Kackley FamilyThese pages are a work-in-progress to record and preserve the genealogy of my family. My goal is to draw together information from various sources to build a picture of my ancestors' lives from the traces they left behind.
-- Nancy D. Kackley |
Kackleys
Wanderlust or Just Time to Hit the Road? A 'Come-Here' Legacy.
As I've aged, genealogy became more interesting to me, as it does to many. Studying my paternal lineage, I realized that most of my male ancestors left home - moving away from their birthplace - and died somewhere else, whether that was tens or hundreds of miles away. Germany -> Virginia -> West Virginia -> Illinois -> Missouri -> Michigan. In my immediate family, the pattern has continued. This differs greatly from my husband's family where the 5 generations have resided in the same small town. Compared to him, I'm definitely a 'come-here'. Being a 'come-here' seems to be my heritage. OK - let's embrace that!
I became interested in the traces we leave behind in the landscape when we live somewhere. I stumbled on references to the "Kackley cabin" sitting alongside Rt. 50 just west of the WV-VA border. I was surprised that it had survived, relatively intact, since circa 1790. I became interested to know if I could find the places where other ancestors had lived and to see if they had left behind any traces of their time there other than a gravestone. Of course, deeds and wills are great sources of info, but Google Maps can reveal some surprising clues too.
As my investigations continued, I find myself imagining why a particular ancestor might have decided to pack up and move away. What might have been going on in the family, the region, or the country that influenced him and his wife to make this decision? More on that later.
As I've aged, genealogy became more interesting to me, as it does to many. Studying my paternal lineage, I realized that most of my male ancestors left home - moving away from their birthplace - and died somewhere else, whether that was tens or hundreds of miles away. Germany -> Virginia -> West Virginia -> Illinois -> Missouri -> Michigan. In my immediate family, the pattern has continued. This differs greatly from my husband's family where the 5 generations have resided in the same small town. Compared to him, I'm definitely a 'come-here'. Being a 'come-here' seems to be my heritage. OK - let's embrace that!
I became interested in the traces we leave behind in the landscape when we live somewhere. I stumbled on references to the "Kackley cabin" sitting alongside Rt. 50 just west of the WV-VA border. I was surprised that it had survived, relatively intact, since circa 1790. I became interested to know if I could find the places where other ancestors had lived and to see if they had left behind any traces of their time there other than a gravestone. Of course, deeds and wills are great sources of info, but Google Maps can reveal some surprising clues too.
As my investigations continued, I find myself imagining why a particular ancestor might have decided to pack up and move away. What might have been going on in the family, the region, or the country that influenced him and his wife to make this decision? More on that later.
Proudly powered by Weebly