Beech Tree News Network

Founded in 1808, Estill County, Kentucky has a population of 14,672(as of 2010) and an area of 256 square miles.  The county, whose seat is Irvine, was named for Captain James Estill.  He was a Kentucky militia officer who was killed in the Battle of Little Mountain during the American Revolutionary War. 
Fayette County, as of the 2010 census, was populated at 295,803, making it the second-most populous county in Kentucky.  Its territory, population and government are coextensive with the city of Lexington, which also serves as the county seat.  The county was founded in 1780 and named for Gilbert du Motier and Marquis de Lafayette.  Estimated population as of last year was 314,488. 
Fayette County was one of the three original counties created from the former Kentucky County, Virginia by the Virginia Act in 1780, along with Jefferson and Lincoln counties.  Together they separated from Virginia in 1792 to become the Commonwealth of Kentucky.  Originally, Fayette County included land which makes up 37 present-day counties and portions of 7 others.  It was reduced to its present boundaries in 1799.  The county is named for Marquis de LaFayette, who came to America to join the rebelling English colonies in the American Revolutionary War.  On January 1, 1974, Fayette County merged its government with that of its county seat of Lexington.  This created a consolidated city-county governed by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government.
Fleming County, KY was founded in 1798 from land given by Mason County.  The first courthouse, possibly built from logs, was replaced in 1830 and again in 1952.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 351 square miles, of which 349 square miles is land and 2.8 square miles is water.  Population, as of 2014, was 14,545.  The county was named for Colonel John Fleming, an Indian fighter and early settler.  The county seat is Flemingsburg.