This is a very brief answer to the migration to Central NY in the 1800's The migration to central parts of the country was the result of (1) the Revolutionary War; the soldiers were given land, or the right to buy land in the interior because the ex-colonies (states) had a big war debt to pay off and needed the money, and all this "empty" land that had been under the control of the crown was now available. and (2) because the coast areas were getting overcrowded. Each statehad conflicting rights to the West. These rights were the right to negotiate to buy the land from the Native Americans. Massachusetts grant was from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. But New York had settled up the Hudson to past Albany. Without the British crown controlling the the area and the need for money to repay their debt the States of New York and Massachusetts agreed that the lands West of the New York-Massachusetts boundry would be under the New York State Government, but that the right to deal with the Indians was to be controlled by Massachusetts. Massachusetts sold the 'Negotiation Rights" to a large tract up to the Genesee River to Phelps, The Phelps Purchase, who in turn sold the right to land companies, speculators, who bought the land and retailed it to the people in the coast areas. The Native American Indians came out very poorly in the deals. There are some very good write ups on the Internet on the Phelps Purchase and other land deals. R.E. Elden ----- Original Message ----- From: "William Rosenbaum" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, January 05, 2003 2:24 PM Subject: [NYFL] Need a history lesson! > Hi researchers, > I need a history lesson. Why was there such a influx of settlers > into this area around the early 1800's? I have 3 families that > relocated from NJ to Ovid and Trumansburg right after the turn of the > century.