EPISODES
WHAT IS KENTUCKY ANCESTORS?
A program centered on genealogy discovery, Kentucky Ancestors digs into the roots of Kentucky’s family tree to answer big questions that have eluded families for generations. By making connections between family folklore and the existing historical record, the KHS team investigates a series of mysteries rooted in Kentucky genealogy and reveals the findings in a live presentation.
“By delving into these compelling family histories and then sharing our findings, we hope to inspire others to trace their roots,” said Scott Alvey, KHS Executive Director. “These cases offer invaluable teaching moments that give people new tips and techniques for solving their own family mysteries. They also tell some of Kentucky’s most rich and fascinating stories, and those moments can be really exciting and sometimes very emotional.”
Season One
SEASON ONE EPISODES
"Victims of Frontier Era Serial Killers the Harp Brothers" - The Harp Brothers, notorious frontier killers, allegedly murdered up to 50 people in the late 1790s. Descendants of some victims learned new information about their relatives.
"The Surprising Story of Abolitionist John Drew" - Drew, a mixed-race Jackson Countian, was an abolitionist and itinerant minister. Discover findings about his activism and connection with John Gregg Fee.
"Slave to Soldier: Alexander Beaumont" - Descendants wonder about Union soldier Alexander Beaumont's legal status before the Civil War: Was he enslaved by a Garrard County family or a free man when he arrived at Camp Nelson?
"The Doctor Who Squashed a Bugg: Granville Crawford" - One Kentucky family untangles a web of mysteries born from an Ohio County family feud and the shocking court cases that followed.
"Mysterious Story of a Morgan Raider: John Doty" - Through clues found in a pension application, the Doty family tries to determine the service record of a Confederate soldier rumored to be one of Morgan’s Raiders.
Season Two
SEASON TWO EPISODES
"Afoul of the Law” – A corrupt Kentucky lawman tries to get away with murder but ends up in the electric chair instead.
“The Spoils of War” – This intriguing tale details how ferry boats helped smuggling efforts during the Civil War.
“H.P. McGrath & the Kentucky Derby” – Learn about the rise of an Irish immigrant and his connection to the Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports.
"The Children of Flatboat George” – A Mason County mystery seeks the truth about an ancestor and the people he enslaved.
“The Lifeblood of Kentucky” – Discover one family’s bond to Kentucky’s waterways and their crucial role in our state’s history.