I'm pretty sure at one time or another that someone has told me to look at possible travel routes my ancestors may have taken. Routes in context to the travel options available in the appropriate time period, such as the railroad. At one time or another someone, maybe several someones, told me to map out the locations where I knew my ancestors lived. I might have even attended a class, or four, that stressed using Google Maps to help visualize our family in their locations. I apologize to each and every one of you, that shared that very valuable information with me, for ignoring your advice.
Had I taken your advice I might not have limited my searches to only the counties my ancestors actually lived in. I might have taken into account that they had to get from one place to another, thus crossing through other counties and states, possibly creating records in those counties as well. Lesson learned...finally!
Jenna, I struggle with this same issue. My family came from New Jersey to Ohio, then to Missouri. I know they lived in Illinois for a while, but can't figure out where. My husband's family took a route similiar to yours, apparently, stopping in Springfield, Illinois. I haven't really sat down and mapped out the routes very well, so I can search the surrounding counties. Did you have success??
ReplyDeleteGood piece of advice, and something I should learn. Guess we could all learn a little geography. Thanks Jenna.
ReplyDeleteThis made me chuckle – in recognition! If you are like me, you might find that you have to learn lessons multiple times :-0
ReplyDeleteKaren, we will see how much success I have! I've been trying to not always use a geographic area to limit my search and to always search using bordering counties. In Illinois the township I was looking at crossed into 2 counties, so I was only getting results from the 1 county. As soon as I took the county name out and left just the township, voila! There my people were!
ReplyDeleteApplication is the highest form of learning! And what a wonderful reward for the learning, right?
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