Beckham County, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
Beckham County, Kentucky was a county formed by the Kentucky General Assembly
on February 9, 1904. Beckham County was created in the northeastern part of the state from parts of Carter County, Kentucky
, Lewis County, Kentucky
and Elliott County, Kentucky
. The county seat was Olive Hill, Kentucky
. Beckham County was dissolved by the Kentucky Court of Appeals on April 29, 1904.
. Beckham County was ultimately named for then-governor J. C. W. Beckham
.
A man named C. V. Zimmerman filed suit against Beckham County - specifically against its county judge, Captain C. C. Brooks - when Beckham County tried to collect a $75.00 debt from Zimmerman. Zimmerman claimed that under an 1891 Kentucky Constitutional amendment, creation of Beckham County was unlawful because it left other counties with less than 400 square miles (1,000 km²) of land, and that Beckham County itself also had less than 400 square miles (1,000 km²) of land. Carter County joined Zimmerman's suit and added the claim that the creation of Beckham County ran its borders too close to the county seats of Carter and Lewis counties, violating the 10 miles (16.1 km) minimum. Carter County also claimed that the illegal creation of Beckham County would unfairly deprive Carter County of tax revenues that rightfully belonged to Carter County. Beckham County was dissolved by the Kentucky Court of Appeals
on April 29, 1904 because it was not created in conformance with state law.
Marriage and postal records from the brief existence of Beckham County, Kentucky still exist. The county records are kept in the Carter County courthouse.
Kentucky's 120 counties average 337 square miles (873 km²) each, and exceed the number in every state except for Georgia
which has 159, and the substantially larger Texas
which has 254 counties.
Only McCreary County
has been created since the 1891 amendment, eliminating the possibility for any additional counties.
Beckham County, Oklahoma
which still exists today, is also named for J. C. W. Beckham
.
Kentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
on February 9, 1904. Beckham County was created in the northeastern part of the state from parts of Carter County, Kentucky
Carter County, Kentucky
Carter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1838 and was named for William Grayson Carter, a state senator at the time of its creation. The county seat is named for his uncle, Robert Grayson. As of 2000, the population was 26,889. Its county seat is Grayson,...
, Lewis County, Kentucky
Lewis County, Kentucky
Lewis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 14,092. Its county seat is Vanceburg. The county is named for Meriwether Lewis.Lewis County is part of the Maysville Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
and Elliott County, Kentucky
Elliott County, Kentucky
Elliott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1869. As of 2000, the population is 6,748. Its county seat is Sandy Hook, Kentucky. The county is named for John Milton Elliott, U.S. Congressman; Confederate Justice of the Kentucky Court of Appeals...
. The county seat was Olive Hill, Kentucky
Olive Hill, Kentucky
There were 791 households out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.6% had someone...
. Beckham County was dissolved by the Kentucky Court of Appeals on April 29, 1904.
History
The legislature first proposed to name the county Hardscabble County. The proposal then became to name it Goebel County in honor of the late assassinated governor William GoebelWilliam Goebel
William Justus Goebel was an American politician who served as the 34th Governor of Kentucky for a few days in 1900 after having been mortally wounded by an assassin the day before he was sworn in...
. Beckham County was ultimately named for then-governor J. C. W. Beckham
J. C. W. Beckham
John Crepps Wickliffe Beckham was the 35th Governor of Kentucky and a United States Senator from Kentucky...
.
A man named C. V. Zimmerman filed suit against Beckham County - specifically against its county judge, Captain C. C. Brooks - when Beckham County tried to collect a $75.00 debt from Zimmerman. Zimmerman claimed that under an 1891 Kentucky Constitutional amendment, creation of Beckham County was unlawful because it left other counties with less than 400 square miles (1,000 km²) of land, and that Beckham County itself also had less than 400 square miles (1,000 km²) of land. Carter County joined Zimmerman's suit and added the claim that the creation of Beckham County ran its borders too close to the county seats of Carter and Lewis counties, violating the 10 miles (16.1 km) minimum. Carter County also claimed that the illegal creation of Beckham County would unfairly deprive Carter County of tax revenues that rightfully belonged to Carter County. Beckham County was dissolved by the Kentucky Court of Appeals
Kentucky Court of Appeals
The Kentucky Court of Appeals is the lower of Kentucky's two appellate courts, under the Kentucky Supreme Court. Prior to a 1975 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in Kentucky....
on April 29, 1904 because it was not created in conformance with state law.
Marriage and postal records from the brief existence of Beckham County, Kentucky still exist. The county records are kept in the Carter County courthouse.
Kentucky's 120 counties average 337 square miles (873 km²) each, and exceed the number in every state except for Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
which has 159, and the substantially larger Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
which has 254 counties.
Only McCreary County
McCreary County, Kentucky
McCreary County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 17,080. Its county seat is Whitley City. The county is named for James B. McCreary, a Confederate war hero and Governor of Kentucky from 1875 to 1879. It is the only Kentucky county to not have a...
has been created since the 1891 amendment, eliminating the possibility for any additional counties.
Beckham County, Oklahoma
Beckham County, Oklahoma
Beckham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 19,799. Its county seat is Sayre.Founded upon statehood in 1907, Beckham County was named for J. C. W...
which still exists today, is also named for J. C. W. Beckham
J. C. W. Beckham
John Crepps Wickliffe Beckham was the 35th Governor of Kentucky and a United States Senator from Kentucky...
.