Tracking Our Ancestors West

by Donna Swagerty Shreve

My first goal in my genealogy was to take my various branches back to when they touched the shores of North America. Once my younger son asked me what we were. He was in high school and his friends were claiming various European heritage. I told him that when your family has been here for over 300 years, you were American. 

I decided to now follow their routes across the country where all four branches ended up in California. I found several patterns and was surprised to see that several family branches criss crossed at similar junctures yet did not meet until years later. A dear friend sent me some copies of various early migration routes. I then compared my family’s routes to the established ones. There might not have been official highways but certain trails were well established. As best as I can figure, our families followed well established trails. Daniel Boone would be the exception but he was a cousin.

I also noticed that the Aldrich family, that was the best off financially, took a direct route and once in California, stayed put. The poorest branch, the Browns, wandered all over with many stops along the way. They did not own land but worked for others.

Now that I have found patterns in my family branches, it is time to do the same for my husband’s side of the family. Surprising patterns pop up in a visual form where they stay somewhat hidden in just facts, figures and dates. I am including how I mapped my family routes and how I labeled them.

271 words

1/1/2022

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