedia edited by J. Kleber; and Ballard and Carlisle Counties History by Ballard-Carlisle Historical and Genealogical Society.
Subjects: Slave Owners, Slaves, Free Blacks, Free Mulattoes in Kentucky, 1850-1870 [by county]
Geographic Region: Ballard County, Kentucky