Saturday, July 27, 2019

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun -- Ancestors Trans-Continental Travel (not by Airplane)

Calling all Genea-Musings Fans: 

 It's Saturday Night again - 

time for some more Genealogy Fun!!


Here is your assignment if you choose to play along (cue the Mission Impossible music, please!):

1)  Each week, The Weekly Genealogist (published by NEHGS) asks a survey question, and readers respond to the question, usually just selecting one of the answer options, and sometimes with paragraphs of information.  Reader Janice Sellers suggested using this week's question.


2)  On 24 July, the question was:  Have you or any of your ancestors traveled across the United States by car, train, wagon, or some other form of transportation that was not an airplane? (You can decide what constitutes a cross-country trip but since the distance from the east coast to the west coast ranges from 2,500 to 3,500 miles, depending on the route, we suggest it should be at least 1,500 miles. Canadian cross-country trips also count.)

3)  Answer the question above in your own blog post, in a comment on this post, or in a Facebook post.

Here's mine:


*  I have not made a cross-country trip from West to East, but I have driven from San Diego to Vancouver, B>C. and back (about 1,400 miles each way).

*  My father, Frederick W. Seaver drove from Leominster, Mass. to San Diego in 3 days in December 1940, escaping "shoveling snow for his sister" or maybe "ending a torrid love affair," or both! He sent a letter from Columbus, Ohio to his aunt Emily (Richmond) Taylor in San Diego saying he was on his way.  He claimed he didn't sleep during the trip (about 3,000 miles).

*  My grandmother, Alma Bessie (Richmond) Seaver (1882-1962) rode with her daughter Evelyn and son-in-law Walter Wood (and their granddaughter, my cousin Diana) from Leominster, Massachusetts to San Diego in the summer of 1959 by automobile (about 3,000 miles).  This was the only time I met my grandmother in my life.  

*  My great-grandfather Henry Austin Carringer (1853-1946) moved from Mercer County, Pennsylvania in 1859 to Louisa County, Iowa (by wagon or by boat?), then to Boulder, Colorado in 1873 (by wagon?), then to San Diego in 1887 on his honeymoon (by train I think).  This totals about 2,500 miles.

*  My great-grandmother, Della (Smith) Carringer (1862-1944) moved from Dodge County, Wisconsin to Taylor County, Iowa in 1868 (by wagon?), then to Concordia, Kansas in 1873 (by wagon?), then to McCook, Nebraska in 1885 (by wagon?), and then to San Diego in 1887 by trasin with her husband, Henry Austin Carringer.  The total distance was about 2,100 miles.

* My great-grandmother Georgianna (Kemp) Auble (1868-1952) moved from Norfolk County, Ontario to Chicago, Illinois in the 1890s (by wagon and boat?), then moved to San Diego in the 1911 time frame (by train?), a total distance of about 2,500 miles.

*  My 2nd great-grandparents, David J. Carringer (1828-1902) and Rebecca (Spangler) Carringer (1832-1901) did the same moves as Henry Austin Carringer, but came to San Diego in about 1899.

*  My 2nd great-grandmother Abigail (Vaux) Smith (1844-1931) moved from Aurora, New York to Dodge County, Wisconsin before 1860 (by boat and wagon?), married there in 1861, then moved to Taylor County, Iowa in about 1868 (by wagon?), then moved to Concordia, Kansas in about 1874 (by wagon?), then moved to McCook, Nebraska in 1885 (by wagon?), and then moved to San Diego in the 1890s (by train?).  The total distance was probably about 2,700 miles.

*  My 2nd great grandfather Devier J. Lamphier Smith (1839-1894) moved from Henderson, N.Y. to Dodge County, Wisconsin in the 1840s (by boat and wagon?), then to Taylor County, Iowa, Concordia, Kansas and McCook, Nebraska with his wife Abigail (Vaux) Smith after their marriage in 1861.  He died in McCook, Nebraska.  The total distance was probably about 1,700 miles.

I didn't consider trans-ocean routes that my immigrant ancestors took between Europe and North America.

Thank you to Janice Sellers for suggesting this question for SNGF!


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Copyright (c) 2019, Randall J. Seaver

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6 comments:

Janice M. Sellers said...

These are the traveling ancestors I know about!

http://www.ancestraldiscoveries.com/2019/07/saturday-night-genealogy-fun-ancestors.html

Lisa S. Gorrell said...

I have made several cross-country trips by bus and train. So have my ancestors.

https://mytrailsintothepast.blogspot.com/2019/07/saturday-night-genealogy-fun-ancestors.html

Linda Stufflebean said...

I think I must have been the only adventurous person in my family. Here's my link: https://emptybranchesonthefamilytree.com/2019/07/saturday-night-genealogy-fun-48/

Marshall said...

My great-grandmother, Anne Lauterbach, moved (with her family) from Jersey City, New Jersey to Dulzura in the fall of 1900, went *back* and got married in Jersey City in November 1901, and returned to San Diego and had her first child in July 1903.

I assume that these trips were by train; but apparently the family's furniture, etc wen't by ship "around the horn"

Lacie Madison said...

Here is my post. Thanks Janice and Randy. my post

D. Taylor said...

I've traveled across the country several times. The first time my mother hitchhiked with me when I was about 3 years old.
My grandmother was in vaudeville and traveled nationally several times. Lots more at my blog: http://dontaylorgenealogy.com/2019/08/cross-country-travels.html/