The Firelands, The Connecticut Western Reserve, and the Ohio Territory

When we think of settling the West, our minds will often turn to the broad expanses of the American West that conjures up scenes of broad prairies and herds of buffalo and antelope. Such was not the case in the First American West. We also may think of the Canadian provinces of the same name. After the signing of the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783, Britain ceded land that would eventually comprise the Northwest Territory. Just five years later, the first settlers would leave their homes in New England and begin their journey to the “Territory Northwest of the River Ohio”, and establish their first city – Marietta. Eventually the states of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota would be included.

Note: This is not geared toward LDS members. Ohio was the first gathering place of the LDS Church. Eventually, those who joined with the its membership eventually found themselves displaced into Missouri and Illinois before their trek to Utah.

While many 17th-century Connecticut colonists have been researched and written about, there remain research challenges: distinguishing people with the same name, deciphering hard-to-read handwriting, understanding unique record sets, and more. This class examines the beginnings of Connecticut, New Haven, and Saybrook Colonies and the people who inhabited the lands prior to colonization. The class reviews published genealogical resources and record transcriptions and then presents strategies to locate and utilize primary sources. The webinar concludes with tips on overcoming common research challenges.

What are the secrets to finding New England vital records today? If you understand how they were made, and all the things that have happened to them since, you will bring new skills and insight to your vital records research. Also, let's develop some strategies for those times when the record cannot be found.

New England town records represent a unique resource for Family historians. Early settlers from England brought their traditions of town governance to the new world, including their ideas of legal matters and record keeping. The result is a treasure trove of documents that capture aspects of our ancestors’ lives as they went about their day-to-day business. These records are especially valuable for the 17th and 18th centuries as many other records may not have survived. This webinar covers not only vital record sources but also records from the Town Treasurer, Overseers of the Poor, and the Selectmen.

Researching ancestors who lived in colonial New England can be challenging. This webinar begins by tracing settlement patterns, setting the stage for understanding key records and where to find them. For the 17th century, many unique published resources exist to help the family researcher. During the colonial years, several conflicts such as King Philip’s War and the Seven Years War affected settlement and thus the surviving records. The 18th century culminated in the Revolutionary War, but also saw the continued growth of settlement and ultimately resources for the family historian.

Epidemics of smallpox, measles, yellow fever, diphtheria and other illnesses were common ailments in New England from colonial times up through the 19th century. Learn more about these diseases, why they were so greatly feared by your ancestors, and remedies they may have used.

Many Midwestern and Plains states have superb state census records. Learn about the indexes, the many personal details these censuses include, locating the censuses, and alternate sources. The lecture includes many specific examples from these enumerations, provides an overview of state censuses for Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri�

From Wisconsin to Missouri, many free online resources are available if you know where to look. This class will explore where to find and how to use these resources. Creative techniques for finding future sites will also be discussed.