Hello friends and welcome back to the blog! I hope that I am finding you well in your genealogy-based endeavors. Today we will be taking a step back into the 1800s a time where American industry chugged along, factors built upon themselves leading to a nation at war with itself, and of course the expansion of America as it attempted to push forward Manifest Destiny. An incredible time in United States history and instrumental to much of what our nation has become today, our ancestors quite literally played a role in building out this country. Part of what made this time period so important was the establishment of the transcontinental railroad, connecting the newly acquired west with the east. My hope for you today is to gain a greater appreciation and understanding of how this monumental undertaking played a role in American history and how it affected your ancestors’ lives.
The beginnings of the railroad start all the way back in 1769 when James Watt patents the first steam engine, what would later be used to drive this giant mechanical beast back and forth between coasts.
By the 1830s American private businesses had partnered with states to create state railroad lines. By the 1840s the technology became both cheaper and reliable, allowing states to persuade the federal government to help railroad companies finance this enormous task. This led to the Land Grant Act of 1851 which formalized government land grants to railroad companies which they could use to continue their projects or finance them via sale to settlers. By the 1860s another key government act was passed, the Pacific Railroad Act of 1868 authorizing the federal government to financially back further construction. In 1869 when the railroad was finally finished, a total of 1776 miles of track had been laid, allowing by 1900 60% of the US population to be in the west. It took two companies the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific to complete the railroad.
The railroad both created jobs and towns along its route. Thousands worked for the two companies as they trekked across the US, many of those leaving quickly, creating a high turnover rate. African Americans and Chinese Americans also worked on the railroad. If you are looking for ancestors that may have worked on the railroad there are a few different resources you can check out. Firstly, city directories and census records may list it as an occupation, marriage licenses and death certificates, draft records and obituaries’ may also be great sources to check out. Secondly, check out maps where an ancestor may have lived and whether or not the railroad may have overlapped at any point. Local societies, news clippings, etc., as you have come to know, may also provide information that previous sources do not. Additionally, you may check out Locating railroad employment records and the US Railroad retirement board. These provide links to railroad companies and claim files of workers.
As you have read today, I hope that you gained a greater appreciation for the project that some of your ancestors helped complete. As you search and find your ancestors, take a moment to look up pictures of the railroad and learn more about the incredible era of US history that they lived in. If you have any further interest in railroads and other historical issues and how they may relate to your family tree, feel free to check out my webinars located under the webinar tab of this same website. There too you may find answers to other questions. However, if your question is more specific to your research and projects, please reach out to me personally. My contact information can be found in the top left-hand corner of this website. I will see you next week for another blog, until then happy researching!
Winona I Laird, “The Genealogy Granny” www.genealogyeducationcenter.com
