Hi, Folks -
Some of you probably know that a few years ago Carolyn Switzer had the
terrific idea of a MSGW site covering early (pre-statehood) history and
genealogy of a section of MS. Several of us got together and created the
Early Southwest Mississippi Territory site:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~msswterr/
The site covers a group of current counties that share much of the same
early history: Adams, Amite, Claiborne, Jefferson, Franklin, and Wilkinson.
The site has become extremely popular, I'm happy to say. There's quite a
bit of history, and then there was Carolyn's 2nd great idea: to create a
pioneer dB for the site. We get submissions regularly, and it's possibly
the only repository of its kind covering this area, and in this time
frame:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~msswterr/pioneerdb.htm
I'm not terribly familiar with the early history of most of the state, sad
to say, but I know there must be areas where a similar site would be of
benefit, and just as popular. Perhaps along the Gulf Coast, or the AL
state line, or a northern grouping of counties along the Trace, or counties
which once were home to much of the Choctaw Nation........
There are obvious benefits from sites of this nature. County lines were
not established back then, early records are scarce, and a basic knowledge
of history of a given area is vital in tracing those early
ancestors. These sites can also provide an excellent opportunity to
address Native American ancestry. Since it's a MSGW site, you'll know that
your work with stay online with MSGW even if you, or others, have to leave.
So........anyone jumping up and down, chompin' at the bit to take on such a
project????????
We'll be happy to provide the submission form for a dB, if you want it. It
would require only minor changes to make it applicable to a different area.
Name the territory/site, and I'll request a RW account. I think as long as
we keep the date of research to pre-statehood (pre-1818), we can let our
imaginations to the walking.
Think about it?
Thanks,
Ellen