You do want to not overlook Virginia records, as well. What became Westmoreland Co., PA was prior to the Mason Dixon Survey (post Rev.) disputed land and Virginia claimed it as part of its land warranty from the king. That is why you will see so many Virginias listed as a birthplace, because Kentucky, Pennsylvania, some parts of Maryland, Tennessee, etc. were colonial Virginia. In some cases court records are a good indication of where the settlers sympathies laid. If they traveled to a Virginian court in the area, generally they considered themselves as Virginians. If they traveled to Pennsylvania courts, they considered themselves as Pennsylvanians. However, with the mountains to traverse, this is not a concrete statement about their loyalties. They may have traveled to the nearest court to register land, etc. And with the mountains, they may have sincerely believed they lived in one or the other colonies/states. So do look for your SHIELDs in VA, too. Many southern names came from eastern colonial PA traveled down the valleys and the Great Wagon Road, and settled in western colonial VA. Then returned northward to the newly opened Ohio River Valley and Pittsburgh and further inland on the Ohio River. Others traveled over the mountains when the Cumberland Gap was opened.. You will need to know the history of the area in order to check all sources. So don't forget to check colonial VA records for your family along with earlier Quaker records in colonial Philadelphia area. Shirley Maynard Hampton, VA

You also should know that land patents or warrants in the disputed area were often registered with the "residence" listed in the state that charged the least per acre. From some sources I have read, VA charged less per acre than did PA, so many land claims were to VA because it saved the settlers money! Gail On Jan 4, 2006, at 12:24 PM, MaeMay510@aol.com wrote: > You do want to not overlook Virginia records, as well. What became > Westmoreland Co., PA was prior to the Mason Dixon Survey (post > Rev.) disputed land > and Virginia claimed it as part of its land warranty from the king. > That is why you will see so many Virginias listed as a birthplace, > because > Kentucky, Pennsylvania, some parts of Maryland, Tennessee, etc. > were colonial > Virginia. > > In some cases court records are a good indication of where the > settlers > sympathies laid. If they traveled to a Virginian court in the > area, generally > they considered themselves as Virginians. If they traveled to > Pennsylvania > courts, they considered themselves as Pennsylvanians. However, > with the > mountains to traverse, this is not a concrete statement about > their loyalties. They > may have traveled to the nearest court to register land, etc. And > with the > mountains, they may have sincerely believed they lived in one or > the other > colonies/states. > > So do look for your SHIELDs in VA, too. > > Many southern names came from eastern colonial PA traveled down the > valleys > and the Great Wagon Road, and settled in western colonial VA. > Then returned > northward to the newly opened Ohio River Valley and Pittsburgh and > further > inland on the Ohio River. Others traveled over the mountains when > the > Cumberland Gap was opened.. > > You will need to know the history of the area in order to check > all sources. > So don't forget to check colonial VA records for your family > along with > earlier Quaker records in colonial Philadelphia area. > > Shirley Maynard > Hampton, VA > > > > > ==== PAWESTMO Mailing List ==== > > > >