I'm trying to trace a family taht I find in West Virginia in the census in 1870 and 1880. Specifically both the 1870 and 1880 censuses insist that they are located in Grant Township, Preston County, West Virginia. 1880 census adds a Grant Magisterial district and that it was Enumeration District 58. Modern discussions of Preston County insist there is no such place. Where was it? And, even more important. Wehre WAS "Grant Township" in 1860? I gather that Preston County existed but West Virginia did not, for starters, and if geography was ephemeral in this region... Yours, Dora Smith Austin, TX tiggernut24@yahoo.com

At 05:23 PM 11/15/2008, Dora wrote: >I'm trying to trace a family that I find in West Virginia in the >census in 1870 and 1880. Specifically both the 1870 and 1880 >censuses insist that they are located in Grant Township, Preston >County, West Virginia. > >1880 census adds a Grant Magisterial district and that it was >Enumeration District 58. Hi, Dora, The land which later became Grant Twp. in 1860 would have been in Preston County, VA, in its First District. My sense of these Districts is that they were all "magisterial" districts, from the beginning. In Samuel Wiley's History of Preston, there is a section on each district. He describes Grant as follows on p. 362: "The territory of Grant was embraced in the First (magisterial) District when Preston County was divided in 1852. And in 1863, in order of division of the county as then made, it became without any change of boundaries Pleasant Township. By a change of designation merely, in 1873, it became Grant District. it is bounded on the north by Pennsylvania, on the east by Maryland, on the south by Pleasant District, and on the west by Cheat River, which separates it from Valley District." Hope that helps. What family are you tracing? Regards, Jane

At 05:47 PM 11/15/2008, Jane wrote: >He [Wiley] describes Grant as follows on p. 362: > >"The territory of Grant was embraced in the First (magisterial) >District when Preston County was divided in 1852. And in 1863, in >order of division of the county as then made, it became without any >change of boundaries >Pleasant Township. By a change of designation merely, in 1873, it >became Grant District. it is bounded on the north by Pennsylvania, >on the east by Maryland, on the south by Pleasant District, and on >the west by Cheat River, which separates it from Valley District." Hi, Folks, Sorry but there is apparently a typo in Wiley's book. That second sentence should read: "And in 1863, in order of division of the county as then made, it became without any change of boundaries Grant Township." The simple answer is that District One of Preston Co, VA became Grant Township of Preston Co., VA and then Grant District of Preston Co. WV. Regards, Jane

But what's it called today? Wikipedia doesn't list any Grant in Preston County. Yours, Dora Smith Austin, TX tiggernut24@yahoo.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jane McCann Walsh" <jmwalsh@hughes.net> To: <wvpresto@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2008 4:55 PM Subject: Re: [WVPRESTO] Correction > At 05:47 PM 11/15/2008, Jane wrote: >>He [Wiley] describes Grant as follows on p. 362: >> >>"The territory of Grant was embraced in the First (magisterial) >>District when Preston County was divided in 1852. And in 1863, in >>order of division of the county as then made, it became without any >>change of boundaries >>Pleasant Township. By a change of designation merely, in 1873, it >>became Grant District. it is bounded on the north by Pennsylvania, >>on the east by Maryland, on the south by Pleasant District, and on >>the west by Cheat River, which separates it from Valley District." > > Hi, Folks, > Sorry but there is apparently a typo in Wiley's book. > That second sentence should read: > > "And in 1863, in order of division of the county as then made, it > became without any > change of boundaries Grant Township." > > The simple answer is that District One of Preston Co, VA became Grant > Township of Preston Co., VA and then Grant District of Preston Co. WV. > > Regards, > Jane > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > WVPRESTO-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Dora: Grant Township became known as Grant District which exists today. I'm sitting in it. It would help to know who you are looking for. Might be able to give you an approximate location. Janice > I'm trying to trace a family taht I find in West Virginia in the census in 1870 and 1880. Specifically both the 1870 and 1880 censuses insist that they are located in Grant Township, Preston County, West Virginia. > > 1880 census adds a Grant Magisterial district and that it was Enumeration District 58. > > Modern discussions of Preston County insist there is no such place. > > Where was it? > > And, even more important. Wehre WAS "Grant Township" in 1860? I gather that Preston County existed but West Virginia did not, for starters, and if geography was ephemeral in this region... > > Yours, > Dora Smith > Austin, TX > tiggernut24@yahoo.com > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to WVPRESTO-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >