"RootsWorks:
Migration Maps"
by
Beau Sharbrough
A
picture is worth a thousand words, they say. If that's true,
I think we could cut back on the number of words out there
by making a few more pictures. In particular, I think we can
make maps that show the migration paths of our families, and
gain a different understanding of their lives. This is not
strictly an American pursuit—but the US is a country
where everyone came from somewhere else. We are truly a nation
of wanderers. Let's talk about what a "family migration
map" is, where you can look at a couple of examples,
and how you can make them.
Family
Migration Maps
A "Family Migration Map" is a document that shows
how a family moved from one place to another. Each "point"
typically is labeled with some combination of a name, date,
and place, along with a note to identify the event being
mapped. For example, one point might be labeled "Rutherford
Co., VA. 1750-1800." Or "Miami Co., OH. 1830 Census."
Or "Marion County. Born 1805."
The
idea is to show, at a glance, how a person or a family moved
around—and by implication, where to look for land records,
census records, wills, estate papers, and the like. For
example, Malachi Sharbrough was found in Pasquotank County,
North Carolina, on the 1790 census, and in Alabama on the
1810 census. On the 1800 census he was in western North
Carolina, in Guilford County.
Beware
of the temptation to connect your dots with straight lines.
We have a tendency in the U.S. to think that people and
baseball teams only move west. Many people don't remember
the lesson of the St. Louis Browns, who moved east to become
the current Baltimore Orioles.
Further,
beware of the temptation to think that people only moved
from Point A to Point B one time. Lilburn Scott moved from
Missouri to Oklahoma in the Second Run, but gave up his
claim and moved back to Missouri the second time that the
wind blew away all of the seeds that he had planted. The
next year he moved back to Oklahoma and rented a place.
Those events might have complicated my map, but they told
me a lot about the people I was researching.
Many
families who lived hear the Mason-Dixon line moved temporarily.
Garner Bobo moved his family north from Carroll County,
Arkansas, into Missouri during the War Between the States.
He and his wife were divorced during that time, and they
later moved back to different places in Arkansas.
Just
keep adding information until your map looks cluttered,
and then take some off.
Online
Examples
There are several good online examples of migration maps.
Here are five that I found in just a few minutes.
Grimes
Family Migration. Grimes Family Genealogy.
Ohio
Migration Trails. Maggie Stewart-Zimmerman.
Quaker
Migration Routes. Kindred Keepsakes.
Migration
Map Project. Melody Lasalle.
Crook
Migration Path. Crook Genealogy.
Five
Ways to Make Them
--- You can get out an atlas, trace the outlines of the
states or counties involved, and write in what you want
to add. This is an effective way to get the graphic you
want, but like the old handwritten group sheet, it has to
be completely redone when it changes significantly.
---
You can use the Microsoft Map with Excel. Click on the blue
globe in the toolbar, and choose the appropriate map, such
as the United States. Then draw a box for the map to be
displayed in. If you only want a part of the U.S., zoom
to 250% or 400%. Then use the buttons on the Mapping Toolbar
to reposition the map to suit you. Add labels and push pins,
and you have a map.
---
You can step up to Visio, a Microsoft diagramming program.
Visio has images for arrows, boxes, office furniture, and
many states and countries. If you drag the states you like
to the map, you can get creative and leave the space between
them empty. That helps emphasize the information you want.
---
You can use Mappoint and Excel to make a data-driven map.
Mappoint will allow you to customize a map very creatively.
You can make a spreadsheet that shows the state, county,
and the note you want posted. Then you can link the spreadsheet
to the map. This will allow you to change the colors of
the counties where your ancestors lived. With all the highways,
this kind of map can get very busy.
---
You can use the online mapping features of the U.S. Census
and USGS GNIS pages. The census maps are in the public domain,
and you can find maps for various regions and "paste"
them together to make a big-picture Migration map. The Crook
Map is based on this technique.
The RootsWorks site contains examples of migration maps
created using Excel, Visio, and Mappoint.
A
few years ago, there was a program from Parsons Technology
called "Family Atlas for Windows." It would map
all of the locations in a GEDCOM file specified by the user.
That would be a great way to get a glance at the migration
of a family. I can't find that program on the Broderbund
site with the other Parsons software today. I wonder if
it still exists.
Other
Useful Links
RootsWorks
Migration Maps. RootsWorks.
Census
Bureau. Census Tiger Maps are public domain.
Cyndi's
List Migrations.
Migration
Maps. Routes and Routes.
Copyright 2003, MyFamily.com. The RootsWorks series
of articles focuses on genealogical applications for generic
technologies. Beau would like to hear from you. Whether you
have something to add or something to ask, please point your
browser to http://www.rootsworks.com/forums
and discuss this or any topic related to the use of technology
in family history. Tell us about your mapping experiences.
Please note that he cannot assist you with your individual
computer problems. Beau is scheduled to speak in Dallas in
September, and in Des Moines in October. Visit the RootsWorks
website (http://www.rootsworks.com
) for links to previous articles and Beau's lecture schedule.
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