A historic mile marker on the National Road, the first federal highway (now U.S. 40) across the United States, in Triadelphia, West Virginia. Library of Congress
By Shannon Combs-Bennett, Student
Well, US: Migration Patterns was an amazing course. I have enjoyed each course I’ve written about, but this one really made an impression on me. Lots of great information, charts, maps, tables, plus history. You can’t forget the history part. If you think you can as a genealogist, well, you are going to miss a lot of things.
Recently I was asked who should take a course like this. Frankly anyone with US ancestors, but particularly those who know they have roots that started in one area and then moved to another. Too vague? Let me explain a little bit.
Migration is a natural process and at times needed. Your ancestor may only have moved a few miles. Maybe they moved a few states. Understanding the why, when, how or where-to is key when you are researching. While researching your family, you also get to see a bit about historical events that influenced their lives, social history too. It all works together, you just have to take the pieces and collate them.
Those ideas were presented in easy to understand concepts and pieces throughout the modules. I know many of you will appreciate that. Sometimes courses can be so full of information that it is difficult to internalize and remember it all. Not in this case.
In fact, I have started looking over a few of my brick wall cases that I think will benefit from me taking this course. It helps that most of my family were in place by 1870, but they still had to get there. Many of the possible record types they could have left a trace in I have not searched yet. No kidding, I have a three page list of things I think I should look at for one family alone.
Needless to say, I think I will also appreciate my cross country trips more. I even may stop a few more times (if the family will let me) and take pictures of these areas that were common for travelers over the centuries. Driving over the Cumberland Gap is an experience, and as a child the daunting task those pioneers undertook was lost on me. Not so much now that I have driven it myself.
Well, it is off to the next course US Probate Records. See you online!!
