Hello, As many of you already know, it can be very challenging to continue researching our Hessian ancestors, in Germany, while living in the US or Canada. I'd like to recommend the services of Thomas Blumenstein, a genealogist who specializes in Northern-Hessen research. My ancestor, Conrad Schnabel was baptized in Martinhagen, Hesse. Mr. Blumenstein has been extremely helpful in finding birth, mariage and burial records for me from the Church archives as well as military records from the State archives. He is proficient in palaeography, german gothic and Fraktur scripts and he has transcribed and translated all documents for me. I am thrilled with his work and I'm certain he can help many of you who are descendants of soldiers from this area. His fees are very reasonable. You can contact him through his website or his email address. If the hyperlinks aren't working, feel free to contact me off-list, and it will be pleasure for me to help you contact him. http://ahnenforschung-nordhessen.de/seiten/englische/homeenglisch.html [email protected] Good luck!