Search for content in message boards

Travel from Eastern NY to Ohio

Travel from Eastern NY to Ohio

Posted: 19 Jun 2008 6:57PM GMT
Classification: Query
I have two families that were in eastern NY, the first family in Otsego Co., NY migrated to Licking Co. Ohio in 1830 to 1840. The Erie Canal route doesn't seem to be the answer. Were their trade routes and/or trails?

The second family was in Renselear Co., NY and then turned up in Portage Co. Ohio by 1840. Could they have traveled the same route but stopped shosrter?

One family traveled to Gratiot Co. Michigan in 1850, the other to Lenawee Co., Michigan in the 1840's.
Any help as to where to find any information will be helpful. Thank you

Re: Travel from Eastern NY to Ohio

Posted: 2 Sep 2010 9:02AM GMT
Classification: Query
Concerning this movement pattern to the west, there has always been a land route to Buffalo that more or less followed the route set by the later Erie Canal. The goal was to get to Buffalo, stock up, and travel west via the Great Lakes.

Re: Travel from Eastern NY to Ohio

Posted: 25 Jul 2013 7:04AM GMT
Classification: Query
I have just researched a similar problem statement and found the following references in my bibliography to have been the most useful. All are available free online. Hope this helps.

Drake, Samuel Adams. The Making of the Ohio Valley States, 1660-1837. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1894.

Dwight, Margaret Van Horn. A Journey to Ohio in 1810.
New Haven: Yale University Press, 1820.

Faris, John T. On the Trail of the Pioneers. New York: George H. Doran, 1920.

Matthews, Lois Kimball. The Erie Canal and the Settlement of the West. Paper read at the Conference on Western History, meeting of the American Historical Association in New York City, 30 December 1909.



Re: Travel from Eastern NY to Ohio

Posted: 7 Aug 2013 10:18PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thanks for the information, I will see if I can find the books. You say they are on line, where should I start looking for them?
Betty-Jane

Re: Travel from Eastern NY to Ohio

Posted: 8 Aug 2013 6:07PM GMT
Classification: Query
Always glad to help. Links follow the citations below. Do you know when your ancestors made their journey? It makes a big difference.

The mountains were an early, natural barrier. Completion of the National Road through to Wheeling in 1818 made overland travel south of the mountains to the Ohio River much easier. Completion of the Erie Canal in 1825 made a northern route west feasible.

My ancestors traveled earlier than that, from Canisteo NY to Louisville KY with six small children. It seemed horrendous to me before I studied maps and modes of travel in 1815. I was able to determine their route covered only 60 miles overland to Olean, where a tributary of the Ohio River was perfectly navigable to Pittsburg.

Drake, Samuel Adams. The Making of the Ohio Valley States, 1660-1837. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1894.
http://archive.org/details/makingofohiovall00drak

Dwight, Margaret Van Horn. A Journey to Ohio in 1810.
New Haven: Yale University Press, 1820.
http://archive.org/details/journeytoohioin1017325mbp

Faris, John T. On the Trail of the Pioneers. New York: George H. Doran, 1920.
http://archive.org/details/ontrailpioneers00farigoog

Matthews, Lois Kimball. The Erie Canal and the Settlement of the West. Paper read at the Conference on Western History, meeting of the American Historical Association in New York City, 30 December 1909.
http://archive.org/details/eriecanalsettlem00roserich

Re: Travel from Eastern NY to Ohio

Posted: 11 Aug 2013 7:10PM GMT
Classification: Query
Hi,
Thanks for an answer. My Claflin Family were in "Old Otsego" Co., NY, and ended up in Licking Co. Ohio. The father in the family died after leaving NY, and before arriving in Ohio. I am trying to find where he might have died. My Fuller Family were in NorthEast Duchess Co., NY., and were also in Licking Co. Ohio. My Wilson family were from Coxsakie, Greene Co., NY and ended up in Portage Co., Ohio. All these families eventually ended up in Michigan. Also I had a family from Upper Canada that ended up in Michigan. All in lower central Michigan.
I expect the Canadian family probably traveled through the Detroit area, as they were far north of Lake Ontario.
I will surely check out the books for any information, Again thanks for your help, it is much appreciated..
Betty-Jane

Re: Travel from Eastern NY to Ohio

Posted: 16 Aug 2013 4:02PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thank You !
I was just about ready to do the same surch.
You have saved me a lot of time.
Chuck
per page

Find a board about a specific topic