Hello Stephen, For some ideas on locating your German ancestor's hometown in Germany see... Basic Research Outline for German Genealogy http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/outline.html Scroll down to where it says, "Find your Immigrant Ancestor." For information on German emigration lists see... Online German Emigration Databases & Indexes http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/emigration.html You will also find a guide on that page (near the bottom) for locating German emigration lists offline at the Family History Library. Good luck with your search. Regards, Joe stephen lubell <[email protected]> wrote: > Greetings! > My maternal Great Great Great Grandfather emigrated from Bavaria to the > US in November 1836. He and his family (wife and three children) sailed > from the port of Le Havre to New Orleans. > The shipping register listed him as a farmer by occupation and coming > from Bavaria. I am trying to find the name of the town or village where > they came from in Bavaria and would like to ask the following questions > of the list membership: > 1. Would they have required a passport or laissez-passez at that time > and, if so, where would they have obtained it? And what archives would > keep an archives of applications for such documents? > 2. What route might they have followed from Bavaria? Down the Rhine to > Bremen or Hamburg and from their by ship to Le Havre? > 3. What resources or archives might have a comprehensive list of > emigrants from that period? > Please reply to me off line at [email protected] > With my thanks in advance! > Stephen Lubell