History Civil War   Owsley County led all counties in the United States in the percentage of white population who enrolled in the Union Army. During the war, 13.64 percent of the voters in the 1860 election volunteered for service. Only the state of Kansas furnished a larger percentage of volunteers according to population. (Source: This was Yesterday: A Romantic History of Owsley County, by Joyce Wilson) According to Joyce Wilson's book, "In the measurements of men who served both the Union and Confederate Armies, it was shown that soldiers from Kentucky and Tennessee were the largest and tallest men in the United States and in the world." A. B. Gilbert, a state representative from Owsley County, cast the deciding vote in the general assembly concerning whether or not Kentucky remained with the Union. For more information contact: Susan Ramos · Executive Director Booneville/Owsley County Industrial Authority P.O. Box 637 · Booneville, KY 41314 Phone: 606-593-7296 · Fax: 606-593-7781 Email: sramos@owsleycountykentucky.org