Hi, I have recently received a letter from a distant cousin who's father had researched my Hessian ancestor (Fisher) as far back as the 13th century. However, I've only been able to get names back 3 generations. Anyway, the letter says that my 4th Great-Grandparents were married 1754 in the Landgraves of Hesse-Cassel, Germany and documentation giving "American Consulate Letter File" with the record number, page number, and section number. It also says that the ancestry is pure Jewish blood as far back as the 13th century and that is documented in "American Consulate Letter File" with a private number and section number. How would I go about getting copies of these American Consulate Letters? Thanks, Stacey

Hi Stacy, I'd call the American Consolate in New York and ask.... or maybe email them... But if anyone can tell you how they can.. Nelda Nelda L. Percival nee Gilpin, IBSSG http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~bonsteinandgilpin/ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~gillock/ http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~bonsteinandgilpin/

Stacey -- There is something "fishy" with this report of a letter from the "American Consulate." Remember, America -- The United States of America -- didn't exist until the peace of 1783 and until 1789 there was only an interim government. In 1754 every the "original states" were provinces/colonies of Great Britain. Given that the letter is correctly identified, then the date of the letter is extremely important. This sounds like something to do with immigration. Many of the records of the various "Hessian" soldiers who served in America 1776-1783 stated the soldiers' religion -- I have seen Catholic, Reformed, Evangelist, and rarely Jewish all enumerated. I may be naive but ask "Why would the American government be interested in Jewish roots going back to the 13th century." The letter sounds like something from the 1930s or very early 1940s where a German-Jew was attempting to seek religious asylum in the USA. When Germany & the USA declared war, the US Embassy and all the consular offices in Germany were closed. Old "American Consulate" letters would be found in the National Archives somewhere in the State Department collections. Embassies and Consular office records doubtless will be organized by issuing Embassy/Consulate and date of issue. Somewhere you should be ablle to identify the Consulate involved. Bob Brooks ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stacey Maddox" <stacey.23@insightbb.com> To: <AMREV-HESSIANS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, July 16, 2005 3:32 PM Subject: [HESSIAN] American Consulate Document Question > Hi, > > I have recently received a letter from a distant cousin who's father had > researched my Hessian ancestor (Fisher) as far back as the 13th century. > However, I've only been able to get names back 3 generations. Anyway, the > letter says that my 4th Great-Grandparents were married 1754 in the > Landgraves of Hesse-Cassel, Germany and documentation giving "American > Consulate Letter File" with the record number, page number, and section > number. It also says that the ancestry is pure Jewish blood as far back > as the 13th century and that is documented in "American Consulate Letter > File" with a private number and section number. > > How would I go about getting copies of these American Consulate Letters? > > Thanks, > > Stacey