Thanks to everyone who came out this past July for another wonderful Kentucky Ancestors Town Hall! As this was our second year hosting the event, we shook things up with a new host, KET’s Renee Shaw, a DNA lunch chat, and a new vendor/demo hall called the Genealogy Makerspace. With five family mystery reveals, this year was bigger and better than ever!
Our research team solved such mysteries as: Victims of the 18th century Kentucky serial killers known as the Harpe Brothers; A Civil War ancestor who rode with Morgan’s Raiders; And a free man of color joined the abolitionist movement and fought against slavery with education and civic engagement. As for the video reveals – they will be coming soon, either to a TV near you, or online for you to share with your family and friends – stay tuned for more announcements about the launch of the video segments.
Call for 2019 Submissions NOW OPEN! Click Here!
For 2019 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 November 2nd we are accepting your mystery submission. If our researchers are able to solve your mystery it will be featured at the next Kentucky Ancestors Town Hall, held on October 12th, 2019.
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.
Watch the video clip below to get a feel for the energy of the day:
Kelly Grey
I am looking for further information on my Cranmer line (mother’s paternal side). I’ve traced my line from my mom, Lisa Cranmer Grey, Jerome Bradley Cranmer, Luke Marshall Cranmer, James Canada Cranmer (b: Spring City, TN. 01/23/1861 d: Jefferson Co., Louisville, KY 08/08/1930), James “John” Cranmer (b: ~1835. d: possibly died in Civil war. He was part of Kain’s Company Light Artillery of Confederate Army… family moved to Kentucky at some point. Daughter: Eliza Dickson Hancock b:06/03/1858 in TN. d:07/12/1912 Shelby County, KY. Married Henry Clay Hancock. Found all of them except James “John” in the 1870 and 1880 census in KY (all born in TN). Cannot locate anything on his son Jack or James Canada. He married Margaretta “Mary” Stewart/Steward.
I’ve searched for the last 20 years and can not locate the information.
Cheri Daniels
Thank you for sharing your mystery! In order to be considered for the contest, you will need to fill out the application which is a hot link inside the article – https://history.ky.gov/for-genealogists/kentucky-ancestors-town-hall/
D L Bentley
Hello, I have been searching several family members, but my main ancestor is my Great great grandfather, Henry Wilkes Mayo, aka Wilson Mayo, probably born in Floyd Co, Ky about September 1849. According to several distant relatives, he was the son of Wilson Mayo born about 1797 in Floyd Co, Ky and Jane Stratton; however, Jane Stratton died in 1846. My Great great grandmother, China Bingham Mayo, was according to federal census records, his second wife. She was born in Knox Co, Ky in 1859; the daughter of John Madison Bingham, Jr and Sarah Mills. My grandmother often ‘wondered’ where her Grandfather Mayo was from! Recently I have looked at Floyd Co Federal Census records for the years prior to and 1850, 1860 and 1870, and I find a female Crum living near the Mayo family; perhaps this person is the mother of Henry Wilkes Mayo. If my ‘mystery ancestor’ is chosen for further research, please accept my personal ‘thank you’ to your team.
Cheri Daniels
Thank you for sharing your mystery! In order to be considered for the contest, you will need to fill out the application which is a hot link inside the article – https://history.ky.gov/for-genealogists/kentucky-ancestors-town-hall/
Pam albrecht
My ancestors went from North Carolina to Virginia then to Kentucky. They lived in rural areas of bath and Morgan counties which became menifee. All in that little circle catching a little SE bath, menifee, and NW Morgan counties. Trying to find where their farms were is mind boggling. No addresses on even the latest censuses and no directories, even the old plat maps with resident names are few. Found bath and Morgan counties but none for menifee. Visited the family cemeteries there but couldn’t find anyone willing to talk there. Help me find more information on Menifee county residents from 1860 to 1920
Cheri Daniels
Thank you for sharing your mystery! In order to be considered for the contest, you will need to fill out the application which is a hot link inside the article – https://history.ky.gov/for-genealogists/kentucky-ancestors-town-hall/