This came from another list. A great aide in learning about migration routes from PA. into Ohio. Jean Here is the address of a website that explains the Indian trails in Pennsylvania. <A HREF="http://www.mcn.org/2/noel/Westmoreland/MigrationTrails.htm">Migration Trails In Early Pennsylvania</A> Here is an address for similar information for Ohio. <A HREF="http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~maggieoh/pioneer.html">OHIO COUNTY INFO: Pioneer Migration Routes through Ohio</A> (Website information by Maggie Stewart Zimmerman, who coordinates many Ohio counties.) History of Ohio routes is on the website. Five major routes followed Indian trails and Revolutionary War routes. The following was posted on the Ohio County Info webpage. >From the book: Genealogical Research in Ohio (Page 19) by Kip Sperry email: <A HREF="mailto:Kip_Sperry@byu.edu">Kip_Sperry@byu.edu </A> WWW: <A HREF="http://reled.byu.edu/chist/sperry"> http://reled.byu.edu/chist/sperry</A> 1. by Lake Erie's shores and on Lake Erie 2.across western Pennsylvania 3.through southeastern Ohio to Marietta and up the Muskingum River 4.through southcentral Ohio and up the Scioto River 5. via Ohio River into Cincinnati and up the Great and Little Miami rivers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------- 1. People migrated from PA to OH if they could purchase land inexpensively from the U.S. government. Men who served long terms in the military were often given military warrants or grants of land for their service. The veteran could sell this land and use the money to purchase land elsewhere. ( If a veteran did not want to move, he could sell or trade his land.0 States east of the Mississippi River that are not in the original 13 colonies have land patents online. Search land patents at www.glorecords.blm.gov/ 2. Some people just "settled" on land that belonged to the government. They would purchase the land later. Some land was even given away if a family would build a cabin on the land and make a permanent home. A territory had to have a certain population before it could become a state. Land was opened for settlement when treaties were made with the Native Americans. Certain areas were considered "safe" for settlement. 3. In Ohio, the canal system connected the Ohio River with the Great Lakes. Farmers could get better prices for their crops when there was a good harvest. In the eastern part of Ohio, the canals followed (roughly) the Scioto River to the Ohio River. In the western part of Ohio, the canals followed the Miami River, connecting (roughly) Lake Erie to the Ohio River and then the Mississippi River. 3. In the mid-1800s, railroads were built. Most railroads were built with private funds from stockholders. There was fierce competition between small towns. If the main line railroad bypassed the town, the town would not grow. Smaller railroads connected small towns and villages to cities like Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati. Dayton and Springfield. <A HREF="http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~maggieoh/Gwen/migration.htm">Ohio Migrations Map and Information</A>