The late 1600s, early 1700s route from Ireland took a stop in the West Indies.  There were a number of reasons; the most fascinating ones were related to the pirates in the area along the most commercial and profitable shipping routes.  Some just got off the boat and stayed a while, or permanently.  I learned this trying to research my nightmare-from-Hell brickwall, TARRALL (Tyrrell in Ireland, Terrell in Barbados and TARRALL in Norfolk, VA).  You will find similar names in Ireland, the West Indies and Virginia.  And the countries in the Caribbean have fine genealogical offices and online sites to help you.  They know their redheads, with white or black skin  - and a few mocha variations.  And sometimes if you locate these cousins, they have the same stories you learned growing.

One note:  I would beg those of you with Virginia roots, when you throw out a county, can you also maybe give it a known marker, like a known nearby city?  I find myself pulling out maps and making sure it is the right timeframe map whenever someone says, for instance, Lancaster County or such (I've already emailed him privately).  I apologize, I am definitely an east coast Virginian.  I can't go West of Richmond without getting lost.  Your sympathy is appreciated.

To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at
http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html