I am starting to think the answer to everything is Google, and the more creative you are, the more you will find. I spent several hours last night without finding this, but tonight found it in 15 minutes. At http://members.cox.net/hessen/hesse.htm Kurhessen (the "electorate" of Hessen under the Holy Roman Empire) included these districts and provinces in the 1840s: Niederhessen, with the towns of Kassel, Eschwege, Fritzlar, Hofgeismar, Homberg, Melsungen, Rotenburg, Schaumburg, Witzenhausen, and Wolfhagen. Oberhessen, with the towns of Marburg, Frankenberg, Kirchain, and Ziegenhain. Fulda, with the towns of Fulda, Hersfeld, Hünfeld, and Schmalkalden. Hanau, with the towns of Hanau, Gelnhausen, and Schlüchtern. Today, Kurhessen is known as Hessen-Kassel, although the boundaries are not exactly the same. I am going to send Pat a separate message off-line, but her Drasenberg is a tiny area not far from the town of Schlüchtern, which is listed above as part of what used to be called Kurhessen. The above site has maps showing Kurhessen, plus links to many other historical maps of Germany. I also found the following great general reference on doing Germanic research. I urge all trying to find German ancestors to print it, bookmark it and try to follow his recommendations. He covers just about everything. Be sure to check out his links. http://www.olypen.com/tinkers/GermanIntro.htm John -----Original Message----- From: Wald, Carol [mailto:wald@humnet.ucla.edu] Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2006 5:30 PM To: BALTGEN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: RE: [BALTGEN-L] Baltimore ancestors fr. Cohessen I also have German immigrant ancestors in Baltimore that in census records say origin Cohessen but haven't been able to identify this locality. Have checked some old gazzeteers. Any suggestions? -----Original Message----- From: Pansy Rumsey [mailto:pansy.rumsey@verizon.net] Sent: Wed 5/31/2006 3:57 PM To: BALTGEN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [BALTGEN-L] Germans in Baltimore Hi John, My husband's GGGGrandparents came to America in 1847. I have a copy of the ship's manifest that they came on.The ship arrived at the Port of Baltimore in May,1847. They were Heinrich and Margarethe Bloom Richter and their 4 sons, Heinrich,Johannes,Freidrich and Melchior.According to the info from the ship's log, they were from Drasenberg, Cor Hessen.. Heinrich was a tailor in Germany. They sailed from Bremen on board the Marianne. ~~Family lore says they were related to the Baron Von Richtoffen family but I do not know this and can not prove it. Just my husband said his mother told him the WW1 ace,Red Baron, was her great uncle. I do know that Heinrich and Margrethe lived in Baltimore City for approx 3 yrs. and then moved to Catonsville, where they stayed the rest of their lives and they are buried in Deer Park Cemetery. I also know they had a few more children after arriving here. I do not know either Heinrich or Margrethe's parents names, nor the exact area in Germany where they lived. Nor do I know if either one had siblings that remained in Germany or perhaps came here.For real - someone else on that ship may have been related to them but I do not know them. This is all things I would like to find answers too. Pat ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Siemon" <jsiemon@bcpl.net> To: <BALTGEN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 9:01 PM Subject: [BALTGEN-L] Germans in Baltimore > In the last couple days, several people have posted messages saying they are > trying to trace German ancestors in Baltimore, but with little information > provided, including the names they are looking for. > > A couple suggestions to hopefully get much more help from the list: > > 1. Your message is probably going to several hundred people. Change the > subject line to what you are looking for, and address it to the list, not > just to individuals. > > 2. Put specific names, time periods, what you already know, and what you've > searched for unsuccessfully. > > We may not find your ancestors, but many on the list are familiar with what > records are available and have access to some of them. You'll be more > likely to get help if you follow the above. > > For Janet, have you searched the 1840 Census for him? You apparently know > ship and arrival date? Have you searched the 1837 Baltimore City Directory > at: http://aomol.net/html/officials.html > It's probably a long shot, but worth a look. It's also possible he didn't > stay in Baltimore at all? > > For Pat, places where you might find the town of origin: passenger arrival > lists (including "Germans to America" and the original microfilmed lists), > emigration records from ports of debarkation. All of these are becoming > more available at Ancestry and other sites. Naturalization petitions, > marriage records, death certificates, newspaper death notices, the more > detailed obituaries in German language newspapers in Baltimore and other > large cities. In a great stroke of luck, 2 of my German ancestors listed > their two German towns of birth in the 1880 Census. Unfortunately, most of > those records don't usually list the town, but you never know when they > will. So you need to search for all of these documents you can find. And > of course check any books on the subject, as Debbie in NC suggested. If you > have specific information you are looking for, post it to the list. > > John > -----Original Message----- > From: JLLYNJAM@aol.com [mailto:JLLYNJAM@aol.com] > Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 7:27 PM > To: BALTGEN-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [BALTGEN-L] Re: BALTGEN-D Digest V06 #116 > > Debbie in NC: I am also wondering where my German ancestors lived in > Baltimore after arriving there from Bremen in 1836. By 1841 he had settled > in St. > Clair Co., IL. I have lost him, tho from 1836-1841. Perhaps he waited in > Baltimore > until he could be naturalized. But where would he have lived? > Also, I am interested in the books you mentioned. Janet McLain > Jllynjam@aol.com > > > ==== BALTGEN Mailing List ==== > Please make sure the options in your E mail program disables quoting the > message in HTML when posting to any Roots-L mailing list. > > > > > > ==== BALTGEN Mailing List ==== > The USGenWeb/MDGenWeb page for Baltimore Co. > http://www.rootsweb.com/~mdbaltim > ==== BALTGEN Mailing List ==== Please note that hitting reply will send your response to the entire list. Please respond to people privately and not through the list unless your response contains information of general interest.

John, Thank you, thank you, thank you. I have been trying to find "Kier-Hesson" for some time, it was used in a family history, but no luck. This article is wonderful. I had searched with Google several years ago, should have kept trying. Google is GREAT! Betty ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Siemon" <jsiemon@bcpl.net> To: <BALTGEN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2006 9:45 PM Subject: RE: [BALTGEN-L] Baltimore ancestors fr. Cohessen >I am starting to think the answer to everything is Google, and the more > creative you are, the more you will find. I spent several hours last > night > without finding this, but tonight found it in 15 minutes. > > > > At http://members.cox.net/hessen/hesse.htm > > > > Kurhessen (the "electorate" of Hessen under the Holy Roman Empire) > included > these districts and provinces in the 1840s: > > > > Niederhessen, with the towns of Kassel, Eschwege, Fritzlar, Hofgeismar, > Homberg, Melsungen, Rotenburg, Schaumburg, Witzenhausen, and Wolfhagen. > > > > Oberhessen, with the towns of Marburg, Frankenberg, Kirchain, and > Ziegenhain. > > > > Fulda, with the towns of Fulda, Hersfeld, Hünfeld, and Schmalkalden. > > > > Hanau, with the towns of Hanau, Gelnhausen, and Schlüchtern. > > > > Today, Kurhessen is known as Hessen-Kassel, although the boundaries are > not > exactly the same. > > > > I am going to send Pat a separate message off-line, but her Drasenberg is > a > tiny area not far from the town of Schlüchtern, which is listed above as > part of what used to be called Kurhessen. The above site has maps showing > Kurhessen, plus links to many other historical maps of Germany. > > > > I also found the following great general reference on doing Germanic > research. I urge all trying to find German ancestors to print it, > bookmark > it and try to follow his recommendations. He covers just about > everything. > Be sure to check out his links. > > http://www.olypen.com/tinkers/GermanIntro.htm > > > > John > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Wald, Carol [mailto:wald@humnet.ucla.edu] > Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2006 5:30 PM > To: BALTGEN-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: RE: [BALTGEN-L] Baltimore ancestors fr. Cohessen > > > > I also have German immigrant ancestors in Baltimore that in census records > say origin Cohessen but haven't been able to identify this locality. Have > checked some old gazzeteers. Any suggestions? > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Pansy Rumsey [mailto:pansy.rumsey@verizon.net] > > Sent: Wed 5/31/2006 3:57 PM > > To: BALTGEN-L@rootsweb.com > > Subject: Re: [BALTGEN-L] Germans in Baltimore > > > > Hi John, > > My husband's GGGGrandparents came to America in 1847. I have a copy of > > the ship's manifest that they came on.The ship arrived at the Port of > > Baltimore in > > May,1847. They were Heinrich and Margarethe Bloom Richter and their 4 > sons, > > Heinrich,Johannes,Freidrich and Melchior.According to the info from the > > ship's log, they were from Drasenberg, Cor Hessen.. Heinrich was a tailor > in > > Germany. > > They sailed from Bremen on board the Marianne. ~~Family lore says they > were > > related to the Baron Von Richtoffen family but I do not know this and can > > not prove it. Just my husband said his mother told him the WW1 ace,Red > > Baron, was her great uncle. I do know that Heinrich and Margrethe lived in > > Baltimore City for > > approx 3 yrs. and then moved to Catonsville, where they stayed the rest of > > their lives and they are buried in Deer Park Cemetery. I also know they > had > > a few more children after arriving here. > > I do not know either Heinrich or Margrethe's parents names, nor the > > exact area in Germany where they lived. Nor do I know if either one had > > siblings that > > remained in Germany or perhaps came here.For real - someone else on that > > ship may have been related to them but I do not know them. This is all > > things I would like to find answers too. > > Pat > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "John Siemon" <jsiemon@bcpl.net> > > To: <BALTGEN-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 9:01 PM > > Subject: [BALTGEN-L] Germans in Baltimore > > > > > >> In the last couple days, several people have posted messages saying they > > are > >> trying to trace German ancestors in Baltimore, but with little >> information > >> provided, including the names they are looking for. > >> > >> A couple suggestions to hopefully get much more help from the list: > >> > >> 1. Your message is probably going to several hundred people. Change the > >> subject line to what you are looking for, and address it to the list, not > >> just to individuals. > >> > >> 2. Put specific names, time periods, what you already know, and what > > you've > >> searched for unsuccessfully. > >> > >> We may not find your ancestors, but many on the list are familiar with > > what > >> records are available and have access to some of them. You'll be more > >> likely to get help if you follow the above. > >> > >> For Janet, have you searched the 1840 Census for him? You apparently >> know > >> ship and arrival date? Have you searched the 1837 Baltimore City > > Directory > >> at: http://aomol.net/html/officials.html > >> It's probably a long shot, but worth a look. It's also possible he >> didn't > >> stay in Baltimore at all? > >> > >> For Pat, places where you might find the town of origin: passenger >> arrival > >> lists (including "Germans to America" and the original microfilmed >> lists), > >> emigration records from ports of debarkation. All of these are becoming > >> more available at Ancestry and other sites. Naturalization petitions, > >> marriage records, death certificates, newspaper death notices, the more > >> detailed obituaries in German language newspapers in Baltimore and other > >> large cities. In a great stroke of luck, 2 of my German ancestors listed > >> their two German towns of birth in the 1880 Census. Unfortunately, most > > of > >> those records don't usually list the town, but you never know when they > >> will. So you need to search for all of these documents you can find. >> And > >> of course check any books on the subject, as Debbie in NC suggested. If > > you > >> have specific information you are looking for, post it to the list. > >> > >> John > >> -----Original Message----- > >> From: JLLYNJAM@aol.com [mailto:JLLYNJAM@aol.com] > >> Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 7:27 PM > >> To: BALTGEN-L@rootsweb.com > >> Subject: [BALTGEN-L] Re: BALTGEN-D Digest V06 #116 > >> > >> Debbie in NC: I am also wondering where my German ancestors lived in > >> Baltimore after arriving there from Bremen in 1836. By 1841 he had >> settled > >> in St. > >> Clair Co., IL. I have lost him, tho from 1836-1841. Perhaps he waited in > >> Baltimore > >> until he could be naturalized. But where would he have lived? > >> Also, I am interested in the books you mentioned. Janet McLain > >> Jllynjam@aol.com > >> > >> > >> ==== BALTGEN Mailing List ==== > >> Please make sure the options in your E mail program disables quoting the > >> message in HTML when posting to any Roots-L mailing list. > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> ==== BALTGEN Mailing List ==== > >> The USGenWeb/MDGenWeb page for Baltimore Co. > >> http://www.rootsweb.com/~mdbaltim > >> > > > > > > > > ==== BALTGEN Mailing List ==== > > Please note that hitting reply will send your response to the entire list. > > Please respond to people privately and not through the list unless your > response > > contains information of general interest. > > > > > > > > ==== BALTGEN Mailing List ==== > USGenWeb/MDGenWeb site for Carroll Co. http://www.rootsweb.com/~mdcarrol > USGenWeb/MDGenWeb site for Howard Co.http://www.rootsweb.com/~mdhoward >