On January 4, 1790, Elizabeth Kennedy presented James Kennedy, Sr, a recent immigrant to Kentucky from Mecklenburg County, NC with his tenth child, a boy whom they named David. The boy grew into a man and came to be known as "Wells David" to distinguish him from his cousin with the same name in the same county and because of his early occupation as a well digger. In 1830, "Wells David" and his wife, Peggy Faulkner had a son of their own to whom they also gave the name David thus starting a tradition that has spanned over 200 years and created an unbroken legacy of eight generations in the same family where David Kennedy has named his own son, David. |
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This is a Family History website. It traces one
branch of my family through a series of fathers and sons all named David Kennedy.
These Kennedy's probably came to America from Northern Ireland around 1735 although they
were most likely of Scottish descent. Settling first in the Buck's County section of
Pennsylvania, they moved within one generation into Augusta County, VA and then on to
Mecklenburg County, NC following a pattern of immigration very common to other Scots-Irish
families in this country. After the Revolutionary War (circa 1783), the Kennedy's
followed their neighbors into central Kentucky before finally relocating at the end of the
19th century to the area surrounding Nashville, TN where they mostly continue to live
today. In a sense, this is a book. Or at least the 21st century's alternative to a book. For my purposes it is better than a book. First off, it is much cheaper and faster to design and post a website than to write, publish and distribute even a paper bound book. Secondly, because genealogical research doesn't end until you find the man/woman who had no parents....a family history book is almost certainly out of date by the time it is published because inevitably new information has subsequently been discovered. Finally, a book in the way we most commonly view it, is a one way medium...that is to say...from the author to the reader. A family history website such as this one is a collaboration. In genealogy, you sometimes encounter a question that cannot be answered. More common however is to have a question that can be answered if only the right person can be found. But even if we consider this website a book, it is not meant to be "read" cover to cover in one sitting. I recommend you start at the Homepage and let your interests take you where they will. Next time, follow a different path. This website is designed to be simple to use and not take forever to download. Starting at the Homepage you will find a graphic of a tree listing each David Kennedy. You can click on any of the name starting with DAVID JOSEPH KENNEDY and it will take you the information that I have on that person and his family. Likewise, there is a list of related surnames located there that can be clicked to start your search. Finally, in the interest of easy website navigation: the top of each webpage contains a mini-family tree that shows where each person "fits" in our family tree. Each branch is itself a hyperlink also. On each page there is a link to PHOTOGRAPHS and IMAGES. Here you will find scanned documents that relate to our family. They are grouped by surname. In a similar fashion, each page contains a link to SOURCE MATERIAL. As the name implies, this will lead you to scanned documents that are the basis of this research. In other words, "where I got this information." At the FAMILY MEMORIES page, I invite my extended family members to include their own ideas, theories or in some cases memories. The easiest way to accomplish this is to go to the HOW TO CONTACT ME page and send me an email. If your prefer, you can also send me a letter via the U.S. Mail or even post your comments in my GUEST BOOK. Even if you don't have information to share at this time, I invite you to leave your comments in the GUEST BOOK. Finally, if you are curious like me, please take the time to view by BRICK WALLS page. Here you find the questions I have yet to answer....perhaps you are the person I have been seeking! RESEARCH LINKS is a listing of the websites that I routinely search for additional information. You can subscribe to many of them to receive updated information automatically. If this is your first time to visit this website, please take a moment to read MY ACCURACY and PRIVACY POLICY. This is very important. It explains why not all the information that is available will be found here. This is especially important if you desire to someday add to these webpages. If you are bemused that anyone would go the effort to dig out this information. I invite you to read AN ESSAY ON GENEALOGY. It is my attempt to answer the question on why people search to discover their family history. For Fellow Family History Researchers: I have additional materials on the families listed here (including secondary lines) that in the interest of maintaining this website at a manageable size I have not posted. If you think you are related to this family but are not sure; please email me and if I can be of assistance in your search, I will provide you with any other work that I have.
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