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Friday, January 31, 2014

My Experience on Judy G Russell's Blog Post

Judy, I was trying to keep a straight face as I read your blog post.  I am sure you were working at a straight face when you read the post that prompted your blog comment.
Musings from 30,000 feet

Suspecting that statement may have held water 300 or 400 years ago??? but not sure it ever held water.

Mom, Dorothy Inez Hoffman Jones, used to always say, "they did not go far because they had to walk."  I bet I heard that statement several times a day on days of research.

When I read to her the letter by her Great Grandfather and his statement to his  two sons and 1 daughter
in Iowa. Written about 1873, it shared much enlightenment about the family.

Later years pre 1879, he walked from his home to court, asking neighbors to care for the animals due to his wife's not ability due to health. He left after chores in the early light of dawn. He walked from Aleppo, Pa to Waynesburg, PA for a court hearing regarding land involving his son in Iowa and family in Greene Co. Pa.  He arrived in town prior to the hearing, learning it was canceled, promptly saw another child and then went back home. He went over many deep hills and valleys both ways. When the neighbor arrived to care for the animals, in the evening, he found Henry had already serviced them all.  This was before the sun went down.  I would have  to reread letter to say what month it was to how long the sun hung in the sky.  I have been to both that home place and Waynesburg.  Granted they did not follow a road they went the way they needed to go. But he walked over 50 miles each way according to family that was still living in Waynesburg, PA in 1993.  It was in the early spring.

Ah, our Marathon Walkers, Joggers, we were doing it way back when.

Then as gathering of records continued I kept track of the distance family seemed to go.

Some may live near within the 5 mile range but most were farther.  I counted 12 to 30 miles between siblings and parents. Between Grandparents and Great Grandparents it was the other side of the county, which was even farther.

After the CW, families lived counties and states apart and only a few of the siblings stayed close to assist the older family members.  Suspecting they discussed this prior to moving. Some hints of this were in letters.  A side bar comment was that at least with the Mail they could still keep in touch.
What trust they put in the Pony Express and mail system.

Looking at my family directly, we all took turns with the parents. Moved a second home on the ranch and assisted those there. Haven driven or flown home to assist as needed was a standard occurance, in my home. My own family knew, that if help was needed I would be assisting as the elder member of the children.  My sister was almost 5 years younger, younger brother 2+ years younger than that and baby brother was born when I was 12.  He was just starting school when I married and permanently moved. When he graduated he came to stay a while with us here in San Diego after 1970.  

Yes, one brother lived within 30 miles of my parents. One on the ranch  later as health went south,
then he moved in with them part time and I took turns a month at a time being there for him to have time for his family. Later the other brother moved in. Then he moved out and older brother moved into the house with Mom, until her death.

Cousins were any where from 30 miles to 120 miles away after we moved from Wyoming to California, at the start of the War.  We came then the other families that worked for various military
moved semi close about ten years later.

Yesterday (?) my brother was 30 miles away, other brother 60 miles away, sister 1,000 miles away and I was 900 miles away.  Both my parents families were in Wyoming.  Their parents had lived in Iowa,
We migrated from PA to Iowa after the CW, on Mom's side and we migrated to IA from NY in 1855 to  Nunda, Ill then after CW moved to Chickasaw Co. IA. Some family still in area. Most have scattered to MINN, OR, WYO, Carolina's, FLA, CA, UT and all over.

So maybe in Europe before they came, it happened. Because even my arrivals from Europe did not stay in one spot long and scattered all over the eastern area of the USA.  Really chuckling because even Moreen Duvall did not stay that close.

How far did your kin travel and how close do each other did they live?

Today, one daughter and her son lives with us. I daughter is right at 8 miles from us and one son is 10 miles from us and another 15 and another in Michigan.  Ironic is sometimes I feel like I see or hear from the family at distance more than those that are close. Weird huh.

 Enjoy your family no matter how far or close they are.

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