Day 100

This has been a day of contrasts. With a conference call scheduled at 11am, I decided to use the morning to do chores and invoicing. Those accomplished I found out at 11:15 that the call had been cancelled the day before but I wasn't notified. At this point, I knew I should head for the probate court but I just couldn't face that task. So - I headed south in the rain to find Moffatts Creek.

Joseph Kennedy came to the area in the 1730s. You have to picture him as a loud, boisterous, Irishman. The courts fined him twice for abusing the judge. He purchased several hundred acres of the Borden and Beverly land grants along Moffatts Creek and established a fulling mill. His sons worked the mill with him. Son John (our 5 g grandfather) must have been discontented early as he appears to have left for NC by about 1748. In general, many of the Scotch-Irish immigrants were unhappy with their land options. Virginia did not allow anyone to buy land beyond the headwaters of the creeks and rivers that drained into the Atlantic. The land beyond the mountains looked appealing and the Carolinas had no such restrictions. Between 1760 and 1770 1,000 Scotch-Irish from Augusta County left for the Carolinas. Our 6 g grandfather Joseph Kennedy followed son John in 1762. The tax court reported him as "returned no inhabitant."

I drove about 12 miles south of Staunton to Middlebrook and stopped at the library to look at a more local map. Nothing was available (this is a small library) but the volunteer knew just where the creek started - another 5 miles south parallel to the road. Sure enough, I found it and could visualize how lovely the area must have seemed to the Kennedy family - woods and open spaces. Another five miles south and there was the New Providence Presbyterian Church. Joseph and Elizabeth K. donated the land for the church in 1754. Yea - I was actually on the land occupied by our ancestors. Amazingly, this area looked much like what we saw in Paint Lick, KY - the Kennedy homestead of Joseph's grandson Thomas.

I then realized that while yesterday I went to Rockingham County (north) I should have gone to Rockbridge County (south). Off to Lexington! I arrived at the historical society at 2pm and was given free rein to look at anything. The librarian even left at 3 to get lunch and told me I was in charge. Every place is different!! Most of the original material is held at the archives at William and Lee College (2 blocks over). I may need to go there tomorrow afternoon. However, I found some good nuggets and got a much better picure of the development of this area of Virginia plus acquired a land grant map. An interesting side note - John Letcher (son of Giles and Hannah Hughes Letcher - 6 g grandparents on the Atkinson side and brother to our Steven Giles Letcher) moved from eastern VA to Rockbridge County and became prominent in the development of the area.

VMI is also located in Lexington. It is definitely at khaki-colored citadel!

Tonight I have spent 4 hours and think I finally have the Robertsons straightened out. Still have to do Robinsons but am making progress. Tomorrow I will be back at the Augusta Historical Society and may go to the probate court and fit in William and Lee plus drive to Roanoke????? I think I better head to bed.

Day 99

It has been a long day. My brain is befuddled with potential ancestors. I spent the morning in the Augusta County Historical Society in Staunton. The Executive Director and volunteers were very helpful and I will go back there on Thursday. I spent most of the morning and all this evening combing deeds, wills and other court transactions for Kennedys and Robertsons with some forays into Robinsons, Holts, and Stephenses. I think I have located the correct Joseph and John Kennedy before they moved to NC. I also think I found the right James and Alexander Robertsons. Both lines feed into the Letcher family and then to the Atkinsons. Tomorrow will be spent in the county courthouse hopefully getting copies of wills and deeds.

I spent this afternoon in the Rockingham County Historical Society (N of here 25 miles). They didn't have much material becauase the county was formed after our people had left. It did help me focus on the need (potentially) to go to Orange County - the county from which Augusta was formed. I will see if I have time.

All for tonight.

Days 97 and 98

Obviously I didn't get a blog written last night. Too many people in the motorhome and too much catching up.

Mom, Liz, a friend Caroline and I had a fun day yesterday. We headed south from Frankfort to Paint Lick, KY. This little village on the Paint Lick Creek and not far from Boonesborough was home to Gen. Thomas Kennedy (gggg grandfather). He had 15,000 acres on the bluffs above the creek and established a large plantation with 200 slaves. Although the three-story brick home is no longer there, we went in search of the old Paint Lick Presbyterian Church and cemetery. We found both and were lucky enough to walk directly to Kennedy's gravestone. He is buried with his first wife who fought off the Indians as they tried to burn the couple's first home outside Boonesborough. Agnes must have been well loved and respected. She died at age 41 and the couple's only child also died young (age 16) not long after. Thomas then married our gggg grandmother, Edna Withers, and they had four more children. Despite the fact that Thomas and Edna were married for at least 25 years, she does not appear to be buried at this site. In the photos below, Agnes' gravestone is in good shape but Thomas' is very worn (probably because it is a marble, horizontal tomb cover). Replacement stones have been erected at both sites in addition to the original stones.

Along the way we thoroughly enjoyed the rolling hills, horses and beautiful fences. Many individuals have also begun painting a quilt pattern above their barn door - rather than the Pennsylvania Dutch hex signs. We did U-turns, drives into the ditches, and stopping on hilltops in order to get photos.

From Paint Lick we drove east to Berea, KY, home to many artisans and Berea College. The college specializes in teaching young people practical arts and encouraging them in artistic endeavors. We had a great lunch and lots of fun shopping.

We finally staggered back to the motorhome about 7:30pm. We met up with Dee and Steve Thomson from Pullman, WA and Holly Hilliard and friend from Florida - all horse people - for evening snacks.

The horse group was up and out the door this morning at 7am. The first dressage ride was at the Kentucky Horse Park at 8:30! I took my time and left about 9am. It rained and was overcast for my whole drive across KY and WV. The WV mountains are very pretty - a tapestry of colors, wisps of fog and clouds - much like Scotland but with lots more vegetation. I made Staunton, VA about 5pm. Tomorrow - back to genealogy. I have an intense two weeks because we have a lot of people to track down.

A late Happy Birthday to my sister Ann who turned 40 yesterday. She kicks off the era of zeros for us girls with mom turning 80 in January, Liz turning 50 next fall and me hitting 60 the following spring. Let's hear it for wrinkles!!!!!

Day 96

The blog almost didn't happen tonight. I was getting no wireless signal at all, from the campground or from Verizon. I started the blog via my Blackberry - not pretty - and then tried more troubleshooting. Finally a message came up - very fancy language but the bottom line was - " Turn the computer internet switch on dummy." So we will now proceed with tonight's update.

I had a beautiful 7 hour drive through the hills of West Virginia and across Kentucky to Frankfort. It was fun to see signs for Rostover Township (where Edward DeHaven enlisted for the Revolutionary War) and Uniontown (birthplace of Moses Sutton) slide by as I made my way out of Pennsylvania. Entering KY, I almost drove off the road as I crossed the Licking River and saw the signs for Boonesborough.

Mom and Liz are in a nice RV park outside Frankfort, KY as are several friends from the Pullman, Montana, and northwest horsey set. It was great to see them and we had several hours to catch up. Everyone is now at the opening ceremonies for the World Equestrian Games. I opted to NOT pay for a very pricey ticket.

However, I did have the opportunity to spend ONE hour this afternoon at the KY Historical Society. Just enough to whet my appetite and be anxious to come back in a month. It is a lovely facility and the Kennedy surname file alone has five folders. Can't wait to start. Tonight while everyone is gone, I am surrounded by maps and old articles trying to trace down General Thomas Kennedy's grave - maybe a field trip tomorrow??? Wouldn't the horse people love a cemetery crawl??

Who knows. It is just good to see the faces I have lived with for the past 14 years. Can't wait to see Karl in NC in a few weeks. I am sure he is glad to see that we spelled his middle name correctly on his birth certificate with 2 Rs and 2 Ts (Sterrett). Of course with all the variation, almost any spelling would be correct. :-)

Day 95

Fiona, for once, headed for the local highway (US 30) rather than the interstate. I had a gorgeous drive from Chambersburg to Greensburg through the mountains (max 2600 ft in elevation - like going from Colorado Springs, to Woodland Park). The leaves were turning gorgeous reds and yellows and blowing crisply across the road. A true fall day.

I found the small Westmoreland County Historical Society by noon. After five hours, I had done lots of looking and reading but no real success. I was really hoping to find the marriage record between Rebecca Johnston and Edward DeHaven but no luck. The Presbyterians were very good at recording sins (e.g., swearing, expulsions from the church, out of wedlock children) but more casual about births, deaths, and marriages.

There were plenty of John Johnstons but not one that fit the parameters for Rebecca's father and no wills to investigate. There was a Solomon and an Isaac DeHaven in the neighborhood (who are probably cousins) but no Edward. Supposedly he enlisted for Revolutionary War service in this county, but no luck on that front either.

One snippet was some information on Sterretts. They were related by marriage to Daniel Boone. The local Sterretts were on their way to NC to join him in the 1770s so they too could go to KY. However, a large snow storm and the lovely countryside waylaid them and they decided to stay in PA. However, the connection between the families may provide a rationale for why our John Sterrett made his way to KY.

Speaking of which, I have decided to take the weekend and visit Mom and Liz. They are in Lexington, KY for the World Equestrian Games. The historical societies in Augusta County, VA are not open over the weekend so I am making a run to KY tomorrow, will visit with them on Sunday and head for VA on Monday. I can't pass up the opportunity when it is only a 6 hour drive. More tomorrow from KY.

Day 94

Today I was off to Carlisle, PA and the Cumberland County Historical Society. I was looking for information on the Sterrett family. The last grandfather we had was John Sterret (b. 1779) who married Sarah DeHaven.

The Historical Society had two large files on Sterretts. I am here to tell you that there are a lot of them and they spell the name Sterrett, Steret, Sterret, Sterett, Steritt........ However, I finally found the right strain. The greatest blessing was that John and Sarah had 7 children two of whom had the names Green and Baird. These are fairly distinctive so when I found a John born in the right year and married to Sarah D. Havens with 7 children including the two wild names, I figured I had the right group. John's parents are Alexander (d. 1786) and Mary (d. 1801) and granparents are Samuel Sterrett (d. Lancaster Co, 1776) and wife Margaret (died 1801 in Augusta Co, VA).

I missed getting Samuel's will in Lancaster County because I was uncertain which line was the correct one. However, I can send for it. Margaret's will should be in Augusta County and I am headed that way next week. Amazingly, Alexander and Mary both moved and then died in Franklin County, PA - and their records should be right here in Chambersburg. Their son John's birth record may also be here. I may have to ask brother John to get copies for me as I must head to Westmoreland County, PA in the morning (based on the hours and days open of the historical society).

Tomorrow in Westmoreland County I will be looking for Edward De Haven and his marriage record. I will also look for John Sterrett because he supposedly left the Franklin/Cumberland County to the area closer to Pittsburgh.

David and I had a great evening together while Muriel worked a PTA fundraiser.

Happy birthday to Ray! How could I possible have a 31 year old son???? His son Archer is crawling, pulling himself up, trying to stand, and "talking" up a storm. Sounds much like his father and uncles.

Day 93

It was a business day. Despite the lack of supporting and signed documents at the beginning of the day, I finished both grants and had them copied and to FedEx by 3:30. I also managed a few personal errands made easier because Muriel knew where to go for services.

Dinner was fun with David talking non-stop about Star Wars. About the time we were settling in for the evening, the ice maker exploded sending water all over the freezer, into the refrigerator section, under the stove, and down to the basement. Towels and quick thinking to the rescue, David, Muriel and I managed to clear the mess and shut off the valve. A repair person is definitely in the near future.

Mom and Liz are on the road to Kentucky and the World Equestrian Games. They are putting in 12 hour days with the motor home to get to Lexington by Thursday. My brother John is there attending a veterinary seminars so they are trying to connect before he heads back here to Chambersburg.

Tomorrow I head for Carlyle, PA for some work on the Sterrett family. Will let you know how the day goes. Now - off to see a Lego pyramid before David goes to bed.