Maybe I am unreasonable?

I am from the northeast (NJ). Many of my ancestors were among the earliest settlers in this area and further north. None of my ancestors moved west or even south. (Wash DC was the furthest and that was only for a short time). I find it is VERY frustrating to engage in online groups and surname queries because a majority of entries are inquiring for everywhere except HERE.
Has anyone else experienced this? Any theories on why?

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kathleen Fox Allen on July 21, 2009 at 7:03pm

I meant to ask who your MA ancestors were who came to the shore. As far as I can tell, no one from my lines came to Central Jersey until recently (abt 1950). But I had some Allen ancestors move to The City in the 1840's from Maine & Mass.

My Metcalfe ancestors came to Union & Bergen Counties sometime between 1865 and 1880. And, of course, my ultimate brick wall - Mary McEvoy, who married George Metcalfe in the US between 1880 and 1885 and had her three children in Carlstadt, Bergen County in 1885, 1887 and 1890... and for whom I can't find any other records.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eileen Cogan on July 21, 2009 at 8:32pm

Mine were Plymouth colony residents who left to get away from the witchcraft trials. Whilden, Crowell and others. They were among the first white people in Cape May.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eileen Cogan on July 29, 2009 at 5:40pm

My ancestors came from Plymouth to Cape May I guess in the 1600's. There are a few lines but I don't know if I can remember them off the top of my head. Whilldin, Crowell, Howland, Hand?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by CaryAnn Turner Hess on July 21, 2009 at 12:37pm

I can understand your frustration even tho my families are scattered throughout the U. S. I must say I am guilty of doing just a surname. From now on I will make sure I put a county, state and surname so those who are not interested can quickly bypass my entry.

I think it would help if we had counties in the state files. That way we could look for the area we are interested in without having to go through each and every post.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eileen Cogan on July 21, 2009 at 1:49pm

That would be helpful. It was nice to see when Genforum made a policy about it. How about when you browse a list of online trees and you see things like "Jen's Apple Tree" or "My Genealogy". That is not helpful. Its irritating.
I have always wished it would be a standard practice to include area with the name. Also a date range.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ellen Healy on July 21, 2009 at 12:52pm

I have found this same problem. My relatives came to Hudson County, NJ, and stayed. Nada- no move anywhere. And I still can't find much in Hudson County. But by reading online blogs and queries, and hope that someday, someone will mention my relatives. Or see my posts. And I do pick up some good suggestions for research that I hadn't thought of.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eileen Cogan on July 21, 2009 at 1:49pm

Its a long wait, isnt it?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Beth Gatlin on July 21, 2009 at 1:43pm

The Swedes are just as challenging as the Norwegians! And I have both Swedish and Norwegian ancestors!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eileen Cogan on July 21, 2009 at 8:37pm

but at least they are fascinating!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Marilin Meghan Dunsmore on July 21, 2009 at 4:21pm

I'm bumping against something similar, but it's not because my family stayed in the same spot.... the line I'm researching [Sands] was prominent in Rhode Island AND the other New England states my family lived in. It seems no body in my extended family cares... nobody is looking for my common work-a-day family of Sands. It's so frustrating because all I seem to find is Census data, no birth, deaths, or marriage records.... I put in my husband's family on Ancestry and got about 20 other member trees that overlap his. If only it were so easy for me!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jane Devlin on August 3, 2009 at 8:27am

In what time period are you searching for SANDS? I have a James SANDS of Block Island, RI, in the 1600s. My line comes through his daughter Mercy who married Joshua RAYMOND.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Marilin Meghan Dunsmore on August 3, 2009 at 8:14pm

Not those Sands, unfortunately. They keep popping up when I'm looking... these Sands are from Massachusetts, immigrated in 1839 and 1840. Thank you, though!