Monday, June 1, 2015

Happy 223rd Statehood Admission Day, Kentucky!! - June 1, 1792

I have been a little homesick for family lately so I guess I will have to post on the beautiful state of Kentucky today. I lived in Kentucky from 2001-2013. I met my husband at Campbellsville University in Campbellsville, Kentucky. Our only child was born in Campbellsville, Kentucky. Campbellsville is the geographic center of the state of Kentucky so I thought it may be a good idea for Kentucky to be to focus of today's blog post.

This day, 223 years ago, Kentucky became a state. At that time, there were about 100,000 residents. But since then, the state has blossomed to about 4,339,367 residents. Of those residents, I am most likely related to quite a few. My mother's mother's family hails from Jackson, Breathitt County, Kentucky. My father's maternal grandparents also hail from Wayne and Pulaski Counties in south central Kentucky. I have many family members who still reside in this beautiful state today.
Map of Kentucky from the actual survey of Kentucky by Elihu Barker in 1793.
Royalty free provided by Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division.

Here are a few of my relatives that lived in Kentucky around the time Kentucky became a state:

Gilbert Elam was born around 1794 in Wythe County, Virginia. He and his family, including 12 children, moved to Morgan County, Kentucky sometime in the 1830's. Gilbert Elam was my maternal 4th Great-grandfather. 

John Back was born on November 19, 1774 in Culpeper County, Virginia. He moved with his family to Breathitt County, Kentucky, in 1836. John Back, Sr. was my maternal 5th great-grandfather. 

William Koger was born around 1784 in Augusta, Cumberland County, Virginia. He and his wife were married in Wayne County, Kentucky, on 22 Aug 1810. Their exact date of migration to Wayne County is unknown at this time. William Koger was my paternal 5th great-grandfather.

William Logsdon was born around 1736 in Virginia. He and his family settled in what would later become Nelson County, Kentucky, before the birth of their daughter Mary Logsdon, in 1786. Mary Nelson was the wife of Rev. Hiram Gregory. Hiram and Mary were my paternal 5th great-grandparents.

Here are a few databases that you may find useful in finding you Kentucky ancestors: 

FamilySearch.org (Free)

Ancestry.com ($$)


Other Websites Helpful in Kentucky Research: