Day 11

A short blog tonight. I managed to get two grants completed and posted this week. Only 2 more to go but they are not due until Aug 5. I left E. Lansing about 10:30 headed south for Moscow, MI. Just a village south and slightly west of E. Lansing. It is where George Richardson died in 1840. I went through Moscow and then headed for Jonesville which is larger and home to various records. No luck at the village offices. The library staff was very nice. I did find a George Richardson buried in Bankers Cemetery in Cambria Township. This may or may not be the grave I am looking for since the marker no longer exists. The family moved from Maine/Massachusetts in the mide-1830s. But looking at where his children were born, I think the family must have only stayed in Moscow and few years before heading settling in the Jamestown area.

What struck me as I drove the winding roads was how long even that journey must have taken. Assuming there were trails, assuming you could go in a reasonably straight line, assuming you could make 20 miles a day it would take 1 day from Jonestown/Moscow to Battle Creek, 1 day to Hastings then 1 day to Jamestown. With wagon and oxen it would take at least a week. Imaging wandering through virgin forests filled with indians for week while you try and head for a new home because the one you originally chose wasn't working.

From Jonestown, I made my way south and east to Ohio. The numbr and variety of vintage farms throughout Michigan and Ohio is staggering. MANY of the homes range from 50 - 125 years old. A great variety in styles but overall they are well maintained and obviously the center of productive farm life.

I was going to spend the night in Perrysburg but decided to continue east to Norwalk. The Firelands Museum is here and I think it is my best bet for genealogy. It should be open both tomorrow and Saturday so I am keeping my fingers crossed. This area of Huron County (Peru, Norwalk, Monroeville) was home to the Suttons and Davenports in the second quarter of the 1800s. It is here that the Suttons had their weaving business and where George Martin Davenport met and married Esther Sutton. A good night's sleep and hopefully a productive day tomorrow.