Location, location, location...

Names can be difficult at times, especially those Welsh names to those of us on this side of the great pond. (USA)  Many times, these names were given as locations to certain family members.  An example is Howel of Ruth, Rys of Leeswood, and Peter of Bersham.  Add names like Llweeni, Hawarden, Selattyn, Hanmer, Ellesmere, Wem, and Llanfair Dyffan Clwyd.  Where and how are these connected?  Brick walls, brick walls, and more brick walls.  Finding the location of each place with the family member, would help answer many questions.  Such is the drawing given below.

Drawn to scale, the various locations that had been thought to be spread all over the globe, were actually all within a very short distance to one another.  All these folks were almost within spiting distance to one another, as my Welsh family proved to be.  As different folks spread about my pages of research, the ones from the same "location" would more likely be related.  Location, location, location as they say in some fields, but it can also help in getting around some of those brick walls.

Drawing to Scale

Identifying the geographic location that our ancestors first arrived to this new land can often separate a number of brick walls.  It is helpful to draw maps that are "to scale".  By this I mean tracing a map out of a recognized source to scale. The following is an example of my own family search, where the name "Jones Point" occurs.

My ancestors arrived to stay in Virginia around 1650. [They were thrown out of England after Charles I lost his head.]  Rappahannock River was the major highway to their settlement.  Where this "Jones Point" was located was one task, as well as, trying to determine if these JONES families were connected to my own family tree.

As outline in the last post, landmarks are an important indicator of the families initial location.    Tracing a map from the "mouth" [opening/starting point] using an identifiable scale [mile markers drawn] can be used to carefully locate positions along the coast line.  Following the pathway along the shore line will give the location of other creeks, points, cliffs, etc., while providing a scale in which to mark the "mile markers" that often expressed in land patents.

It is important to recognize that one "shore line" does not always match the same distance on the opposite shore.  Each square above is draw as "mile markers" from the starting points [Stingray Point (south side) and Mosquito Point (north side) ]  Eight miles up river on the south side is only four miles on the north side.  The bends and curves of the river will also change their course moving "east to west" and then "north to south".  Drawing maps to scale will help sort out these descriptors on land patents.

Skeletons Not In The Closet

A skeleton carries the concept of something buried or hidden a long time ago that was intended to remain buried. As genealogists, we often discuss "skeletons in the closet" as a family secret uncovered during our own family tree climbing.  It may or may not be something that we are glad we uncovered.

A skeleton is also the bony, rigid support that serves as a framework to help hold us together. [At least that is while we are alive.]  More or less it is the support to soft tissues and the protection to certain parts of the body...an essential part of the motion's of life.

Over the years, I have found that defining a "skeleton" of our ancestor's land gives a foundation to the family tree climbing.  It may be a county, stream, land mass, or even country.  Sketching the outline without any landmarks or names, will define a "skeleton" of the family's origin that may help us understand our ancestor's own motion through time. [And generations!]

The drawing above is an outline of my ancestor's land...a skeleton if you will.  It is not labeled at first, but will provide a support for all the names and areas yet to be discovered.  Drawn to scale, it can be used to estimate distance, which can be used to understand time between settlements or towns.  Names may change, and certain identities, but the skeleton will generally remain the same.  Make multiple copies of this skeleton so that you can add new names and identities as they are discovered.  Theses skeletons need not be put in the closet.

BWP(22): Maps form History

Making maps can be a key ingredient to moving back some of those brick walls. [BWP(21).] Likewise, using maps from history will often provide addition information and understanding regarding those ancestors.

The figure to the right is such a map of the Virginia , 1754. A post entitled: "Maps from History", June 3, 2011, discusses this help.

It is to be found in the blog: The Jones Genealogist. It is intended to be a help.