http://www.hdbg.de/auswanderung/deutsch/index2.htm I think this is an interesting link to find out more about the motivations - its from bavaria - but I think its nearly same. liebe grüsse Gabi ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dick Fischbach" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, November 21, 2005 11:16 PM Subject: [Ortenau] Motivation? > I've often wondered what motivated my ancestors to emigrate from Baden to > America. Picking up stakes and moving to another country halfway around > the world was a grim decision, not taken lightly -- to leave relatives and > life-long friends, never to be seen again in this life, would have caused > a cascade of emotions in the bosoms of the émigrés. But these feelings > would have been countered by their desire for a better life. > > Recently I came across a book ("The Americans" by J.C. Furnas) in which > the author quoted a letter written by an Irish immigrant in 1725 to his > sister in Ireland. Despite the fact that the letter was written by a > Pennsylvania-dwelling Irishman to his sister, it could easily have been > penned by a German writing to friends/relatives in Baden. > > (Pennsylvania) "is the best country for working folk & tradesman in the > world ... There is ... 2 markets weekly in Philadelphia, also 2 fairs > yearly in Chester & likewise in new castle ... here all young men and > women that wants wives or husbands may be Supplyed ... Unkle James Lindly > & Family is well & Thrives Exceedingly he has 11 children & Reaped last > harvest about 800 bushels of wheat, he is a thriving man ... has a > thousand acres of land. A fine Estate. Clothes, shoes and so on are > costly in Irish terms ... & yet a man will Sooner Earn a suit of Cloths > here than in Ireland, by Reason workman's Labor is so Dear." > > Although the writer wrote specifically about Pennsylvania, it was a > typical missive about colonial life in general and would have been seen as > an invitation to anyone considering emigration. As J.C. Furnas wrote, > letters like that "had much to do with keeping transatlantic immigration > flowing." > > Any citations or contributions dealing with our ancestor's motivation in > emigrating to America will be gratefully received -- I'm still trying to > gain an insight into some of the factors [other than a natural desire to > enjoy the good life] that prompted the most important step of their life. > > Dick Fischbach > Arvada, CO USA > > > > ==== DEU-BAD-ORTENAU Mailing List ==== > < http://www.stadtplandienst.de/ > offers detailed on-line maps of the > town of your ancestor. From the map of Offenburg, by moving and resizing, > the streets of your ancestor's home town can be found. > > ============================== > View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find > marriage announcements and more. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx > ___________________________________________________________ Gesendet von Yahoo! Mail - Jetzt mit 1GB Speicher kostenlos - Hier anmelden: http://mail.yahoo.de