About three years ago I started a new family chart. Not so much to show family relationships, but to show what was happening in the world the years my ancestors lived. My thought was to know what my ancestors experienced and were concerned about during their lives.
The earliest date on my chart – at present – is 1700. But since I have information about ancestors who lived in North America 1612-1699 I think I will have to add in those extra years. The chart is already huge – 327 columns – which includes the name of the ancestor, their birth and death dates. What’s another 100 columns?
Pardon the photos – I took them with my camera. Couldn’t figure out how to take a screen shot and save to my computer, so I took shots with my camera. Let me just say, this large, curved monitor is much easier on eyes! The first shows the yellow lines of several of my ancestors. John Hancock Linton, who married Ann Mason lived from 1750-1836. He has 86 blocks of yellow shown on the chart. Anything in the rows above – Wars, Presidents, Dates in American History, Dates in World History and County Formation of Kentucky – show what he lived through during his life.
John Compton Taylor was born in 1785, when Nelson County, Kentucky, was formed. He was also born just before the French Revolution. And he was eight years old when Kentucky became a state. John lived through the terms of 18 presidents, the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, the Mexican War and the Civil War.
My 2nd great-grandmother Catherine Elizabeth Taylor Linton was born in 1830 and lived 80 years – passing away in 1910. Think of the changes she saw!
I plan to add more information in the top rows – perhaps inventions, national and world events, etc. Any thoughts on what might be interesting to include?
I will attach a copy of the chart for you to use. Please let me know your thoughts! Your input is always invaluable! This is a work in progress!
Have a great day!
Categories: Family Stories
Fascinating ❤️
Phyllis, thanks so much for sharing the worksheet. I’ve used similar worksheets to create various timelines. I have 2,134 people in my tree–I’ve concentrated on the main trunk in order to work my way back to the first Price that came to America. Of that total, 250 were born in Kentucky making it a pivotable location either as a destination (68 were buried in KY) or as a waypoint. Austin TX was my key city since my father and grandfather were born there as a result of my GGF and GGGF moving there. I used newspapers.com to determine: 1) when did electricity arrive, 2) telephones, 3) ice, 4) ice cream, 5) automobiles–things that impacted the quality of life. I guess this would be related to your idea to add inventions to your worksheet. Adding a column for place of birth (state? county? country?) and place of death would allow a basic picture of migration. Again you were most gracious to share the worksheet and I’m grateful for all the things you share through the Kentucky Kindred emails!
Clay, thank you for your kind words!! Place of birth is an excellent idea!! Also agree that timing of electricity, water, phones, etcetera, would be good. Especially good for the 20th century!! I hope this chart comes in handy in some small way!
Thank you! I like this very much. It would be nice to have more localized events, but with so many ancestors, I imagine they’re spread out geographically and the local events would apply to only a few people. Thanks again for sharing.
You could use one for each family and vary it according to the area. So many ways to make it suit your needs!
I would love anything written on Clark County, Kentucky. I have some books that have been published, have visited there, my father was born there, etc. My one brick wall in all my families lines (both sides) is my gg-grandfather George Hardman buried in Winchester, KY, born somewhere in VA (maybe WVA?) in 1811. Because of BigY-DNA on Family Tree DNA we believe the name was Hartman but have no idea when the spelling might have changed….etc. The wall is where did this family originate? Pennsylvania? …and so another week begins searching for the elusive George’s parents, etc..…..