Field Trip!

So, I 've talked my husband into going down to Southern Ohio for a few days vacation next month (read - I twisted his arm until he cried "mama"). Actually my favorite guy is really cool about cemetery hopping unless there are a lot of bugs on the scene.

The deal is that I get to do some down and dirty research in each of three counties I need to visit in order to quench that thirst my Thacker obsession has created. He will drop me off at the appropriate building in the morning and come back and pick me up at noon. Then we will go tombstone searching, or whatever else strikes our fancy.

Because I am limited on time, I'm going to have to be super organized and pick which pieces of information are the most important to pursue.

For example, in Gallia County, I am on the hunt for the Edwill Thacker vs John Hawk court case that occured in about 1841. This case went on to be heard by the Ohio Supreme Court and clarified Ohio's Black Laws.

In Jackson County, I am looking for probate records or land records for David Thacker. I believe David to be the father of my Nicholas Thacker. Since David farmed and owned land he either had to leave a will or the land that he owned would have been subject to right of inheritance. What this hopefully means is that I may be able to find out if Nicholas is his son and who the siblings of Nicholas were.

Also in Jackson County, I want to get copies of several Thacker marriages. Then if I have enough time, I would like to find out where David and Sally Thacker are buried and go to the cemetery.

In Vinton County, there are marriages, newspaper announcements and death records I want to lookup. Curry Cemetery has a lot of Thacker burials - so that afternoon, I know I will be busy!

To be honest, for the last three months, it has been all that I can do, NOT to jump in my car and head south. You have no idea, how hard it has been to work, write and take care of business when all I can think about is - hmm.. what's the best way to approach this research problem, or how can I go about solving that part of the Thacker mystery. And each time as I figure out which path I will take to solve each new problem, I want to get started on it right then and there. Ah, real life is such a pain when I have genealogical puzzles to solve!!!