There is another Forest of Dean in... (General)

by rookancestrybest , United Kingdom, Saturday, May 23, 2009, 08:34 (5742 days ago)

I have been researching the Poughkeepsie area of New York State (USA) where some of my relatives from the Forest of Dean went to live in the late 1840s. I was wondering why they went there and have discovered that the area of New York state where they lived (i.e. Poughkeepsie in the mid-Hudson region) is also called The Forest of Dean! The River Hudson runs through the area and having seen some pictures it is not unlike the Wye valley at that point. Furthermore iron works were established there in the 1840s. This now puts into perspective why my relatives moved there but it also makes me wonder if they were not the only ones who went there. A quick scan of names in the area reveals some Pritchards too (another name which is linked with my family as well as some Morgans though the latter appear to have come from another part of New York state). - Most people in that area were of Dutch origin rather than British. I also have some relatives who moved to Buffalo much later on but have found some of the ones from Poughkeepsie moved there too. Whether they knew each other or not I am not sure. If anyone can throw any further light on this,i.e. if your relatives also emigrated to Poughkeepsie at that time please let me know!
Thanks,
Helen