A visit to Petersburg, Virginia- in 1655-1685 Richard Womack set out from this fort to trade with the Indians

We drove to Petersburg, Virginia on our way to North Carolina. This is the area, just south of Richmond, where the Womack's lived in the 1600's. We wanted to see the ruins of the fort and trading post where Richard Womack set out from to trade with the Indians in the mid 1600's. The path from here followed south along the Occaneechi Trail.

We stopped at the visitor's center, and found out that the courtyard there was the setting for the washing area scene in "Mercy Street" in case you are a fan (we are!) I remembered the gate to the street vividly as that is where the young slave boy had to decide whether to remain with his mistress or make a break for freedom.

Nearby was the trading post, now known as "Peter Jone's Trading Post" which had originally been called Fort Henry. It was commanded by Abraham Wood in Richard Womack's time. Later it was left to Abraham's son-in-law, Peter Jones, for whom Petersburg was named. The ruins stood near the banks of the Appomattox River.

350 years after Richard Womack set off from here on trading expeditions!

Connected Blog Posts:
1655-1685 Richard Womack- Trading Paths 1600's
1655-1685- Richard Womack- Fellow Traders

Further information:
Historical Marker for Peter Jone's Trading Station
Abraham Wood
1673 Abraham Wood's letter describing a trading expedition

Rankin County 1850- Family and Friends

1850 Map of family and friends in Rankin County

1852- The Route to Texas- Maps

We have very few clues as to which roads our ancestors actually traveled. 

We can see where they had relatives along the way- likely spots to stop, rest, visit, and learn about the way ahead (separate post)

 We can also look and see where there were ferries available to cross the larger rivers (separate post)

Luckily there are also some old maps of the time. From these we can see which modern roads follow the original roads, and try and chart possible paths west. (After you click on the link, you can click again on each map to zoom in and see more details.) I had always thought of these 1852 pioneers to Texas traveling through the wilderness, but from what we see of these maps, this was not the case. For the most part, they would have followed an existing route which passed through established towns along the way.

1845 Map of Mississippi

1852 Map of Mississippi

1850 Map of Louisiana

1853 Map of Louisiana

Using the location of our ancestors homes in Mississippi and Texas, their relatives homes in 1850, and the possible routes from the old maps and information on routes west at the time, I came up with a couple of possibilities for their journey. Of course, this is just a guess! They may have gone a different way- but this gives me some idea of what their journey MAY have looked like!

1852- Possible routes from Rankin Co. Miss to Trinity Co. Tx

* Although it is a later date, this 1880 railroad map of Mississippi and Louisiana still gives us a good idea of what might have been a good route from Rankin County; surely the railroad followed a practical route accessing major towns of the time...you can see Cato, the Rankin County home of the Franklin's, on this map, as well as Flowery Mound, the home of the Campbell's in Concordia Parish. The railroad follows from Jackson, Miss. south paralleling the Natchez Trace to Natchez, then straight westward, going north of the lake in Catahoula Parish, then down to Alexandria, and branching at Burkeville Tx. with the southern branch going to Woodville in Tyler Co. Tx. (which would have passed through Wood Bluff.)

1882 Railroad map Miss and La.