The United States is known as a nation of immigrants, since everyone’s ancestors — save the Native Americans — came from somewhere else.
Sunny Jane Morton has written a thought-provoking article, “Migration Melodies,” in the October-November issue of Family Tree Magazine. She emphasizes that we often don’t know what motivated our ancestors to migrate, yet we need to determine, if possible, a likely reason for their migration.
Many were motivated by wars or poverty, and in many cases someone went first and drew others to follow. Some were motivated by advertisements luring workers to factories and mines, or by government land giveaways. Local histories often provide ideas of what drew immigrants to that community.
It is important to account for every family member and their known associates, as they often can provide a clue in either direction. Always research the various waterways and trails and where they led, plus, of course, the railroads, which allowed access to new areas.
Morton’s article is worth reading, and the many websites she suggests could help you figure out why your ancestors went where they did or where they came from. The magazine is at local bookstores, grocery stores and at www.familytreemagazine.com.
Speaker to discuss research journey
Michael Henderson will speak Dec. 7 at the Georgia Genealogical Society’s holiday luncheon at the Georgia Archives. The gathering will begin at 10:30 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m., and includes a business meeting, awards and lunch before he speaks.
Henderson, author of “Got Proof: My Genealogical Journey Through the Use of Documentation,” will have copies for sale and signing. His talk on discovering North American ancestral connections deals with his ancestors in colonial Louisiana. He recently received the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society’s Award for Excellence in African-American Historical Research.
Cost of the meeting and luncheon is $25 for members, $35 for nonmembers. Lunch is limited to 75 people. Reservations by mail must be postmarked by Nov. 26; the PayPal deadline is Dec. 1. Send to Georgia Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 550247, Atlanta, GA 30355-2747 or check www.gagensociety.org. Direct questions to Laura Carter at gagensocprograms@gmail.com or 706-369-9420.
Georgia codes and digests
Early Georgia legal codes and digests have been digitized and can be found on the University of Georgia Law Library’s site, http://digitalcommons.law.uga.edu/ga_code. It’s a great source for historians and genealogists.
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