Thanks to everyone who came out this past October for another wonderful Kentucky Ancestors Town Hall! The third year of this amazing event brought an announcement we had all been hoping for – Our previous years’ episodes got picked up by KET (Kentucky Educational Television) and will air in 2020 on the Kentucky Channel! Be watching for further updates as we post the broadcast schedule and hopefully a few watch party dates.
Much like the previous year, 2019 saw the return of host, KET’s Renee Shaw, a DNA lunch chat, and our crowd favorite: The vendor/demo hall called the Genealogy Makerspace. We also brought in a few speakers from the Community Partners area to give us some educational lessons on the demo stage.
For the big reveals with Renee Shaw, our research team solved such mysteries as: An enslaved man who walked away from his current owners to join up for Civil War service at Camp Nelson, and the case of Dr. Bugg, involving a Western Kentucky family and two young women fighting over red calico fabric. Again, if you missed the previous years’ reveals, you will have another chance to see them in 2020 through KET.
Call for 2019 Submissions NOW OPEN! Click Here!
For 2020 we’re already planning a rip roaring good time – but we need your help! The time has come again for you to submit your Kentucky family history mysteries! From now until January 15th, we are accepting your mystery submissions. If our researchers are able to solve your mystery it will be featured at the next Kentucky Ancestors Town Hall, held on September 19th, 2020.
For those of you who’ve never been to a Kentucky Ancestors Town Hall, here are some more details: Kentucky Ancestors Town Hall is an annual event of the Kentucky Historical Society which takes place at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History in Frankfort. In addition to on-camera family mystery reveals, Kentucky Ancestors Town Hall will feature a daylong genealogy program, including an expo of Kentucky genealogy experts and a Genealogy Makerspace (a vendor/exhibit space filled with hands-on learning stations). Watch your email and this website for more details over the coming months.
If you’re a sponsor, vendor, or Community Partner who wants to be a part of this great day for 2020, please see the main Kentucky Ancestors Town Hall page for application information.
Watch the video clip below from 2018 to get a feel for the energy of the day:
Carl Dobson
I am wanting to know more of my family tree
Carl Dobson
We are from the hills of Smith branch in Lott’s Creek
Boyce Dean Byrd
I live in London Kentucky and found my 11 times great grandfather was a Pennington
Gloria King
I have been researching my family (since 1970’s) and am currently stumped finding records connecting me to my Revolutionary relative, James Barron of Somerset, Pulaski, Kentucky. John married Susannah McBee and they had many children; my Grandmother Susannah McBee Barron (married James Claunch/Clonch is where my research problem begins.
I have found no birth nor death records for Susannah McBee Barron Claunch nor her husband James Claunch. I believe both died between 1840-1850, presumed Pulaski County, probably mid-decade.
The other record I have been unable to locate is for their daughter, Rachel Claunch to connect her with her parents, so birth record or other proof is still needed to prove relationship to her her parents and thus, her grandfather, John Barron, Revolutionary War.
I found marriage record of Susannah Barron married James Claunch
I found Rachel Claunch in 1850 Census, living with her paternal grandparents
I found James Claunch & Rachel in 1840 Census
I found another James Claunch, not related (or not at least THIS James Claunch) in Mercer County
Is anyone able to fill in the missing pieces for me in perhaps local records?
Was there some epidemic around mid-1840’s that may have taken both Susanna Barron Claunch and her husband James Claunch?