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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: noeline on Friday 22 July 11 00:59 BST (UK)
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My Greatgrand father Oliver Walker moved to Pennsylvania from Yorkshire North England
Mgt. WALKER : wife
Emma WALKER: child
Mary WALKER: child
Isaac WALKER: child
Annie WALKER:child
Elderoer ?
John WALKER:son
Margaret WALKER:dau.
Oliver WALKER:son ?
If anyone knows some decedents of the above family, I would appreciate hearing from you.
Regards
Noeline Donaldson [MASON]
Te Kopuru
Northland NZ :)
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Hi Noeline:
Have you tried to trace the family on American census returns, or by any other means? We could try to help you, if you are interested (and haven't already looked).
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Hi Noeline,
I was going to say, the first question is are we talking the 1700s or 1900s? But I tried looking for the family on census returns, and they're in Washington County in 1900, 1910, and 1920!
I also see that others have addressed this question in your other topic, "Oliver Walker" -- please try those suggestions, then let us know precisely what you're looking for! If you're trying to track down recent/living relatives, your best bet is messageboards like rootsweb/ancestry or genforum. Also, drop a note to the county historical society: www.wchspa.org
Cheers and good luck!
~JudyLynn
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To save duplication, this is what was found on an earlier threads:-
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,539713.msg3934273.html#msg3934273
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,531149.msg3855661.html
Sandra
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Hi,
Thankyou all very much for the very interesting information you gave me re. Walker family I learnt a lot. I was hopping that one of the decentants might see the posting and I could learn a little more about their life when the family first went to the USA
Regards,
Noeline Donaldson
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Hi Noeline: I read the other threads you started but will put all the information about all of them in this thread.
All of the places mentioned in your threads--Roscoe, Stockdale, Coal Center, California, and Long Branch--are close to one another. The town of Smithton, where one of the Walker boys lived is about 30 minutes' drive away.
You can see a map with all of these places on it if you go here: http://www.rootschat.com/links/0ej2/
The map will be centered on Long Branch, with How Cemetery just below it.
Click on Bird's Eye View and make sure the box Show Labels is checked. Click on the little blue arrow on near the middle of the screen. That will widen the viewing area on the map. Then zoom out one click and you'll see all of the other places.
When your relatives emigrated to Roscoe, Washington County in the 1890s, the area was all farming, as a lot of it still is today. Work might also have been found--as Oliver Walker found it--in the many, many coal mines in the area.
The river that all these places is on is called the Monongahela River. Further down river (to the right on the map) steel mills began to be built in the early 1900s from Allenport, just above Roscoe, all the way to Pittsburgh, fifty miles away. Most of those are not gone, though the Allenport mill is still hanging on.
I can't tell you what Roscoe and the other places were like when your relatives first got there. But with the heavy industry gone, the area has lost a lot of population. Today Roscoe is a sleepy town with small businesses. There is a state university at California, which provides some employment.
Any marriage records--to trace the marriages of the Walker daughters (and sons)--would be in Washington County's main town, which is called Washington, after the first U.S. president. George Washington was a landowner in the northwestern part of the county and in Fayette County, which is across the river from Washington County, even though he lived in Virginia.
Before 1906, birth and death records were held by the county or the family's church. After 1906, birth and death records were held by the State of Pennsylvania.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
John :o :o :o
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The courthouse in Washington, Washington County has some records from 1890 and up--births, marriages and burials registered in the county. You have to go there in person though and you don't get a place to sit. There are about 4 volumes of historical records. You also might try the historic newspapers--especially Uniontown papers (Fayette Co.) if you have a subscription to A****y.com
If your relatives stayed there also might be late birth registrations as was needed to apply for social security in the 1930's
Janis