When I imagine the places where our ancestors lived, my point of reference is always the current map of the United States. I was taught this as a child, I even had a puzzle to practice learning the shapes of the states. So it is ingrained in my brain. Maybe yours too. We assume this map in our heads when we think about where our ancestors lived.
But it wasn't quite like that. In fact, it wasn't ANYTHING like that. This is something I have to constantly pound into my brain, which is very attached to my childhood map puzzle.
Today I found "The Atlas to Historical County Boundaries" online, which has some fascinating interactive maps which show how the states (and their counties) looked at various periods of time in our history. I think that if you take a few minutes to play with this tool, you will make some surprising discoveries, as I did.
The earliest record we have of a Womack ancestor is for Richard Womack (I) in 1655. Richard lived in Henrico County, Virginia. This is Virginia in 1654.
Henrico County and Virginia 1654
The Womack's stayed in Henrico County for quite a while. In 1730, our ancestor Richard Womack (II - the son of Richard Womack (I) above) left 250 acres of his land at Winterpock (Wintopock) Creek to George Carter, who later sold it to Thomas Jefferson. In 1737, his son, Richard Womack (III) (again our ancestor) received a deed for land called "Sapponey" on the Appomattox River in Henrico County.
By 1749, the part of Henrico County where the Womack's had lived, near what is now Petersburg, was made into Chesterfield County. Just south of Chesterfield was Amelia County. We know that our Womack ancestors had land in Amelia County by 1739. By 1749, the colony of Virginia had claimed all of what is now Kentucky.
Chesterfield County and Amelia County 1749
We know that our ancestor Richard Womack (III- the grandson of Richard Womack I) was living in what became Lunenburg County by 1747. He sold 870 acres of land in adjoining Halifax County in 1757 and 400 acres in adjoining Prince Edward County in 1759. The vast lands west of the Shenandoah Valley, stretching into what is now Illinois, was called Augusta County.
Georgia
By 1763, Richard Womack (III) had left Virginia, and patented land in St. George Parish, Georgia. He added 700 acres on to this land in 1766, and more in 1768. His land was about 4.5 miles from the current town of Louisville- which was to become the capital of Georgia. During the revolution, in 1777, St. George Parish was renamed Burke County.
St. George Parish 1765
Burke County Georgia 1777
In 1784, Washington County Georgia was formed. We know that Richard's son, our ancestor Jesse Womack, received land in Washington County, Georgia, for his service in the Revolutionary War. At this point in time, the state of Georgia claimed land from the Atlantic seaboard to the Mississippi River!
Georgia 1784 -from the Atlantic Coast to the Mississippi River
Mississippi Territory
However, Jesse did not settle in Washington County, Georgia. Instead, he took his family to settle on the Tombigbee River in a different Washington County- this one in the newly created Mississippi Territory. In 1800, the Mississippi Territory stretched across the southern portions of what is now Alabama and Mississippi.
Washington County, Mississippi Territory 1800
By 1817, when the Alabama Territory was created from the Mississippi Territory, Washington County was just a fraction of its former size!
Washington County, Alabama Territory, 1817
Jesse's son Richard, the father of Abraham James Womack, would move his family from Washington County, Alabama, to Mississippi, settling first in Simpson County, and then in Rankin County. This move likely occurred around 1829, after the Choctaw ceded their native lands to the U.S. government.
Simpson and Rankin County, Mississippi 1829
Texas
Richard's son, Abraham James Womack, was married in Rankin County, Mississippi in 1837, but by 1850 was looking to move west to the new state of Texas. You might be surprised by the way Texas looked in 1850!
Texas in 1850
Abraham Jame's first land patent was recorded in Houston County, Texas, in an area that was to become Trinity County. Trinity County was formed from Houston County in 1850. By 1852, when we know that the family was settled in Trinity County, Texas had a different look.
Texas 1852
