Hi Carl, I'm going to try to cover your questions while including info that may help you in your family research. Sandra in Oregon This site is used for searching Ellis Island records (1892-1924): http://home.pacbell.net/spmorse/ellis/ellis.html (I know they were using passports coming through Ellis Island, and since your grandfather disappeared during this time frame... it would be wise to assume that he probably obtained a passport for his journey). The following are sites I use to search other ship passenger lists: http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/index.html http://www.cimorelli.com/safe/shipmenu.htm http://distantcousin.com/Links/ships/ http://istg.rootsweb.com/ http://www.theshipslist.com/index.html http://khuish.tripod.com/ships.htm Another good place to check is www.archives.gov which is the site for National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). You can click on the search box and choose "genealogy". You will have access to the government microfilmed holdings. Requesting searches and ordering information is fairly simple. Use the link below to go directly to the page for ordering manifests. http://www.nara.gov/research/ordering/ordrfrms.html Here you will find instructions on the form you will need and how to go about sending for the information you want. There is an email link to contact them with questions if you don't find the category you require. Make sure to request the entire ship manifest (if that is what you want... it could get spendy) or you will receive only information pertaining to your requested ancestors. If you just want information on your people, make sure you name every one of them on the order form in case they are not all listed on the same page. (Don't know if "in-person" copying costs less). You can also check out Latter Day Saints info at www.familysearch.org . Overall research sites I like to use: http://www.cyndislist.com/ http://www.genhelp.org/ http://www.gendirectory.com/ http://www.genealogy-quest.com/glossaries/index.html http://www.ancestralfindings.com/cd353.htm http://www.gaeleire.freeservers.com/ http://www.mytrees.com/cgi-bin/genealogy/navf?-1+0+S+English http://loricase.com/CDs/cdlist.html ................................................... Sandra, Thanks again, upon cross checking all the ages against their birth dates, everything matched up perfectly. I have a couple of questions, where can I get a copy of the ships transcripts? I know that they have the microfilms at the Nat'l Archives. If I go and look at the films and it's the one I want can it be copied? or can it be ordered? I was planing a visit to the NARA in NY city soon. My other question which I can't seem to get an answer to, My grandfather abandoned the family in Brooklyn, NY after 1896 and before 1906 and returned to Germany. In this time frame would there be a record when he left America, or could he have just got on a ship and left, when did Passports become necessary? Thank you for all your great help, I appreciate it very much. Regards, Carl Friedrich in Long Island NY