Hi Carol, I read in my gggrandfather's daughter's obituary that she was in Buffalo, NY and traveled to Chicago, IL by canal boat. This was in 1871. I am assuming she went through the Lake Erie and then across land to Chicago or through Lake Erie, then up through Lake Huron and then down into Lake Michigan. Seems a long way by canalboat. But, I guess crossing overland by wagon from Toledo OH to Chicago, IL must have taken quite some time also. Then she got there and right after her wedding the Great Fire occured. Poor Alice. Linda Hooker Lathrop ----- Original Message ----- From: Carol Stevens To: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 6:37 PM Subject: Re: [NYERIE] St. Francis Church on River Road in Buffalo this may NOT be the place to ask this question, but, seems that a number of members know quite a bit about the Erie Canal, and this exchange got me to thinking/questioning. Maybe some one could help me, or point me in the correct direction. Ancestors lived near Lake Placid (Black Brook, actually), Clinton County, by 1840, and had moved on to near Chicago by mid 1840's. Would they have taken the Erie Canal as part of their trip from NY to IL??? Thanks for your opinions. Cheers,

>Hi Carol, >I read in my gggrandfather's daughter's obituary that she was in >Buffalo, NY and traveled to Chicago, IL by canal boat. >This was in 1871. >I am assuming she went through the Lake Erie and then across land to >Chicago or through Lake Erie, then up through Lake >Huron and then down into Lake Michigan. Seems a long way by >canalboat. But, I guess crossing overland by wagon from >Toledo OH to Chicago, IL must have taken quite some time also. There is absolutely no way that she traveled from Buffalo to Chicago on a canal boat. The Great Lakes are small seas. And canal boats were propelled by mules or horses walking along a tow path. What you describe would be like taking a canoe across the Atlantic! In the 1870s there were many steam powered vessels plying the Great Lakes. George