Covered Wagon Ride

When we left Millersburg, Ohio we went south and west on highway 62, we had traveled to Millersburg from Warren, Ohio on the same highway. The highway is two line and narrow to boot. However it takes you into a world long past. In many areas of the drive it was up and down hills, around curves, lots of those, in fairly dense trees, like in a forest. We were in such an area soon after leaving Millersburg. We could imagine covered wagons, and Indian's lurking behind trees watching. It was like our ancestor's must have felt, hard going because of the hills and curves and fording creeks, we had a bridge but they didn't. It was a most awesome experience. Yes our covered wagon was 39 ft long and had a roar, nothing like the snorting of horses or oxen, but I would bet that our ancestor's were awed by the changing colors of the trees and bushes and the quiet with the sound of birds, running water and thanked God for their good fortune to be traveling into the unknown for new experiences and adventures.

We spent two nights at Mt. Gilead State Park right out side of the township of Mt. Gilead, Ohio. Another stop to do more genealogy research. The area is just as beautiful as our last stop for the same purpose. The court house was very old and was being renovated so looking through old records for births, death and marriages was a challenge for sure. Across the street in an old home that had been converted into a historical library was great. Spent two afternoons browsing through their cemetery information and found one of the ancestors I was looking for.

We are now parked at WalMart in Mansfield, Ohio, where, you guessed it, to do more genealogy research. We will leave here either Tuesday or Wednesday to start back west to South Dakota.

We moved on

Huh, Wal Mart parking lots are not all the same. You would think they would be but, not! This Wal Mart parking lot has hitching rails for horse & buggies. We are now in Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio the county with the largest population of Amish in the US of A.

Holmes county has got to be one of the prettiest places to be in the fall of the year. The trees changing color, the horse dung on the side of the roads, the small quaint villages, slow moving traffic because of the horse & buggy or the bike on the roads. Very narrow, winding, hilly back roads. Hugh Amish farms that are very well maintained. Beautiful flower gardens with all the fall colors. Pumpkins every where, this is truly a fascinating place to be.

As we left Trumbull county to come to Holmes county we first saw an 18 wheeler on it's side and lots of police and fire trucks there. Earl got to watch as the tow truck lifted the truck and set it up right. He did not get to see them set the trailer back up because it had to be unloaded first.
Then as we got a little ways down the road, traffic again was slowing down and stopping, again lots of police, fire and medical trucks, lights flashing, yes, a two car accident, looked like a bad one too. Got past that one and again a ways down the road, you quested it another accident. Since we were only observers and not participant's and that was three in a row, we knew we would get to Wal Mart okay on this traveling day. What we did't count on was "Irene" (GPS) taking us on those hilly, narrow back roads. Meeting the oncoming horse and buggy or bike wasn't to bad but the trucks and cars on a one lane road was a bit tight.

We are looking forward to more trips to cemeteries looking for dead relatives so I can take a picture of their stones. I did find my great, great, great, great grandfathers stone in a very hard to find little cemetery that is no longer being used in Jackson Township in Mahoning county. It was a most awesome discovery. He died in 1831. I hope I can do as well here in Holmes county.