Ok Folks: You have given me an explaination of sorts. Its true the land in Washington County is poor and its also tue the the general migration was to the West and the South. I have a problem with the Civil war part, the migrations to the West actually started in the late 1700's, families had large broods and the original farms couldn't support all of them, part of my family was on the move into Ohio by 1800 and I would guess for this reason. The Civil War did play a large factor but only after 1860. No one has mentioned land inducements (ie Railroads etc) which could have been a factor. Gordon ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alice Hawrilenko" <alicepat47@comcast.net> To: <MDWASHIN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, October 18, 2004 5:03 PM Subject: Re: [MDWASHIN] Moving > As I understand it, it was the farmland. Much of Washington County had > poor soils. My ancestors headed down the river with many of those folks > but stopped on the other side of the river in Kentucky. > Alice > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "gordon crooks" <glcrooks@BCPL.net> > To: <MDWASHIN-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, October 18, 2004 2:37 PM > Subject: [MDWASHIN] Moving > > >> Will someone please explain to me why so many people born in Maryland >> moved to and died in OGLE, CO.Ill What was the inducement? >> >> Gordon >> >> >> ==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== >> Don't be afraid to speak up and ask questions! >> There are no stupid questions here. >> >> ============================== >> You can manage your RootsWeb-Review subscription from >> http://newsletters.rootsweb.com/ >> > > > ==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== > Don't be afraid to speak up and ask questions! > There are no stupid questions here. > > ============================== > You can manage your RootsWeb-Review subscription from > http://newsletters.rootsweb.com/ > > >

In general, yes people became crowded and land became more expensive. Also land opened up in the "west", also (this is from the History of Washington County) people who obtained large grants of land had land agents in various areas selling rights to acreage. For example after the Rev War, there were speculators who bought land grants in KY and than had agents selling the land. I do not recall the name but William's History names the land agents and individual who sold land in KY in the 1790s in KY in Washington Co area. Later Ohio opened up, but settlers on that side of the Ohio River were slow until after the War of 1812 due to "Indian wars" in Ohio in the early 1800s. But Ogle Co was unique in that there was a mass migration of families to Ogle Co starting about the 1830s and lasting into the 1880s. I think this was driven initially by the availability of land and than later, families that settled there and were happy with the land sent word home and more families joined them. Washington Co has limited farming land, particularly in the mountain regions, so farming was limited to the valleys like Beaver Creek. So it was in part probably the initial settlement by families from the area (perhaps because there was a land agent selling in Washington Co. MD) and than more families moved west to the rich farm land. Also no doubt as mentioned some moved late to escape the damage and memories from the Civil War battles.. Recall that the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), the bloodiest conflict of the civil war was fought in Washington Co. as well the Battle of South Mountain. I am still trying to figure out what happened to John Newcomer, living in Boonsboro in 1869 and died by 1871 when his widow remarried in Mt Morris (Ogle Co. IL). from one story, I believe John was killed when struck by a train on his way out west (to Ogle Co?) Lee