Hi Everyone, Over the past I've noticed many obits posted by Brenda, Willie, and others that have MANY families from Fentress county that have migrated to Muncie, Indiana and other areas of Indiana - mine included. Do any of you know when this all started, the reason it started, who started it, and why Indiana? I know my paternal Smith family all were born in Fentress county and were farmers but ended up near Richmond, Ind. (where I was born) shortly after World War II. Were there any others that migrated north earlier than that? What about the Great Depression? Were there other families that migrated during this time frame? I'm just curious as to how everyone seemed to end up in one area so far away. I know this is probably how many people ended up in Fentress and other surrounding areas that migrated from VA & NC. Many families left areas together to settle in other areas - they helped each other build homes, barns, and get the farm land cleared. But, many of the TN families were farmers and went north for manufacturing jobs. My dad worked as a "Tenant farmer" for years in Indiana, bouncing from one farm to another every few years. He eventually found a job in manufacturing and retired as a Tool & Die Maker for Alcoa in Richmond, Ind. Anyone have a story they can share about their family migrating to another area of the country and why? Thanks! Ron Smith

Ron, Little family farms, largely worked by hand, no longer could support a family, especially after the soil wore out from lack of modern farming methods. The industrialized north offered jobs with cash money that could support a family. Muncie, Indiana, and Dayton, Ohio, received many of the working people from Fentress Co., TN and surrounding counties. These cities were not over a one day drive away so there still could be ties to home. I don't know when the migration started for sure, but believe World War II was a turning point. I know my husband's 4 brother's-in-law all went "up north" to these two cities to earn a living and rear their families. Only one came back home to live. Anna Bertram abertram@heartoftn.net phone 615-765-5357 ----- Original Message ----- From: Ron Smith Over the past I've noticed many obits posted by Brenda, Willie, and others that have MANY families from Fentress county that have migrated to Muncie, Indiana and other areas of Indiana - mine included. Do any of you know when this all started, the reason it started, who started it, and why Indiana? I know my paternal Smith family all were born in Fentress county and were farmers but ended up near Richmond, Ind. (where I was born) shortly after World War II. Were there any others that migrated north earlier than that? What about the Great Depression? Were there other families that migrated during this time frame? I'm just curious as to how everyone seemed to end up in one area so far away. I know this is probably how many people ended up in Fentress and other surrounding areas that migrated from VA & NC. Many families left areas together to settle in other areas - they helped each other build homes, barns, and get the farm land cleared. But, many of the TN families were farmers and went north for manufacturing jobs. My dad worked as a "Tenant farmer" for years in Indiana, bouncing from one farm to another every few years. He eventually found a job in manufacturing and retired as a Tool & Die Maker for Alcoa in Richmond, Ind. Anyone have a story they can share about their family migrating to another area of the country and why?

I grew up in one of the families who went north to live and financially better themselves. Although the plans were to return to Fentress County. Many things happened to prevent this ever happening. My father and grandfather first went to Chrysler Plant in New Castle, Indiana and then dad got on at Perfect Circle. Grandad went back to Tennessee. He was just there to make extra money. Their situation was that the homeplace had been divided and divided and divided. A very large farm can only be divided so many times before the amount of land is not conducive to maintaining a family. I also think that some were just not cut out to be farmers and some were best when living the life of a farmer. I have uncles who lived and worked in the north for various lengths of time. One in Ft. Wayne stayed and retired, then went home. He has been back on land that has been in his family for generations for over 20 years now. Others tried it but it was just not the way of life for them. We never made the trip back to Tennessee every weekend or every month like many did. We did go at least twice a year for a week or two. Dad and mom would have probably gone back but children, grandchildren, and mom's health prevented them from leaving their home of forty years. I have made sure that my children and grandchildren know from whence they come and where the family roots are. I haven't been able to take them back to all the other southern states where some lines originated. That is the reason for this search---to leave them a history. Marilyne On 6/7/06, Ron Smith <rsmith0127@yahoo.com> wrote: > > Hi Everyone, > Over the past I've noticed many obits posted by Brenda, Willie, and others > that have MANY families from Fentress county that have migrated to Muncie, > Indiana and other areas of Indiana - mine included. Do any of you know when > this all started, the reason it started, who started it, and why Indiana? I > know my paternal Smith family all were born in Fentress county and were > farmers but ended up near Richmond, Ind. (where I was born) shortly after > World War II. Were there any others that migrated north earlier than > that? What about the Great Depression? Were there other families that > migrated during this time frame? I'm just curious as to how everyone seemed > to end up in one area so far away. I know this is probably how many people > ended up in Fentress and other surrounding areas that migrated from VA & > NC. Many families left areas together to settle in other areas - they > helped each other build homes, barns, and get the farm land cleared. But, > many of the TN > families were farmers and went north for manufacturing jobs. My dad > worked as a "Tenant farmer" for years in Indiana, bouncing from one farm to > another every few years. He eventually found a job in manufacturing and > retired as a Tool & Die Maker for Alcoa in Richmond, Ind. > > Anyone have a story they can share about their family migrating to another > area of the country and why? > > Thanks! > Ron Smith > > > ==== TNFENTRE Mailing List ==== > Don't Forget To Check The Courthouse & Bible Records For Pre 1865 Overton > and Fentress Marriages.Also, Look For Recorded Wills. > >

Your question is a very interesting one. My mother's family is from Morgan and Fentress County, TN. My husband's family is from Franklin County, TN. Several of my mother-in-law and father-in-law's brothers went to Illinois (Chicago) to work in the 1940's and later. Marilyn Morris in TN On Jun 7, 2006, at 2:11 PM, Ron Smith wrote: > Hi Everyone, > Over the past I've noticed many obits posted by Brenda, Willie, > and others that have MANY families from Fentress county that have > migrated to Muncie, Indiana and other areas of Indiana - mine > included. Do any of you know when this all started, the reason it > started, who started it, and why Indiana? I know my paternal Smith > family all were born in Fentress county and were farmers but ended > up near Richmond, Ind. (where I was born) shortly after World War > II. Were there any others that migrated north earlier than that? > What about the Great Depression? Were there other families that > migrated during this time frame? I'm just curious as to how > everyone seemed to end up in one area so far away. I know this is > probably how many people ended up in Fentress and other surrounding > areas that migrated from VA & NC. Many families left areas > together to settle in other areas - they helped each other build > homes, barns, and get the farm land cleared. But, many of the TN > families were farmers and went north for manufacturing jobs. My > dad worked as a "Tenant farmer" for years in Indiana, bouncing from > one farm to another every few years. He eventually found a job in > manufacturing and retired as a Tool & Die Maker for Alcoa in > Richmond, Ind. > > Anyone have a story they can share about their family migrating > to another area of the country and why? > > Thanks! > Ron Smith > > > ==== TNFENTRE Mailing List ==== > Don't Forget To Check The Courthouse & Bible Records For Pre 1865 > Overton and Fentress Marriages.Also, Look For Recorded Wills.