Western States Maps and Web Sites
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In following our families from the time of their arrival in America we have discussed the beginning of their migrations on the Quaker Migrations page linked above. We have prepared map pages, not only showing places of origin in England and Ireland, but their places of residence in America in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Indiana. We have rather skipped Ohio as most who went to Ohio from North Carolina soon moved on to Indiana. As families ultimately fanned out from Indiana, they had many destinations in the West, hence we have decided to do a Western States Map Page including varied locations. We have not yet collected a large number of maps but hope to. Visitors, we would welcome old maps that you find pertinent to your branches of the family. We will also include here links to Web Site maps that our visitors might find useful. When we find them, we will also provide links to State and County Histories, Genealogical Societies for the state, etc. As we follow our ancestors into the West we come into the time period when the entire country was being surveyed into Meridians, Base Lines, Townships and Ranges. There is an excellent site called Range Maps for Dummies that will be of enormous help to anyone just learning to read land legal descriptions. It was written for the State of Illinois but applies anywhere across the West. Also, for anyone wishing to research their ancestors in the West there is an excellent Bureau of Land Management Site where you can search public land records for the Western States and be able to print out the original document if you find your ancestor. As you search for ancestors, bear in mind that you need to know the lay of the land as it existed at the time your ancestors were there. As we have mentioned elsewhere, county, township, and even state boundaries changed often in the early days. Throughout this site we have attempted to give the location of births, deaths, marriages, etc, as they were at the time of the happening. Therefore sometimes it can look as if a family moved a great deal and had children in more than one county, while in reality they may not have moved an inch; the boundaries simply changed around them. This is especially important when trying to obtain old records as you need to know which county the event took place in to order from the correct source. Some family web sites give the name of the modern location in order to find them on a current map so it may look as though there is conflicting information on our site and theirs but be aware of the time frame and location. |
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U. S. Genealogical Survey Maps (Modern Maps) -------------------------------------------------------------- Query Form for USGS Feature Maps {Click} (Don�t forget the name may have changed slightly - so try alternate spellings if the one you have doesn't work - and of course some of the old names have disappeared) |
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Railroad Maps ------------------- A major effect on Westward Expansion came from the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 and the rapid proliferation of railroads all over the US after that date. The Library of Congress has a wonderful collection of railroad maps on line. {Click} |
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U. S. Westward Development, 1790-1900 ---------------------------------------------------- National map of the United States showing the demographics of the westward expansion from 1790 through 1900, including principal routes of movement {Click} Type in the "Westward Expansion..." |
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California ------------- Link to 1895 Map of California and California Counties {Click} |
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Illinois --------- Woodward descendants and cousins, Jill Martin and Nadine Holder, have created a site about their ancestors, and their friends and neighbors, that covers New Boston and Eliza Townships in Mercer County, Illinois. On that site we have a Map Page that includes many links to Illinois Maps. On that site we have a link to a map of Illinois County Boundaries 1790-Present. We have repeated it here as it is extremely useful in knowing which county pertains to your family by date. |
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Iowa ---------- Link to 1895 Atlas Map of Iowa and Iowa Counties {Click} Township 74N, 10W, Keokuk County, Iowa {Click} shows Woodward and Cook family purchases. Hardin County, Iowa - Atlas 1875 {Click} Providence Township shows Samuel Woodward (Jr.). Hardin County Cemeteries Map and listings {Click} Rachel Woodward Welch is buried in Cottage Cemetery in Ellis Township (ancestor of Jill and Nadine). Nadine has a number of historical Iowa maps that she will scan in eventually. |
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Kansas ----------- Link to 1895 Atlas Map of Kansas and Kansas Counties {Click} The Kansas-Missouri Border 1854-1859 {Click} Type in map title William Cutler's History of the State of Kansas {Click} |
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Missouri ----------- Link to 1895 Atlas Map of Missouri and Missouri Counties {Click} Missouri vital records online {Click} |
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Nebraska ------------ Link to 1895 Atlas Map of Nebraska and Nebraska Counties {Click} Andreas' History of the State of Nebraska Online {Click} |
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Oklahoma --------------- Link to 1895 Map of Oklahoma and Oklahoma Counties {Click} |
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