The next destination on my Virtual Hike was Zanesville, Ohio.

The previous destination on my virtual hike was Sugarcreek, Ohio

You will see on the map above that there is a secondary stop on the map. The stop was at the Gospel Book Store in Berlin, Ohio. I bought some books there many years ago, and also on-line since then. It has a wonderful History and Genealogy section.

The virtual hike route then headed south between fields of crops and through small towns.

I would have had to stop and talk to people along the way and find out how they were related to me if they were Amish. Here an Amish farmer is selling his produce across the road from a cheese factory.

For part of the way the hike went along some trails through the woods where the Google car is unable to go.

The Virtual Hike finally made it to Zanesville and here you can see a bridge over the Muskingum River and remnants of the Muskingum Canal. The Licking River also joins the Muskingum River here. Zanesville was an early settlement in Ohio and at one time it was even the capital of Ohio.

My 3rd Great Grandfather John Thomas Cochran was born here in 1830. (Perhaps a bit east in Monroe County)

Update: John Cochran’s Obituary says Monroe County as the place of birth, Death Certificate has Summerfield, Ohio which is modern day Noble County, but was part of Monroe County in 1830. Zanesville was most likely the nearest market town at the time.

In 1830 the town had a population of only about 3,000.

A famous author was also born in Zanesville. I have a large number of books written by Zane Grey.

My next few stops will have family connections. I have been working on the route so that I can include as many family locations as possible along the way. Of course, I am also finding new research opportunities as I go and am learning more about migration routes as the frontier pressed further west.

Steven

Images in this post are from Google Maps and Street View

WWRI – Written With Real Intelligence