Posted By:	John M Collins
	Email:
	Subject:	Getting to Florence in 1830s
	Post Date:	September 19, 2008 at 06:29:36
	Message URL:	http://genforum.genealogy.com/al/lauderdale/messages/1059.html
	Forum:	Lauderdale County, AL Genealogy Forum
	Forum URL:	http://genforum.genealogy.com/al/lauderdale/

I have several people that I'm researching who moved from New York City and Philadelphia to Florence in the 1830 to 1835 period. I wish to learn what routing they may have taken. All came from families where they would have had some funds to spend on transportation. Speculation on my part includes 1) Going west through the Cumberland Gap to Pittsburgh and by riverboat down the Ohio River and up the Tennessee River. 2) Going south by steamer to Savanaah, up the Savannah River to its head and crossing to Chattanooga on the upper Tennessee River and then downstream to Muscle Shoals. 3) Go to Mobile by streamer and some how working your way north to Florence. The family members include Dr. Robert Lewis BLISS (1803 Bristol, Eng - 1872 Florence, AL) who married Susan COLLINS (1807 Cookstown, TYR, Ire - 1885 Florence, AL)in March 1835 at Florence. Susan seems likely to have come to Florence with one or more of her brothers. Brother Thomas Pillar COLLINS (1800 Cookstown, TYR, Ire. - 1869 Crockett, TX) married Adeline BISHOP of Tuscumbia across the river about 1837 before leaving to settle in the new Republic of Texas. BLISS and the COLLINS might have known each other back in Philadelphia and jointly decided to seek their fortunes in the booming area at Muscle Shoals. The four COLLINS men all became merchants but none in Alabama. It was a common family career in their parents' generation in Ireland. Any thoughts, pointers or other good ideas most welcome. Details on the BLISS-COLLINS family fairly well known. As are those on the four male COLLINS: Thomas, James, John, and William who settled respectively in Crockett, TX; Jackson, Madison Co., TN then Crockett; Athens, TX; and Philadelphia, PA. John M. Collins, Sarnia, Ont. Canada