Knox County was formed on December 19, 1799, from portions of Lincoln County. It was named after Henry Knox who was a general and was also the first U.S. Secretary of War. Here is another piece of history about the county. The Civil War’s Battle of Barbourville, was fought on September 19, 1861, between 800 Confederate soldiers from General Felix Zollicoffer’s command and 300 Union troops who attempted to defend the Union’s Camp which was lead by Andrew Johnson. Now the county does have a total area of 388 square miles, It is home to under 32,000 residents.