Genealogy is history, nothing more, nothing less; history of a family, a group of families, an area, and their country. There is NO way - NONE - to adequately research the lives of your people without knowing of the times in which they lived. Why? Because we are the sum total product of our genetics AND of the place and time of those who went before. Paul Drake JD Genealogist & Author <www.DrakesBooks.com> 931-484-9129 ----- Original Message ----- From: Alice Sanders To: VA-SOUTHSIDE-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Saturday, November 19, 2005 9:51 AM Subject: [VA-SOUTHSIDE-L] history lesson Thank you Paul for the history lesson on flags. It is amazing what you learn when you start the genealogy journey. The historical knowledge is essential in order to do genealogy. Whether we like it or not, it happened, and it was part and parcel of our ancestor's lives. ==== VA-SOUTHSIDE Mailing List ==== Problems Subscribing or Unsubscribing ? Contact: G. Lee Hearl List Adm. at: glh@naxs.com Hosted by Rootsweb http://www.rootsweb.com ============================== Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.13.4/175 - Release Date: 11/18/2005

Hi Paul... You hit on something here, which leads me to a question. For months I've been looking for websites or books that cover topics such as: what the "road" from Gloucester, VA to Granville Co., NC was like in 1800 - did the travellers simply pull over for the night if they didn't have friends or family along the way? what did they eat? what was the typical wagon/buggy used for moving a family? how long was the trip? what were some of the motives for leaving Gloucester - religion? land? work? I'd like to include this in my genealogy but can't find a good reference; most tend to deal with New England or the westward migration. I know this sounds like I haven't looked very hard, but I really have. Any suggestions? Thanks! Caroline ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul Drake" <pauldrake@charter.net> To: <VA-SOUTHSIDE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, November 19, 2005 12:51 PM Subject: [VA-SOUTHSIDE-L] history AND research > Genealogy is history, nothing more, nothing less; history of a family, a group of families, an area, and their country. There is NO way - NONE - to adequately research the lives of your people without knowing of the times in which they lived. > > Why? Because we are the sum total product of our genetics AND of the place and time of those who went before. > > Paul Drake JD > Genealogist & Author > <www.DrakesBooks.com> > 931-484-9129 > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Alice Sanders > To: VA-SOUTHSIDE-L@rootsweb.com > Sent: Saturday, November 19, 2005 9:51 AM > Subject: [VA-SOUTHSIDE-L] history lesson > > > Thank you Paul for the history lesson on flags. It is amazing what you > learn when you start the genealogy journey. > The historical knowledge is essential in order to do genealogy. Whether > we like it or not, it happened, and it was > part and parcel of our ancestor's lives. > > > ==== VA-SOUTHSIDE Mailing List ==== > Problems Subscribing or Unsubscribing ? Contact: > G. Lee Hearl List Adm. at: glh@naxs.com > Hosted by Rootsweb http://www.rootsweb.com > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.13.4/175 - Release Date: 11/18/2005 > > > > ==== VA-SOUTHSIDE Mailing List ==== > Problems Subscribing or Unsubscribing ? Contact: > G. Lee Hearl List Adm. at: glh@naxs.com > Hosted by Rootsweb http://www.rootsweb.com > > ============================== > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx > >

Hi, Caroline. Your questions are excellent. Without such information as that you seek, your ancestors are mere names and dates and are about as interesting as watching cats take a nap. I would suggest that you start by reading whatever county histories there may be for the areas of both Gloucester and Granville. Those will make you comfortable with more detailed studies of the lives of the folks at those places in those times, and will lead you to further reading through the bibliographies to be found there. Below, I have interlineated your words with some BRIEF explanations and suspect that many on this fine list will add to my comments. (Craig, Lee, have a suggestion for her?) such as: what the "road" from Gloucester, VA to Granville Co., NC was like in 1800 **** it was dirt, muddy in winter and incredibly dusty in the summer. It was very rough, since there was no govt. with the money or the inclination to make improvements and paving was yet 50 years in the future. - did the travellers simply pull over for the night if they didn't have friends or family along the way? **** Yep, and if they had any money they stayed at inns along the way. They likely went about 10 miles a day if they had their family with them. what did they eat? ***Bread carried in hard crusted loaves, crackers, plenty of dried meats, fruits and vegetables, again usually those that could be dried, and such as roasted corn, acorns, and nuts as snacks. what was the typical wagon/buggy used for moving a family? **** almost NO buggies. They had wagons and carts or moved on foot. The reason? the roads were as described and usually very narrow, since - again - there was no street or highway dept. to render those highways anything else. how long was the trip? *** Just this afternoon I read another diary relating that in 1797 the trip from Knoxville TN to what is now Crab Orchard Gap (a distance of about 70 miles) took them 11 days in a wagon pulled by Oxen. My own ancestor of PA lineage moved from Perry County PA to Delaware County OH in 1830. They made about 9 miles a day in their 2 wagons drawn by horses. what were some of the motives for leaving Gloucester - religion? ***No telling; land? work? *** No telling; look into what they did immediately after they arrived - -take up land at once? buy land? get a patent? join the church at once?? Their motives were almost surely NOT to find work, since available employment in those times was very often limited to opportunities only as a laborer, a farm hand, or none atall. I'd like to include this in my genealogy but can't find a good reference; most tend to deal with New England or the westward migration. **** I suppose that any VA source that spoke of movements to NC would mention the need for land, the desire to have their own "new" farm, and the desire to be other than a tenant farmer for their kinfolks. Again, find and read the local histories first; the state histories are too broad for your questions for now. *** I know you have worked hard; your questions reveal that effort. I know this sounds like I haven't looked very hard, but I really have. Any suggestions? Thanks! Caroline