Ancestor Adventuring and Adventures – 52 Ancestors (Ancestors 22, 24, 25, 46, 47, 62, 63, 72, 73, 96, 114, 480, 960)

Lately, I’ve been writing a few articles to go along with the weekly suggested themes of the 52 Ancestors Challenge. It’s what got me started with this blog in January 2014* during Amy Johnson Crow’s first year of the challenge.

I couldn’t think of what to write on this week’s theme of adventure. All that came to mind were danger and travels. It seemed like there should be more to it than that. So, being the good daughter of a former Latin and English teacher who taught me much about English (with a tad of Latin thown in for good measure and which I don’t remember), I looked up the word.

Richard of Kentucky, are you my KING? Richard, Oh, Richard, who is your Queen? – 52 Ancestors (Possible Ancestor 50)

UPDATE January 2019: After more study, I do believe that the Sabina/Sibby BALLENGER I discuss in this article was not Labina/Libby, but was indeed Sabina/Sibby. I have modified the article accordingly.

NOTE: January 2019. After this article, I discovered that the original interactive maps for Kentucky are at mapofus.org.

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I did not want to have to try to figure out new ancestors this week. It’s so hard! I have the flu! And I wrote every day last week! With the flu! But the 52 Ancestors theme this week is “King.” How could I not do something on my KING ancestors? Maybe somebody else in the group will have the same ancestors.

Wouldn’t that be lucky?
Oh, dear, these folks were in Kentucky!

Barbara Ellen (HAAS) WILSON – First American Birth – 52 Ancestors (Ancestor 13)

Barbara Ellen HAAS, my great grandmother, was born in August, 1854, in Pennsylvania, probably in Philadelphia. Her family, consisting of her parents and six older siblings had emigrated from Sulzbach, Freudenstadt, Württemberg, Germany in 1851. Her brother Henry was born on the River Rhine on the voyage from Germany. Her youngest sibling was born in Indiana for a total of eight.

Finding Mary WHITAKER, part 1 of ? – mtDNA U5a1(i1a1) – 52 Ancestors (Ancestor 127)

Reading about the possibility of determining your direct maternal ancestor via Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) testing can be discouraging. “Woman don’t have the luxury of carrying their surnames from generation to generation.” “Common ancestors on mtDNA lines tend to be too far back to be of any genealogical use.” “Mitochondrial DNA testing can determine where in history your direct maternal line is from, but finding cousins and common ancestors had best be left to Autosomal DNA testing.” “It is hard to do.” I have spent my life in HARD and DISCOURAGING and IMPROBABLE, so I am not dissuaded.

They Went on Horseback – Henry Bascom WILSON and Amanda Melvina KING – 52 Ancestors (Ancestors 24 and 25)

Henry Bascom WILSON was the tenth child of Robert and Nancy (SCOTT) WILSON, and grandson of Isaac WILSON and his wife Anna —— of Sussex County, Delaware.

He was born in Decatur County, Indiana, 13 June 1824. I like to think of my ancestors as little babies. We all start there – as sweet little babies. But the only photo I have of him is this one from a group picture where he was an old man.

Henry Bascom Wilson, Circa 1910-1913.