Judy, You are correct, I suspect (how's that for being wishy-washy!). The most famous immigrants from slave states to free states would have been Tom Lincoln, moving his family of wives, daughter and a young son named Abraham, from Kentucky to Indiana. Of course, under the Northwest Ordnance of 1787, slavery was forbidden in the area North of the Ohio. Bob Bob Huddleston Serving Denver's Real Estate Needs Since 1978 Metro Brokers Adco Associates Office: (303) 457-9300 Toll Free: (888) 451-6376 E-Mail: adco@rmi.net <http://www.realtorads.com/denver/bobhuddleston> To Dick Hudson or Tom Ledoux, I was wondering if either of you could help me with some information. Dick mentioned in his email that the " anti-secessionists from elsewhere in the state migrated west or north". My ancestors left Virginia for Ohio abt. 1858 and I have long wondered if they left because of the growing differences with the north or was there something else that drew them to Ohio at that time---like land offers, etc. They joined the Union side from Ohio, so it couldn't have been that they wanted to avoid the fighting---and they were Irish, so fighting was not something they ran from. Do you have any ideas on this? Was there talk of war as early as 1858 in Virginia? Did people head north at that time because of that? Thanks for you help. Judy Clark-Wick JWick@compuserve.com >