Kentucky County was formed by the Commonwealth of Virginia by dividing Fincastle County into three new counties: Kentucky, Washington, and Montgomery, effective December 31, 1776.[1] Four years later Kentucky County was abolished on June 30, 1780, when it was divided into Fayette, Jefferson, and Lincoln counties of Virginia.[2] These later petitioned together to secede from Virginia, which was approved by the Virginia House of Burgesses. In 1792 the Commonwealth of Kentucky was admitted to the United States as its fifteenth state.