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)

Kentucky Births and Christenings, 1839-1960

Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979

Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954

Kentucky Deaths and Burials, 1843-1970

Kentucky Death Records, 1911-1961

Kentucky Probate Records, 1727-1990

Kentucky Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865

Kentucky Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865

Kentucky Confederate Pension Applications, 1912-1950

Ancestry.com ($$)

Kentucky, Birth Records, 1852-1910

Kentucky, Birth Index, 1911-1999

Kentucky Marriages, 1802-1850

Kentucky Marriages, 1851-1900

Kentucky, Marriage Records, 1852-1914

Kentucky, Marriage Index, 1973-1999

Kentucky, Death Records, 1852-1953

Kentucky Death Index, 1911-2000

Kentucky, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1810-1890

Kentucky, Land Grants, 1782-1924

Kentucky, Tax Lists, 1799-1801

Kentucky pioneer and court records

Kentucky, Naturalization Records, 1906-1991

Kentucky, Confederate Pension Records, 1912-1930

Other Websites Helpful in Kentucky Research:

Cyndislist Kentucky Page

FamilySearch Wiki

Ancestry Wiki

KYGenWEb

Kentucky Genealogical Society

Kentucky Department of Library and Archives

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!

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!

Happy Mother's Day!!

A Photo of my brother and I, with our mother. Taken 31 Oct 1986.
Courtesy of author's own collection.

I have been thinking about how I wanted to celebrate Mother's Day here on my blog and I think the best thing I can do is talk about some of the mothers in my family tree. Here is a picture of my brother and I with our mother.

The first mother I am going to showcase is Sarah Jane (Dickerson) Hoppes. She was the mother of 12 children. She was born on July 31, 1869, in Indiana and died on October 25, 1967, in Marion County, Indiana, at the age of 98. She is one of my brick walls. I have been unable to find out much about her parents and family. Sarah Jane Dickerson was my paternal 2nd great-grandmother.

The next mother I am going to showcase is my maternal great-grandmother, Carrie Evaline (Elam) Back. Carrie was born on Apr 27, 1897, in Morgan County, Kentucky. She married Junius Back on May 19, 1915 in Morgan County, Kentucky. She was the mother of 11 children all of which lived long lives and 5 of which are still living today. The first child to pass away was in 2005 at the age of 76. Grandma Back lived to be 96 years old when she died on December 24, 1993. I was only 8 years old at the time of her death, but I still have many wonderful memories of her. She was a sweet and beautiful lady.

In contrast to the above mentioned mothers of large families I am going to mention another great grandmother, Ina Leah (Corder) Koger. She was born on October 5, 1909 and died on September 7, 2006 at the age of 96. Some of her story was detailed on a previous blog, Throwback Thursday. Grandma Koger had 3 children. Her first son Earl Winifred Koger was born and died on October 14, 1929, living only a few hours. He had something wrong with his heart. Her second son, Ralph Wendell Koger was born on May 10, 1931, in Fowler, Benton County, Indiana. Ralph served in the military and traveled the globe while serving this country. He went to Arizona, England, and Northern Africa, just to name a few. He loved photography and took pictures during his travels. He loved old cars. He purchased one when he got back home in 1956. He and my grandfather remodeled Ralph's 1932 Chevy.  On September 5, 1956, Ralph purchased an insurance policy on this vehicle. 10 days later he gets into this vehicle and never comes home. He sadly crashed not too far from his home.  He was only 25 years old. Grandma Koger's only daughter, my grandmother, is still living.  Sometimes I sit and wonder what she thought and how she felt every time Mother's Days came around. Was it a celebration or a time of mourning?

As I sit here writing this post, I contemplate my own feelings about Mother's Day.  On one hand I celebrate the fact that I am a mother of a handsome 7 year old boy. But on the other hand, I mourn for the children I have not had. My dream was always to be the mother of a large family, much like the first two mothers I showcased. However, I can relate a little more to Grandma Koger as I struggle with infertility issues. That being said, I appreciate everything all of the mothers that have come before me have done to shape who I have become. I will leave you now, to go celebrate with your mothers. Tell you mother, grandmother, aunt, wife, sister, or daughter, how much you love and appreciate them. Without mothers we would have no society, no freedom, no love, and no humanity.

Happy Mother's Day to All Who Mother!