Pre-Revolutionary War Country

[DuaneSmith 0]

I have finally gotten some verification on records of ancestors prior to the Revolutionary War (1650 to 1770). When I enter these birth, marriage, and death records; what do I enter for "country" as obviously the United States of America did not exist as yet? I have considered entering The American Colonies, but that also doesn't appear to be the proper designatio either.

 

Suggestions welcome.

[Bob Bennett 0]

Duane,

 

I'll be interested in others response to this question. But, my inclination is to consider it the British Colonies if the East Coast. The original 13 British Colonies were:

Massachusetts

New Hampshire

Rhode Island

New York

Connecticut

New Jersey

Pennsylvania

Delaware

Maryland

Virginia

North Carolina

South Carolina

Georgia

 

Will have to give this more thought myself, since I had family in the 1600 in New Amsterdam (now New York). I did list them as New Amsterdam until they were required to swear allegiance to England. I'll have a transition period to deal with, and up until now have not adequately done so. Thanks for the question that gets us all thinking.

 

Bob Bennett

[Bob Bennett 0]

Duane,

 

There are a number of Web sites that can help with this question. Here is one that I just located. Clearly, the timeline will depend on where the records apply, and exactly what date. Even then, ownership of a specific area could be disputed. Good luck.

 

http://www.usahistory.info/

 

 

Bob Bennett

[Mike Talbot 0]

I have finally gotten some verification on records of ancestors prior to the Revolutionary War (1650 to 1770). When I enter these birth, marriage, and death records; what do I enter for "country" as obviously the United States of America did not exist as yet?  I have considered entering The American Colonies, but that also doesn't appear to be the proper designatio either.

 

Suggestions welcome.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Some may disagree.

 

For colonies which did not become and remain independent countries, I leave the COUNTRY field blank and enter the colony name (as recognized at the time of the event or a widely recognized abbreviation thereof) in the STATE field (ie. MA, Quebec [yes, I know it's a Province, not a state], LA, Acadie, NC, etc.).

 

For colonies that did become and remain independent nations, like Mexico, Panama, Kenya, etc., I enter them in the COUNTRY field.

 

Despite Texas and CA being independent countries, briefly, I put them in the STATE field, anyway.

 

Just because a field is there in TMG you don't have to always fill it. Choose the way that pleases you and fulfills your TMG needs. But do try to be consistent.

 

Best wishes,

Mike Talbot

[RGC 0]

I have finally gotten some verification on records of ancestors prior to the Revolutionary War (1650 to 1770). When I enter these birth, marriage, and death records; what do I enter for "country" as obviously the United States of America did not exist as yet?  I have considered entering The American Colonies, but that also doesn't appear to be the proper designatio either.

 

Suggestions welcome.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

As at least one other has noted, I leave the country field blank, and use the state field to identify the colony ("Connecticut Colony"). But deciding what colony is appropriate is non-trivial in many cases. I find that AniMap is indispensable in these cases; it shows the progression of colony (and county) divisions as time proceeds.

 

Dick