The next destination on my Virtual Hike involves a family connection on a different branch of my family. The last few destinations have been on my Mother’s side of the family, but this one is on my Father’s side.

This segment of the Virtual Hike started in Carlisle Township in Lorain County, Ohio where my 4th Great Grandfather William Rowe lived in 1850. The end point was Dunkirk, New York where my 4th Great Grandmother Mercy Pomeroy Braman died in 1837.

The route taken was mostly along Lake Erie, but I decided to bypass Cleveland and also visit another place significant to me.

For a very short time many years ago I lived in Akron, Ohio. I decided that my Virtual Hike needed to go by the apartment complex that I lived in. The apartment was in the Merriman Valley on the Cuyahoga River. I had a wonderful view of the river from my living room.

I did not live there very long and it was during the winter time. However, it was still beautiful. I do have some good memories from there and still keep in touch with a couple people that I met while I lived there.

OK, back to the destination. I do not know much about the time that my ancestors lived in Dunkirk. I am not even sure how long they lived there as I have had difficulty finding my 4th Great Grandfather Orsamus Braman in the 1830 and 1840 Census records. I know that he was in Rome, Wisconsin by 1850.

When Mercy died in 1837 she was only 34 and left six children with the oldest being only 15 years old. I still have much research to do, but from what I know some of the children went to live with other family members in the area. Some of the older children eventually ended up in Wisconsin near their father and some of the younger ones stayed near Dunkirk.

I am still way behind on documenting my Virtual Hike. I actually made it to Dunkirk back in November. The next stops are also in New York. The next two stops are at places connected to my Mother’s family and then two more for my Father’s.

With the shelter in place the progress lately has been slow, so perhaps I should try and get caught up with my posts 🙂

Steven