Sometimes the final day of a conference is not as appealing because we are weary of attending classes. The planners have figured this out: there were too many interesting choices today. "Clusters and Chains" gave examples of families (and villages) migrating together--even making more than one move in the U. S. When an ancestor arrived alone, he often returned to the country of origin to marry or to bring a sibling or cousin.
"The Push and the Pull" discussed reasons for migration. This was particularly interesting because Jill Morelli used a long letter her ancestor wrote after arriving in the U. S. from Denmark with details of the trip across the Atlantic and their settlement in Iowa.
Another class called "Off the Beaten Path" suggested using the historical events of an area to figure out why your ancestor moved. Did you know there was a "gold rush" in Georgia in the 1830s? Your South Carolina ancestor may have gone south. Economic factors, wars, weather events, etc. could all play a part in migration.
There were six classes I wanted to attend Saturday afternoon! Ultimately, I decided to learn more about the Scots-Irish. One of the important facts: Scots-Irish who arrived in the 1700s were usually traveling in groups, and later immigrants came by themselves. The handout for this class will be especially useful for those of you with ancestors in that category.
"How I Built My Own Brick Wall" was an amusing way to address all the mistakes we as researchers tend to make and a great way to finish the conference.
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