I just finished reading the series to my kids last year. It seemed that Charles Ingalls kept moving because everytime they settled somewhere it soon got too crowded for him; i.e., too many others soon settled nearby. Of course, this wasn't always the reason. When they moved from Indian Territory it was because the Army forced them to as they had inadvertently settled on Indian land. And when they moved from Burr Oak in the early morning hours it seemed the reason was to get away from an unreasonable individual to whom they owed money. I don't recall it ever being indicated if they paid him his money or not. Charles Ingalls also seemed to be possessed by a healthy dose of "wunderlust", an almost uncontrollable desire to see what was over the next rise; explore the frontier, &c. Hope that helps. Dan Patnode >From: ashley tiwara <grubisic@netwurx.net> >Reply-To: grubisic@netwurx.net >To: GenWisconsin-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: [GenWisconsin] migrants and government land >Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2000 01:30:14 -0500 > >Laura Ingalls Wilder, who set Little House on the Prairie in Wisconsin, >grew up >at a time when some neighbors were starving. It sure looks prettier in a >novelization, or at the distance of a hundred or hundred and fifty years. > It's so long since I read that series of books that I really don't >remember >why her father kept moving on. Was there any reason? The land over the >next >hill always looking greener? > >Ashley > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > Seems like I've been chasing the same core group of > > "early settlers" from one county to the next. Wish they'd "settle" >already! > > Biggest reasons for movement seem to be getting a wife or a job, or > > responding to Government land going on the market. I bet if I took a >map and > > wrote the date on every county when land came on the market, it would >show a > > path taken by many. Seems some made an occupation out of buying Gov't >land > > and clearing it, then reselling. Hard way to make a living if you ask >me! > > > > > > > >==== GenWisconsin Mailing List ==== > > ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com