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