According to his emigration application, my great-great grandfather, Leonhard Braun was granted permission to travel to America in March 1853 at the age of 17 from Aufhausen, Wuertemberg. Two other emigrants are mentioned in his application paperwork.  One of the people that he traveled with was Jakob Hummel.  I found Jakob Hummel's emigration record on the website www.auswanderer-bw.de/ and it has the following notation under the "comments"  "Er ist der unehelich Sohn des verst. Bauernknechts Johs. Hummel aus Aufhausen Oberamt Geislingen und der Margaretha, Witwe des Caspar Ströhlen, Weber in Türkheim "Hat imJahr(e) 1848 der Rekrutierungspflicht Genüge geleistet" Abreise zus. mit Marx Österle (s. dort!) am 26.03.1853". Can someone translate this for me? I also located Jacob Humel, Marx Osterle, and a "Johan" Leonhard Braun on a ships passenger list from Bremen, arriving in Baltimore in June 1853. I've never seen my ancestor use the "Johan" with his name before. Was it common for folks to drop the first name and go by the middle name?  I'm about 90% sure this must be my ancestor, since he is traveling with the two men mentioned in his emigration application, and there is another person listed with him, Andreas Braun, with a comment that they are brothers. My ancestor also had a brother Andreas the same age as this guy.  However I have not located an emigration application for Andreas, nor can I find him in the census.  There is an Andreas Braun listed on Ancestry under Bremen Germany Ship Crew Lists, but I do not have the premium membership so I can't access the document. Last but not least, what is the occupation of Saddler? Thanks in advance for any help. Linda

Hi Linda, I will try: > "Er ist der unehelich Sohn des verst. Bauernknechts Johs. Hummel aus > Aufhausen Oberamt Geislingen und der Margaretha, Witwe des Caspar > Ströhlen, Weber in Türkheim "Hat imJahr(e) 1848 der Rekrutierungspflicht > Genüge geleistet" Abreise zus. mit Marx Österle (s. dort!) am 26.03.1853". He is the illegitime son of the deceased farm labourer Johs. (=Johannes) Hummel from Aufhausen Oberamt Geislingen and Margaretha, widow of Caspar Ströhlen, weaver in Türkheim. He absolved the recruitment duty (of the army) in the year 1848. Departure with Marx Österle (look there) at 26. March 1853. saddler = Sattler makes harness for horses I think that you can be 100 % sure that Johann Leonhard Braun is the same as Johan Braun/Leonhard Braun. Sometimes the using of the first and the middle names was in that years not so strictly than it is today!! Hope this helps you a bit. regards from germany Manuela (Siewert)