I am interested in learning whether there is any established pattern of migration for families from Sussex County, DE to western states. My MOORE and POWDERS ancestors essentially disappeared from Delaware after the 1830 Census leaving me to believe that they may have left the area for more fertile faming land in the developing mid-West. My ggg-grandfather, Jesse MOORE, and his family had resided in the Broadcreek Hundred area of Sussex, while the POWDERS were found further East in the Blackwater area. While some of them might have died between 1830 and 1840, the complete absence of any identifiable members of either family have led me to postulate that they went West in search of better farm land. I would welcome any advice on how I might most efficiently explore this theory. Jack Gracey

Many of the Ellingsworths I have read about also moved westward to OH, IN, Il, MO. I do not know the motivations, but am also interested in theories/explanations. Thanks, John Ellingsworth Project Leader Virtual Curriculum PGP Public Keyring: http://ellingsworth.org/pubring.pkr http://ellingsworth.org ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jack Gracey" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: December 07, 2002 10:04 AM Subject: [DESUSSEX] Migrations from Sussex County DE in the 1830s > I am interested in learning whether there is any established pattern of migration for families from Sussex County, DE to western states. My MOORE and POWDERS ancestors essentially disappeared from Delaware after the 1830 Census leaving me to believe that they may have left the area for more fertile faming land in the developing mid-West. My ggg-grandfather, Jesse MOORE, and his family had resided in the Broadcreek Hundred area of Sussex, while the POWDERS were found further East in the Blackwater area. While some of them might have died between 1830 and 1840, the complete absence of any identifiable members of either family have led me to postulate that they went West in search of better farm land. I would welcome any advice on how I might most efficiently explore this theory. > Jack Gracey > > > ==== DESUSSEX Mailing List ==== > Questions about posting guidelines? > The Sussex County Delaware Mailing List FAQ: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~desussex/listfaq.htm > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

Jack, Our Wharton [Whorton]/Benson ancestors, Joseph W. Wharton and Lurana Benson, and their baby, Charles Henry Wharton, moved from Laurel, Sussex County, Delaware to Momence, Kankakee County, in northeastern Illinois in about 1850. I don't know why they moved, but I suspect that they were looking for family economic opportunities in a rapidly growing part of the country. Joseph was a carpenter, and new, rapidly growing towns like Kankakee would have needed many carpenters. Joseph and Lurana lost their first child, Caroline, in infancy in Delaware. I don't know the circumstances of Caroline's death, but I've wondered if her loss might have provided its own emotional impetus for the move. Joseph and Lurana had many more children after their move to Illinois. Some of the Wharton children ended up, as adults, in Chicago/Rogers Park, which isn't too far from Kankakee. Our information seems conflicting as to whether Joseph and Lurana themselves lived in Chicago prior to old age. They were in Kankakee County at the time of the 1880 US census (listed as "Whorton"), but other information suggests they were living in Chicago/Rogers Park before that. Possibly, Joseph and Lurana "tried out" Chicago, but then returned to Kankakee County. Perhaps they lived in both places for a time, alternating back and forth some. The family's oral history reflects that the move to Illinois was made by "ox cart." Dave Kearney Richmond, Virginia ----- Original Message ----- From: Jack Gracey To: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, December 07, 2002 10:04 AM Subject: Migrations from Sussex County DE in the 1830s I am interested in learning whether there is any established pattern of migration for families from Sussex County, DE to western states. My MOORE and POWDERS ancestors essentially disappeared from Delaware after the 1830 Census leaving me to believe that they may have left the area for more fertile faming land in the developing mid-West. My ggg-grandfather, Jesse MOORE, and his family had resided in the Broadcreek Hundred area of Sussex, while the POWDERS were found further East in the Blackwater area. While some of them might have died between 1830 and 1840, the complete absence of any identifiable members of either family have led me to postulate that they went West in search of better farm land. I would welcome any advice on how I might most efficiently explore this theory. Jack Gracey ______________________________

Dear Jack: Good to see your voice on the list--hope you are doing well. The whole westward movement thing is really interesting and one which has kept historians rather busy ever since Turner's theory at the end of the 19th century. I would say, 1st of all that there were two major migratory routes--this 1st being the one leading through the Cumberland gap and into Kentucky and the Ohio Valley and the other one beginning in the western alleghenys of Pennsylvania and running the length southward into the Carolinas, Georgia and the "old southwest" of Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. The movement westward into the Ohio valley would be--by the 1830s--assisted by the canal boom linking the west with the east coast. For this area, the primary canal would have been the C&O. The motivations for most of those moving westward were many. Probably one way of looking at it is would be to use a repel/attract scale to one's relatives and consider the social, economic, and demographic conditions in the location they left at the time they left in order to attempt a guess as to why they moved. In the 1830s, the U.S was caught up in the midst of a financial panic--which was the result of Jackson's bank war which created a retraction of credit. Additionally, population figures for the U.S. were still doubling every 10 years--and in a predominately rural and agrarian economy--large population meant that extreme pressure was being placed on the land --couple this with the practice of partial inheritance--left many parcels of land to be reduced to sizes too small to support a family. In a lot of cases, younger sons would sell out their right, title and claim to the land --and make the move west. Obviously, then in cases such as these we are looking at factor which "repel" those from their native homes and push them westward. Among some of the factors which might act as "attractions" would obviously be the opportunities accorded by certain areas in the west--particularly economic and social. Many who moved westward might make a number of moves before settling down. What factors which helped in the choosing of a more permanent site would be, land condition, cost, and as well the structure of the community one was moving into. As individuals moved westward, the opportunities for them to rise socially increased as well as the opportunities to settle into communities which best reflected their own ideals, beliefs, etc. If the opportunities were not there--then many moved on. For those who settled--quite a large number wrote to family and friends back home in order to encourage them to move westward and join them. Additionally--when considering ancestors who moved westward some factors have to be kept in mind. Particularly the term "frontier" has to be considered. Like so many others--the term "frontier" is rather subjective in the eyes of those who moved. What was "frontier" in the eyes of someone like --say-- Daniel Boone would have been extremely different than the "frontier" to those moving into Ohio Valley in the 1830s. For Boone "the frontier" would probably have been one which was almost completely devoid of "neighbors," yet for the Shoreman a region with a higher man/land ratio would have seemed very much to be the frontier. Very few--particularly those from the Eastern Shore" who moved to "the western country"--went to the very "edge" of the frontier. Most would have moved to areas where land may have already been cleared and put into cultivation but still with a sparse population. The reason being was that if one was to move to the "frontier" one had to have the wherewithall to survive for at least 3 years until the land could successfully sustain a family. Most of those who made the move to the "edge" had --prior to their move-- been living in an area which had recently filled in. Hope this is of some help--will be more than happy to elaborate more in response to any questions. Hope this finds you --and all on the list---well. <<<Neil>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jack Gracey" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, December 07, 2002 10:04 AM Subject: [DESUSSEX] Migrations from Sussex County DE in the 1830s > I am interested in learning whether there is any established pattern of migration for families from Sussex County, DE to western states. My MOORE and POWDERS ancestors essentially disappeared from Delaware after the 1830 Census leaving me to believe that they may have left the area for more fertile faming land in the developing mid-West. My ggg-grandfather, Jesse MOORE, and his family had resided in the Broadcreek Hundred area of Sussex, while the POWDERS were found further East in the Blackwater area. While some of them might have died between 1830 and 1840, the complete absence of any identifiable members of either family have led me to postulate that they went West in search of better farm land. I would welcome any advice on how I might most efficiently explore this theory. > Jack Gracey > > > ==== DESUSSEX Mailing List ==== > Questions about posting guidelines? > The Sussex County Delaware Mailing List FAQ: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~desussex/listfaq.htm > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > >