Heading out of here in a few - been on 13 hours ... but another reason people moved to MO and IL were the traveling churches. There was a large group that left Mt Tabor Baptist Church here in Barren Co and went to IL - many members of the church all went together in order to start a new church(es) in IL and MO. I don't think it was because of military land grants - but I will stand corrected if I am incorrect. VA gave land to the soldiers and officers of the Rev War in the County of Kentucky VA which of course became the Commonwealth of KY - and there was some land given in OH. But primarily it was the low cost of the land, looking for fertile lands and riches which might light ahead, churches with their families all going together to start churches in the new frontiers. Texas, as stated before, gained a lot from Kentucky as did Kansas. Many who went to KS came back, it was still rather a hostile land, hard to farm, and the Indians were still there. Of course CA gained a lot - some short term - seeking their fortunes in the gold fields. Man has always had the wander lust and the dear wives and children gave up families and friends to go with their man. They were a hearty crew - men and women alike! Sandi Sandi's Puzzlers: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~gensoup/gorin/puz.html SCKY Links: http://www.public.asu.edu/~moore/Gorin.html GGP: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/