Direct Your Letters to San Jose: Following Ancestors’ Migration Trails

David W. Jackson
Aug 31, 2022
225 views
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About this webinar

U.S. Migration patterns trended from the east to west coasts as Manifest Destiny played out in our American ancestors’ lives. Did they write letters? Yes, they did. Did they keep a diary? Likely. But, have those documents survived, and if so where might they be located? Follow through historical documents the 100+year Westward Migration of one family who created, saved, and handed down pertinent historical documents pinpointing their migration from Kentucky to Illinois in the early 1830s, chronicled an overland journey to the California Gold Rush 20 years later in 1850, then later emigrated from Illinois to Kansas in the early days of the Civil War. Discover what brought one descendant to Kansas City, Missouri, after World War II. Where’s their next stop? This case study is studded with potential research avenues for any genealogist, anthropologist, archivist, cartographer, or automobile enthusiast.

About the speaker

David W. Jackson began genealogy in 1980 at age 11. He graduated magna cum laude with a BS in Historic Preservation from Southeast Missouri State University. He enjoyed a 20+year career as a local his...
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Comments (32)

Sort byNewest
  1. DR
    Dawn Rossi
    3 years ago

    It was so great to hear your voice! This was very informative and interesting!

  2. CB
    Crystal Barth
    3 years ago

    Excellent.... very informative

  3. PM
    Phillip Murry
    3 years ago

    Good speaker. I wish that he would have shared more resources and techniques that I could use for my California gold rush ancestor.

  4. WV
    Webinar Viewer
    3 years ago

    It's rare that a presentation transports you back in time, to see what our ancestors lived through. Well done!

  5. KM
    Karen Mcatlin
    3 years ago

    Absolutely fantastic! I have learned a wealth of knowledge from this webinar. Thank you so much for sharing!!

  6. WV
    Webinar Viewer
    3 years ago

    Excellent webinar!!! I had wanted to be a pioneer girl when I was a child; but I was born 100 years too late. I never realized how difficult it was for the pioneers to travel until I read some diaries. I toured Nevada City gold mines and saw how difficult it was for the miners in the mines and those living in Ca. in those times to make a living. I live in Sacramento. One of my friends had family that drove mule trains here in California. They had a store in Old Sacramento during the gold rush times.

  7. WV
    Webinar Viewer
    3 years ago

    Fantastic presentation. I too have ancestors who went west from IL, not for gold, but to farm San Juaquin valley and San Jose in 1860-80 pd. Can't wait to check those archive gold mines there! Thank you.

  8. CB
    Cyndy Bray
    3 years ago

    Outstanding!

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