So I am in the process of planning our genealogy vacation for later this year. We plan, if my husband’s work schedule allows, to head up into New York state to visit some of the places his ancestors lived.
I have written about some of these ancestors in previous blog posts:
https://myfamgen.com/2017/04/07/who-was-miles-coopers-father
https://myfamgen.com/2017/05/05/peter-doxtater-and-the-french-and-indian-warrevolutionary-war
https://myfamgen.com/2017/06/02/the-mysteries-of-vincent-doran
https://myfamgen.com/2017/07/07/barnet-bond-war-of-1812
https://myfamgen.com/2017/07/21/the-miller-family-from-kingsbury-ny
https://myfamgen.com/2017/08/11/the-kelly-sisters-had-good-genes.
In the course of my planning I discovered the route that Peter Doxtater, his wife, and 6 children took to get from German Flats, Herkimer County, New York to Adams, Jefferson County, New York.
From the booklet Revolutionary War Veterans who settled in the Sixtown Area of Southern Jefferson County – “He came to Adams in 1802 with his wife and six children. They came up the Mohawk River in a flat boat, thence to Oneida lake, through Wood’s Creek to the Oswego River, to Lake Ontario to Big Sandy Creek and inland 2 miles.”
I mapped out the route as best as I could using roads that go along the water path that they took. It would take 3 1/2 hours driving. Can you imagine how long it took a family of eight going on the water and through the woods in 1802? The children weren’t necessarily children. The youngest was 8, but there were ones in their 20s. But I still can’t imagine making a trip like that!
I also mapped out a more direct route that could be taken today, now that roads exist. It’s only 88 miles instead of 154 or more miles. Driving in a car is definitely a lot quicker than taking an unmotorized boat. I wonder how long the trip actually did take them?
Should be a fun vacation!!