This is what I know can anyone give me a direction, is is as far I anyone in the family has gone. Sophie (Peters) Koster (Opa's mother) was daughter of Peter Von Zobel Peter Von Zobel was a land baron in Holland (Approx 1780) Peter Von Zobel was father of my great grandmother Peter Von Zobel born in Holland - had only one son and one daughter. Opa's father born in Mecklenburg, year 28 January 1787. Von Zobel fled from Holland, with the two brother during one of their civil wars, to Mecklenburg and left behind their land holdings and estates (in Holland) and then changed their name to Peters because they did not want to attract attention by continuing to be a Von Zobel or a land-baron - but instead they wanted to (Start anew) by being one of the plain people. The Holland Government put a notice in the German newspapers sometime after that war (approx 1790) that persons should put in their claim for their land and property left in Holland (in cases where the former & present or last known owners could not be located) There upon the Peters sent one of their man servants to Holland with the proper papers for clams to be presented instead of going themselves; but, nothing was ever heard of that again and neither of those papers. Sophie (Opa's mother) had separate papers for their claim. She had only one brother and in 1868 or 69 her brother came to her and asked her if she & he should take up the claim again, to which she replied that they had plenty of money for themselves and that they should not spend more money on it. Sophie (Opa's mother) married Carl Ludwig Koster year unknown, they had six boys and one daughter: last two (boys) were twins Opa & Carl - Others were Fritz, Albert, Emil, Joseph (died young), Joseph II, Mathilde, then the twins, with the twins being the youngest. Bruce