The Danse Macabre

The Teter Family's Horrifying Trip From Virginia to Illinois

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 18 Theme: Road Trip

Generation 13:

My 8th Great Grandmother

Rebecca Henckel Teter

and 

Generation 12:

Abraham Teter (son of Rebecca) and his wife Mary Kittle Teter

My 7th Great Grandparents

Line of Descent:  Rigsby, Kienlen, Aden, Holland, Hartman, Estep, Teter

Hans Holbein, 1549 (public domain)

Death comes for us all. 

I have always been fascinated by the Black Death, which swept across Europe, Asia, and North Africa during the 14th century. This terrible disease killed an estimated 50-60% of the affected population. I can't imagine how our ancestors coped after such an event. After all, we descend from the survivors. 

In 1797, the Teter family, along with about 150 others, left Hardy or Pendleton County, Virginia (now West Virginia) for a better life in Illinois. This is the story of their journey as published in several books and county histories.


Life is fragile, and you never know when skeletons will take you to the dance of death.