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:







Friday, May 29, 2015

Today's Stroll Through Time - Birthdays - Week 4 - May 24 - 31

Sunday, May 24th

William S. Kleppinger (24 May 1901 - 20 May 1904) - Age 2
4th Cousin 4x Removed
Happy 114th Birthday!

Monday, May 25th

Lewis Holly Jewell (25 May 1828 - 6 Feb 1911) - Age 82
Husband of 3rd Cousin 5x Removed
Happy 187th Birthday!

Tuesday, May 26th

Rose S. Hoover (26 May 1892 - 16 May 1953) - Age 60
Wife of 3rd Cousin 4x Removed
Happy 123rd Birthday!

Wednesday, May 27th

Maria Salome Bach (27 May 1677 - 27 Dec 1728) - Age 51
2nd Cousin 10x Removed - Relative of J. S. Bach as well
Happy 338th Birthday!!

Thursday, May 28th

Dr. Milton Dana Jewell - (28 May 1880 - 20 Jul 1924) - Age 44
5th Cousin 3x Removed
Happy 135th Birthday!


Friday, May 29th

Lewis Back (29 May 1807 - 15 Jun 1891) - Age 84
4th Great-Grandfather
Happy 208th Birthday!

Saturday, May 30th 

*Living Tungate* - Age 85
Step-Grandmother and a very dear lady
Happy 85th Birthday!!!!

***Living Hoppes*** - Age 9
My Baby Sister
Happy 9th Birthday!!!!

Sunday, May 31st

James Granville Corder (31 May 1880 - 10 Jan 1965) - Age84
2nd Great-Grandfather
Happy 135th Birthday!

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Trifling Thursday - Abyssinia

Free Clipart found at  http://imgkid.com/clip-art-question-mark.shtml
Let's examine some irregularly used or trifling given names in my family tree. Those names that make you want to ask, "What in the world were their parent's thinking?" or "Where did that name come from?"

I have one ancestor with this name: Abyssinia Kleppinger. The name Abyssinia originates in Africa. Ethiopia was at one point in history called the Kingdom of Abyssinia.

Abyssinia Kleppinger was born on June 21, 1857.  She was the 3rd of 9 children born to William Christian Kleppinger (1827-1900) and Elizabeth C. Seem (1829-1906). She died at the age of 6 years 5 Months 20 Days on December 11, 1863 in Kreidersville, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Her family left several years later and settled in Nebraska.


Today's Stroll Through Time - Birthday's - Week 3 - May 17 - 23

Sunday, May 17th 2015

Orlando J. Roberts (17 May 1871 - 1 Aug 1931) - Age 60
2nd Great-Granduncle
Happy 144th Birthday!

Monday, May 18th 2015

Erma Esther (Hilberg) Meckes (18 May 1904 - 9 Aug 1988) - Age 94
5th Cousin 3x Removed
Happy 111th Birthday!

Tuesday, May 19th 2015

Wilmer Davis Back (19 May 1922 - 26 Dec 1931) - Age 9
Half 1st Cousin 3x Removed
Happy 93rd Birthday!

Wednesday, May 20th

Joseph Woodford Back (20 May 1873 - 24 Dec 1965) - Age 92
1st Cousin 3x Removed
Happy 142nd Birthday!

Thursday, May 21st 2015

George Lawrence Kleppinger (21 May 1922 - 3 Jan 2010) - Age 87
6th Cousin 2x Removed
Happy 92nd Birthday!

Friday, May 22nd 2015

Jonathan Roberts (22 May 1768 - 7 Jun 1855) - Age 87
5th Great-Grandfather
Happy 247th Birthday!

Saturday, May 23rd 2015

John Gilbert Lackey (22 May 1872 - 26 Apr 1957) - Age 84
5th Cousin 3x Removed
Happy 143rd Birthday!





Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Privacy Laws for Vital Records by State - Part 1 - Alabama

Birth Certificates

A Map of Alabama Counties
Public-domain image courtesy of WPClipart
Registrations of Births began in 1908 in the state of Alabama. However, the state has very restrictive privacy laws and the records are not available to the public until 125 years after the date of birth. An Index of Births for 1917-1919 can be searched on microfilm at the Family History Library or at a local Family History Center near you. You can contact the individual county Heath Department office for the county you are researching to request birth certificates for a fee of $15.00. I would call before ordering online or by mail to make sure the record is even available per their privacy laws. 

Familysearch.org offers an index entitled Alabama Births and Christenings, 1881-1930. There are only four records listed for between 1900 and 1930 in this database due to privacy laws. The database has less than 6,500 records in total.


Marriage Certificates

There are no privacy restrictions for marriage records in the state of Alabama. The only requirement is that the researcher must provide enough information to easily find the record in question. The best thing to do would be to first search one of several indexes that are available online then contact the local courthouse for the county in question for marriages that took place before 1936. The Alabama Center for Health Statistics has all marriage records for marriages that have taken place within the state since 1936 on file. Each marriage certificate requested requires a copy fee of $15.00 to be made payable to the State Board of Health. Certificates can be ordered online via vitalcheck.com or by mail by contacting the Alabama Department of Public Health website.

Here are a few of the online databases that could aid your search:

Familysearch,org (Free)
Alabama, County Marriages, 1809-1950
Alabama, Marriages, 1816-1957

Ancestry.com ($)
Alabama Marriage Collection, 1800-1969
Alabama Marriages, 1809-1920 (Selected Counties)
Alabama Marriages to 1825
DeKalb County, Alabama Marriage Index, 1836-1916


Divorce Certificates

There are no privacy restrictions for divorce records in the state of Alabama. The only requirement is that the researcher must provide enough information to easily find the record in question. Ancestry.com has an index of divorce record for 1950-1959 which contains just over 100,000 records. This database index can be searched at Alabama Divorce Index, 1950-1959.  Information for divorces prior to 1950 must be obtained from the circuit court in the county where the divorce was granted.  The Alabama Center for Health Statistics has all divorce records that have been filed within the state since 1950. Each divorce record requested requires a copy fee of $15.00 to be made payable to the State Board of Health. Certificates can be ordered online via vitalcheck.com or by mail by contacting the Alabama Department of Public Health website


Death Certificates

State wide registration of deaths in Alabama began in 1908. However, many counties have records that start as early as 1881 and are held at the local county level. Due to privacy laws in the state of Alabama, death certificates are available for deaths that have occurred no less that 25 years prior to the current date. So if your ancestor died between 1908 and 1990 you can order their death certificate for a fee of $15.00.  Death certificates less than 25 years old may be obtained only by the following persons, upon payment of the proper fee ($15.00):
  • mother or father of person named on certificate
  • husband or wife of person named on certificate
  • son or daughter of person named on certificate
  • sister or brother of person named on certificate
  • grandchild of person named on certificate when demonstrating entitlement
  • legal representative of family or estate
  • informant listed on death certificate as providing information
For copies of Alabama death records after 1908, contact:

Center for Health Statistics
State Dept. of Public Health
P.O. Box 5625
Montgomery, AL 36103-5625
Tel: 202-242-5033
Alabama Department of Public Health website

Familysearch.org offers an index to death certificates entitled Alabama Deaths, 1908-1974. There are a few records that fall outside of the stated death range. There are a total of 1,905,672 records in this index. What you may found on records in this index include the following:
  • Name of deceased
  • Death date and place
  • Last residence
  • Burial date and place
  • Birth date and place
  • Names of parents
  • Name of spouse
Ancestry.com offers an index entitled Alabama Deaths, 1908-59 which contains about 1,363,539 names. They also offer an index entitled Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 which contains 1,962,795 records. 


Sources: 

Alabama Department of Public Health Website at http://adph.org/vitalrecords/.

"Alabama Births and Christenings, 1881-1930." Index. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2015. Index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City.

"Alabama Deaths, 1908-1974." Index. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2015. Department of Health, Montgomery.

Alabama Deaths, 1908-59 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.

Alabama Divorce Index, 1950-1959 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.