Monday, June 21, 2010

It is hard to believe it is still day 1 - but yes, I left the house at 6am and yes, I got to Kansas City by 5:30 pm even with the time change. Weather was great - just hot (95).

As I left Colorado Springs, I could see Pikes Peak in the rear view mirror and thought about what a joyous event that must have been to pioneers. In the middle of Kansas, every direction looks the same. Flat horizon, no trees, and endless blue sky. It is gorgeous but must have gotten monotonous and disorienting.

This reflection also caused me to realize that my relatives did not make this journey until the mid 20th century. For the most part, families connected to the Tukeys and Williams' were early settlers to the new world. Most everyone was here before 1850. They wanted land (a typical English-Irish-Scotch definition of wealth) but the frontier to them was western New York, Ohio, Michigan, western North Carolina and Kentucky. Boston felt crowded by 1735 - amazing - so we find the younger Sweetsers and Cushings moving to Portland, ME. We find Coats' burned out during the Revolutionary War in Connecticut and taking advantage of military land grants in upstate New York. Kennedys were on the move from Maryland and Pennsylvania by 1760 and first in line to go to Kentucky with Daniel Boone. Why everyone was contented with their homes by 1850s and disinclined to move farther west is hard to know. Obviously many other families' ancestors made the journey I did today but in reverse. Food for thought, more research to do.

1 comment:

  1. Congratulations on departing. I considered starting a pool among those who know you well to see who could guess the # of extra grants you would write over the last week.
    I bet you are pretty tired but excited as well.
    So glad to know you are safe in KS.
    Patricia

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