Members of this family spell their name as both "BacH" and "BacK"

Learn all about your family's fascinating genealogy
with one or more of these books!
If you have an ancestor with the last name of Bach, or Back, who lived in southeastern Kentucky, then you descend from the family of the famous musician, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).
Johann Sebastian Bach had a cousin named Johann Christoph Bach, and his grandson, Johann Heinrich Bach (1709-1789), sailed to America, in 1740. He settled in southern Virginia, near the Robinson River, and he simplified the spelling of his name to be, John Henry Back. He had three sons: John Back (1738-1794); Henry Back (1740-1809); and Joseph Back (1745-1819).
Joseph Back (1745-1819) married Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard (1755-1826), around 1772. They had four children: Joseph Back Jr. (1773-1802); John Back (1774-1854); Mary Back (1777-1807); and Henry Back (1785-1871). In 1791, the family migrated to southeastern Kentucky, and they founded the Bach (Back) family there. They first settled along Quicksand Creek, in what is now Breathitt County. But they later moved to some land near the Cumberland River, in what is now Harlan County, around 1796.
Joseph's wife Elizabeth died in 1826, and she was buried near the Cumberland River. The Maggard Cemetery was soon created, around her grave, because she had been raised by the Maggard family. However, her gravestone was illegally removed from the cemetery, in 1988, by "The Back-Bach Genealogical Society." They erected a new gravestone over her remains, but it described her sister-in-law, Elizabeth Hoffman Back (b. 7-13-1746). That woman was married to Joseph's brother, Henry Back (1740-1809), but she had actually died in Rockingham County, Virginia, back in 1813, and she was buried there, on her son Aaron Back's land.
"The Back-Bach Genealogical Society" deliberately created that fake gravestone for Elizabeth Hoffman Back (b. 7-13-1746), in order to "prove" their fraudulent genealogy. They first claimed that Henry Back (1740-1809) was a son of Harman Back. (He wasn't.) Then they claimed that, after Henry died, his 64-year-old widow, Elizabeth Hoffman Back (b. 7-13-1746), suddenly moved over 400 miles, through the dense wilderness, to southeastern Kentucky and founded the Bach (Back) family there. (She didn't, so they erected that fake gravestone for her, to make it look like she did.)
They also claimed that Henry Back (1740-1809) and his wife Elizabeth Hoffman Back (b. 7-13-1746) were the parents of John Back (1774-1854), Mary Back (1777-1807), and Henry Back (1785-1871), by simply inscribing their names on the back of the fake gravestone. (Of course, they weren't their children.)
The fraudulent genealogy of Harman Back supposedly being the ancestor of the Bach (Back) family in southeastern Kentucky has been around since the 1990s, even though there is not one piece of evidence whatsoever to support it. In contrast, there is a significant amount of evidence to support the actual genealogy.
This book provides the actual genealogy of the Bach (Back) family from southeastern Kentucky. The genealogy comes from the well-documented research of Johann Sebastian Bach, Dr. Wilgus Bach, Tilden Bach, and many others. If you descend from this family, you need to get this book, not only for yourself, but for your children and grandchildren, in order to preserve the truth of your heritage.
ISBN #978-0-9891687-8-6
The book is coil-bound, and it includes an Index
$40 (includes free shipping)
Before Tilden Bach passed away, in 2009, he provided us with the rights to sell his books. This book of his is just one of several books that were published, in the early 2000s, which presented the actual and well-documented genealogy of the Bach (Back) family in southeastern Kentucky.
Around 2002, Karen Back Simmons, who is a descendant of the Bach (Back) family in southeastern Kentucky, commented online that she knew the genealogy that Tilden had documented in his books was correct, because he presented proof of it. She also wrote how "sad" she was, when she found out that Harman Back was definitely not her ancestor. However, when she later wanted to join DAR, she pretended that Harman Back was her ancestor, just so she could join, and she also created her fraudulent "DNA Project," in order to "prove" that she descends from Harman Back.
Karen brazenly shows a screenshot from page 7b of Tilden's book, about Elizabeth Hoffman Back (b. 7-13-1746), on her bizarre "family genealogy website," which is in violation of our copyright. But she deliberately cut off the last four lines of it, because Tilden had correctly written that, after Elizabeth's husband Henry died, she moved to Rockingham County, Virginia, with her son Aaron, and her sister Margaret; she never moved to Kentucky.
Karen cut off those lines because the fraudulent genealogy of Harman Back claims that Elizabeth Hoffman Back (b. 7-13-1746) moved to southeastern Kentucky, after her husband Henry died, and that she founded the Bach (Back) family there. That cropped screenshot is just one way that Karen "hijacks" proof of the actual genealogy of the Bach (Back) family from southeastern Kentucky, and then turns it into so-called "proof" of the fraudulent genealogy of Harman Back. But she does something, a little bit different, with the land deeds for Elizabeth Pennington Back (1795-1855).
As Tilden wrote, on page 9-12 of his book, before Elizabeth Pennington married Lewis Back, in 1812, she had an affair with Andrew Cope, in 1809, who was married. She gave birth to his baby, in 1810. He and his family quickly left Kentucky, but before he left, he told Elizabeth that she and the baby could live on his land. In fact, his name is on the 1815 Tax List as owning the land that she lived on. In 1823, Andrew returned to Kentucky and he gifted that land to her. He even stated in the deed that he was, "held and firmly bound to Elizabeth Back." In other words, giving her that land was his way of apologizing for getting her pregnant. And in 1831, she deeded that land to her husband Lewis Back.
However, Karen claims that the Elizabeth in those two deeds was Elizabeth Hoffman Back (b. 7-13-1746), and that, in 1831, she deeded the land to her son Lewis! (Of course, Karen can't explain why Andrew Cope allegedly gifted the land to Elizabeth Hoffman Back, in 1823!) Karen continues to claim that the 1831 deed is "proof" that Elizabeth Hoffman Back (b. 7-13-1746) moved to southeastern Kentucky, even though she knows full well that there is solid proof that Elizabeth Hoffman Back (b. 7-13-1746) moved to Rockingham County, Virginia, with her son Aaron, after her husband Henry died. That's because Elizabeth is listed with her son Aaron, on the 1810-1812 tax lists in Rockingham County, as "Aaron Back and mother." But, Karen simply claims that isn't her!
It's shocking how Karen "hijacks" actual proof of her own family's genealogy, and twists it around to suit her fraudulent genealogy. It's also shocking what she has done to Tilden's brilliant research.
Tilden's book will be available for sale very soon.
In the early 1900s, Dr. Wilgus Bach was the highly-respected historian for the Bach (Back) family, in Breathitt County, Kentucky. Dr. Bach interviewed many elderly people, about their ancestors, and he made notes about what they told him. He compiled his notes into this "Manuscript of Families."
After Dr. Bach died, his widow later donated his book to the Kentucky Historical Society. Sadly, shortly after that, a member of "The Back-Bach Genealogical Society" went to that facility, and he got hold of Dr. Bach's book. While that man sat all alone, in the archives, he removed numerous pages from the book that documented the actual history of the Bach (Back) family. He also used an ink pen, and a bottle of "White-out," to change Dr. Bach's research about the Bach (Back) family, to include Harman Back. He even inserted a page of the fraudulent genealogy about Harman Back, which he had written himself, into Dr. Bach's book. That shows just how aggressive all of these people are, who support that fraudulent genealogy of Harman Back.
In addition to the section about the Bach (Back) family, the book also contains Dr. Bach's genealogical information about 62 other families in Breathitt County, Kentucky: Adams, Banks, Blair, Boggs, Bowman, Breeding, Byrd, Calhoun, Campbell, Carpenter, Caudill, Chambers, Cockrill, Combs, Cooper, Cope, Craft, Crawford, Davis, Deaton, Eversole, Fields, Frazier, Fugate, Gabbard, Gibbs, Haddix, Hagins, Hargis, Hensley, Hogg, Holbrook, Holliday, Hollon, Hounshell, Howard, Hudson, Hurst, Kash, Landrum, Landsaw, Lovely, Maggard, Miller, Murphy, Noble, Reynolds, Roberts, Robertson (Robinson), Rose, Russell, Short, Smith, South, Stacy, Stamper, Strong, Swango, Terry, Turner, Tutt, and Williams.
The book is on a DVD
$20 (includes free shipping)
In 1762, Johann Heinrich Bach (aka John Henry Back), who was the immigrant in this Bach (Back) family, and who had settled in southern Virginia, bought an old Bible (actually a Catechism) from his cousin, Johann Christian Bach, who still lived back in Europe. Johann Christian Bach was the son of Johann Sebastian Bach, and he had inherited many of his father's books.
In late 1787, John Henry Back wrote down, in his Bible, the names and dates of birth of five of his family members who were at his cabin one day: his daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Hoffman Back (b. 7-13-1746), who was married to his son Henry Back (1740-1809), and their infant son Lewis Back (b. 10-14-1787); and three of the four children of his son Joseph Back (1745-1819) and his wife Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard Back: John Back (b. 11-19-1774), Mary Back (b. 11-1-1777), and Henry Back (b. 2-6-1785).
Because Elizabeth Hoffman Back's name and date of birth (b. 7-13-1746) were written into this old Bible, which was owned by John Henry Back, that is absolute proof that she had married into his family, and not into the family of Harman Back, who lived 25 miles away, up in Little Fork.
In 1791, when John Henry Back's son Joseph Back (1745-1819), his wife Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard Back, and their four children, migrated to southeastern Kentucky, they took that Bible with them. Over the next 120 years (until 1911), many other family members recorded their names and dates of birth into that Bible as well.
The Bach Family Bible provides additional proof of the actual genealogy of the Bach (Back) family from southeastern Kentucky. It's also fascinating to see the handwriting of your ancestors.
The book is on a DVD
$20 (includes free shipping)
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Don't be fooled by the fraudulent genealogy of this family!
Back in 1994, a few members of the Bach (Back) family in southeastern Kentucky set up a little club they called, "The Back-Bach Genealogical Society." They deliberately created a fraudulent genealogy of their own family, by claiming that they descend from a man named Harman Back (1708-1789), through his alleged son Henry Back (1740-1809), just so they could join DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution). That's because Harman Back and Henry Back had been designated as "Patriots" in DAR. Harman had only donated some booze to some soldiers, and Henry's name was on a list of potential soldiers. But neither man had actually ever fought in the Revolutionary War. However, DAR uses them (and other "Patriots") to sell memberships in their little club, to the descendants of their so-called, "Patriots." DAR only exists by selling memberships. In fact, just about anyone who was alive during that war can be a "Patriot" in DAR!
As the years went by, most people began to realize that "The Back-Bach Genealogical Society" didn't have any proof whatsoever of their claim that the family descends from Harman Back, or Henry Back, because they don't descend from them. And so, in 2004, when a member of this Bach (Back) family (Karen Back Simmons) wanted to join DAR, she knew that she had to come up with something that would surely fool DAR into believing that fraudulent genealogy. That's when she created "The Bach to Back DNA Project."
Karen set up her "DNA Project" on FamilyTreeDNA.com. She first obtained a DNA sample from her brother (John Back). Then she got a DNA sample from a known descendant of Harman Back (Greg Back). However, those two DNA samples didn't match at all, according to the extensive, scientific calculations done by the website's engineers, on their "Time Predictor Calculator." So she just kept those results a secret. However, we were able to get a copy of those results, from Greg Back, and it's true...The DNA sample from a member of the Bach (Back) family from southeastern Kentucky (John Back) does not match the DNA sample from a known descendant of Harman Back (Greg Back). That absolutely proves that the Bach (Back) family from southeastern Kentucky does not descend from Harman Back.
Furthermore, all historical information, and all historical documents, prove that the Bach (Back) family from southeastern Kentucky does not descend from Harman Back or Henry Back. Karen and her ilk claim that Harman had two sons, Henry Back (1740-1809) and John Back (1738-1794), and that Henry's widow, Elizabeth Hoffman Back (b. 7-13-1746), moved to southeastern Kentucky and founded the Bach (Back) family there. That is absolutely not true. In fact, there is no proof that Harman ever even had a son named Henry, or a son named John.
There was no Henry Back listed in any tax list in Little Fork, Virginia, where Harman lived, nor was there a John Back listed in any tax list in Little Fork either. But there was a Henry Back (1740-1809) and a John Back (1738-1794), who were brothers, and the sons of John Henry Back (Johann Heinrich Bach), and they were listed in the tax lists in the far southern part of Culpeper County, near the Robinson River (25 miles south of Little Fork), and practically next door to John Hoffman and his wife Maria Sabina Folg. The Hoffman's had a large family, including two daughters, Elizabeth Hoffman (b. 7-13-1746) and Margaret Hoffman (b. 11-27-1748). Around 1775, Henry Back married Elizabeth Hoffman, and his brother John Back married her sister, Margaret Hoffman. Two brothers married two sisters! They were neighbors, which was how they knew each other. This has been well-documented by numerous historians.
Thirteen years after John Back died, his widow Margaret Hoffman Back sold their farm in southern Virginia, in 1807, and she soon moved to Rockingham County, Virginia, with her daughter Elizabeth, and her husband John Embry. So, when Henry Back died, in 1809, his widow Elizabeth Hoffman Back (Margaret's sister), and her son Aaron Back, moved to Rockingham County as well. The two sisters lived right across the creek (Wolf Run) from each other. All of these people are well-documented as living in Rockingham County, in census reports, tax lists, and land deeds. In fact, in the 1810 Census Report, Elizabeth was the elderly woman living with her son Aaron, who was "the head of the household." Living right next door was Henry Hammer; Aaron married his daughter, in 1811. In addition, Elizabeth was listed in the tax lists, from 1810-1812, in Rockingham County, living with her son Aaron. All of those listings said, "Aaron Back and mother." It is believed that Elizabeth died, either in late 1812, or early 1813, because she was not indicated on the 1813 tax list. She was buried along Wolf Run. She never went to Kentucky. Her son Aaron sold his land along Wolf Run, in 1816, and then he and his wife moved to Ohio. Elizabeth's sister Margaret died around 1834, shortly after she sold her land along Wolf Run, and she was buried there as well.
Henry Back (1740-1809) and John Back (1738-1794) had a younger brother, Joseph Back (1745-1819). He married Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard (1755-1826). Both of her parents had died when she was young. (They were not related to John Hoffman and Maria Sabina Folg.) And so, Elizabeth was raised by a neighbor, Samuel Maggard (1716-1778), and his family. That's why modern-day researchers refer to her as "Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard Back," so as not to confuse her with her sister-in-law, "Elizabeth Hoffman Back." In fact, Samuel Maggard's grandson, Samuel Maggard (1774-1853), became the best friend of Joseph Back's son, John Back (1774-1854), and young Samuel actually migrated to Kentucky with the Bach (Back) family, in 1791.
But even though there was no DNA match, between Karen's brother (John Back), and the known descendant of Harman Back (Greg Back), Karen continued on, with her "DNA Project," anyway. She was absolutely determined to "prove" that she descended from Harman Back. So, she used a variety of fraudulent techniques, and outright deceptions, to make it appear, on a little chart on FamilyTreeDNA's website, that she got DNA samples, from several other men, from both families, and that all of their DNA samples were, according to her, "a perfect match." Then she simply wrote in the name of "Harman Back," herself, on that little chart, as being the ancestor of each participant, even though DNA tests cannot possibly provide the name of an ancestor like that, from hundreds of years ago. She just wrote in his name herself.
By 2024, Karen was able to convince DAR to accept her "DNA Project" as proof that she descends from Harman Back, even though DAR has a policy of not allowing DNA tests to be the only proof of lineage, as stated on their website. But even though there was no actual proof that Karen descends from Harman Back, such any historical document (because there aren't any historical documents to prove that), DAR was very happy to overlook their own policy, in order to gain access to the thousands of descendants in the Bach (Back) family from southeastern Kentucky, so that they could sell memberships to them, because that is what DAR does.
Karen already had ancestors on her mother's side of her family who were "Patriots" in DAR, but with Harman Back, she finally achieved "the ultimate goal of all DAR members," which is, "having Patriots on both sides of the family." She's now an "officer" in DAR.
Karen has also set up a bizarre "family genealogy website," to promote the fraudulent genealogy about Harman Back. It's packed full of lies, misinformation, twisted facts, and altered documents. She has even purposefully misidentified people on various historical documents, to "prove" her fraudulent genealogy. She has loaded up so much junk, and so many lies, on her website, simply because she thinks that the sheer volume of it all will convince people that it's all true. But it's all lies. She even claims that some of her own ancestors never even existed, including Joseph Back (1745-1819), and his wife Elizabeth Hoffman-Maggard Back (1755-1826). She also claims that Johann Heinrich Bach (John Henry Back) never sailed to America, even though his name is on a 1740 passenger list on the ship Lydia (along with his brother and cousin), and his land deed shows the 786 acres that he owned, near the Robinson River.
Even worse, in the spring of 2024, Karen went onto FindAGrave.com, FamilySearch.org, and WikiTree.com (and probably other genealogy websites), and by using the support of DAR, her "DNA Project," her bizarre "family genealogy website," and her memberships in eight genealogy clubs, as her "proof," she got the actual genealogy of her own family removed from those websites, along with all the documents that proved that actual genealogy. Then she replaced it with the fraudulent genealogy about Harman Back, but yet, without one actual historical document to prove it. (By the way, a membership in any genealogy club doesn't require genealogical knowledge, and so it doesn't make you a genealogy expert. Those memberships only require that you pay dues, to join.)
Karen Back Simmons now actually maintains a virtual stranglehold on those genealogy websites, and she prohibits them from allowing the actual genealogy of her own family, and any proof of that actual genealogy, to be presented on them. If you try to post the actual genealogy, on those genealogy websites, she will quickly get it removed; and if you persist, she will get you permanently banned from that website. It's truly unbelievable.
Her behavior is so sad and so disgraceful. No normal person would ever do such a thing to their own family, just so they could join DAR, and "get Patriots on both sides of their family."
***What's even more disgraceful is the fact that, in 2022, after DAR had completed their in-house investigation, conducted by their own expert genealogists, of a massive, in-depth research project concerning Harman Back, Henry Back, and the Bach (Back) family from southeastern Kentucky, they clearly stated on their website that:
(1) Neither Harman Back or his son Harman Back Jr. had sons named John Back or Henry Back; and
(2) Henry Back (1740-1809) is not the father of John Back (1774-1854) who married Catherine Robertson, nor is he the father of Henry Back (1785-1871) who married Susannah Maggard.
Isn't that interesting. Please see the PDF below, which contains screenshots of DAR's website, in 2022.
However, by the spring of 2024, Karen had proven to DAR, just how many memberships they could potentially sell, to the thousands of descendants of the Bach (Back) family from southeastern Kentucky, just by letting them think that they descend from "Patriot" Harman Back, through his alleged son, "Patriot" Henry Back. So, DAR then removed their accurate information about Harman Back and Henry Back, from their website, and they replaced it with the fraudulent genealogy about Harman Back and Henry Back. At the same time, Karen began her takeover of all of the main genealogy websites.
On her bizarre "family genealogy website," Karen shows this section from Tilden Bach's well-researched book, but she deliberately cut off the last four lines (the lines shown in yellow above), because Tilden had correctly written that Elizabeth Hoffman Back (b. 7-13-1746) had actually moved to Rockingham County, Virginia, after her husband Henry had died, not to southeastern Kentucky, as the fraudulent genealogy claims. Karen will do anything, just to "prove" her fraudulent genealogy. It's so disgraceful.
Karen claims that the tax lists in Rockingham County, Virginia do not show Elizabeth Hoffman Back (b. 7-13-1746) living there with her son Aaron, even though they most certainly do. Elizabeth moved there, with her son Aaron, after her husband Henry died, in 1809. She and Aaron were listed as, "Aaron and mother," in several tax lists, including this one from 1810. That's why Karen has suddenly started claiming that Aaron's mother was Elizabeth's sister Margaret! Her lies and deceptions are endless.
This website is published by a group of cousins whose Bach (Back) ancestors come from southeastern Kentucky.
Our family definitely does not descend from Harman Back or Henry Back.
We descend from Johann Heinrich Bach, whose grandfather was Johann Christoph Bach, who was a cousin of Johann Sebastian Bach.
We are proud of our ancestors, and we are pleased to provide the accurate genealogy of our family.
The truth is on our side, and DAR and Karen Back Simmons know it. We have absolute proof of everything on this website.
Contact: P r o f e s s i o n a l R e s e a c h e r s (a t) m a i l (d o t) c o m
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