I'm no expert, but I can tell you about my family's similar history.
My family (Moses Robbins) also was well entrenched in Randolph County, NC in
the early 1800's, then showed up in Wayne County, IN in about 1816. I
wondered the same questions, until I found the answer for them and quite
possibly for your kin.
Randolph County, NC was heavy Quaker Country in the early 1800's. Many
Quakers, like my family, were so opposed to slavery that they uprooted and
moved en masse, to Wayne County, IN where they later participated in
operating the "underground railroad" under which slaves were smuggled out of
the south by sympathizers, MANY of which were Quakers who had similarly
relocated.
Many Quakers remained in Randolph County and organized that end of the
railroad, and many others moved to Wayne County, IN to operate MAJOR
waystations on the underground railroad. (Wayne County is situated along
the crossroads of the major north-south and east-west highways of the day).
Though my family moved to Wayne County before the civil war, they may have
been on opposite ends of the railroad from yours. Perhaps after the war,
your family, their work done, may have made the move to be re-united with
old friends.
How did they get there? In the case of my family, they walked! Ten
children, in-laws and friends. Herding their animals alongside the wagons,
they spent months walking to their new home.
Eventually, this situation resulted in cousins fighting on opposite sides
during major battles of the Civil War.
You didn't identify the names of your family; Was it also Kerr?
A side note of interest about the Moses Robbins family. At the time of
their involvement in the underground railroad, the son, Moses Robbins, Jr,
(1804-1879) lost 5 children within 8 days to scarlet fever, while his
brother Harlan Parker Robbins lost 2 children at the same time to the
disease. I can't imagine the grief and pain.
And we get angry if our computer doesn't download fast enough for us.
Hope this helps.
Steve Davis
----- Original Message -----
From: "Charles and Brenda Kerr" <hiredesign(a)houston.rr.com>
To: <WAYNE_IN-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 16, 2003 4:02 PM
Subject: HELP! need ideas
I am looking for ideas to help me locate missing family. Ayny ideas
are
greatly appreciated.
Here is my scenario:
1860 my family is in Randolph Co., NC.
1870 family is still there minus the father and oldest
child which happens to be a daughter, Ann(a).
1874 Anna and husband John have a child in Wayne Co. IN.
1880 a family resembling mine minus oldest children
appears in Clay Co. AR and my family disappears
from NC.
Between 1860 & 1870 how does one travel from NC to the
west (IN and AR)? What means of transportation and route?
Why would people go to IN and AR at that time?
What happens if someone is traveling on census day?
Thanks,
Brenda in TX