Dear Justin, I'm happy that you found you way to this listserv made up of some very knowledgeable, expert and supportive people (cousins). You'll find that virtually any question you have will be promptly and accurately answered. I do want to correct something you wrote in your e-mail, though, relating to my family. My Brion descendant was married to a Goepp, and for a time the Geoffroi Goepp family (whose wife descended from a Brion) lived in St. Louis, MO, teaching foreign languages at Washington University; then San Francisco, CA where he taught Greek Latin, French and German at the Girls High School. But there his wife (nee Amelie Tafel) died at age 17 after having had three children. What happened to Geoffroi and his children I am trying to piece together with the help of a Tafel friend in Stuttgart. But the family never actually emigrated or directly came to the Midwest. I think it was the case of a job opportunity, although it could be that Geoffroi's intention was to emigrate until the death of his wife changed his plans. The son of Geoffroi and Amelie, Othon, my grandfather , whom I never knew) grew up in France, went to the University of Paris, became a journalist, came to the United State to lecture, remained to teach French at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where my family lived and where I grew up. I am going to take your information and try to plug it in where I can in my tree, and I look forward sharing information with you (and others) in the future. I'm glad you found this community of Alsacian relatives and friends. Best wishes, Lucy