MEET THE CAPTAIN

   John  Kenneth Brantley

Ken Brantley first became involved in genealogical research in 1962.  He may have taken short spans of time out to further his aviation career, but clearly his greatest thrill has been in genealogy.

He published his first genealogical book in 1985, a true Civil War story involving his mother's family.  In 1987, after 25 years of research, he founded The Brantley Association of America currently including over 500 membership families and still growing. As the president of the association, Ken has published over 2500 pages of historical  and genealogical data on the Brantley family alone.   In addition, he has published five commercial publications of various genealogical materials.  

In 1990, he produced the first known official genealogically specific documentary of an early American family.   The video production: Edward Brantly - His Life - His Progeny is found in libraries and in hundreds of Brantley homes throughout America.

Ken joined the Federal Aviation Administration in 1968 and became an airman examiner and aircarrier certification specialist in the Flight Standards Division.  He flight-tested and certified pilots, approved and monitored Flight Training Programs for Pilot Schools and Air Carrier flight training facilities for over 25 years.  In 1998, after 30 years with the agency he  retired from the FAA and is presently a contract pilot, flight instructor and designated Proficiency Examiner in the Lockheed Jet Star, an aircraft he has specialized in for over 20 years.

A native of Cobb County, Georgia, Ken and his wife, Linda are the parents of six children and grandparents of eight children.