This one didn't appear on Ger-Volga. ----- Original Message ----- From: Jerry and Fran Goertzen To: Arlene J. Vedrich ; German Volga Roots Web ; Linda Otto Sent: Sunday, October 17, 2010 5:19 PM Subject: Immigration & Naturalization Pfiefer and Adolph As you notice, I am sending this to the three of you at one time. The emigration records in Bremen would have the best information on your family in Russia, Unfortunately, the Port of Bremenhaven was heavily bombed during Wirld War II and most of the records were destroyed. Bremen has recently built a Museum and Research Center documenting the large emigration through their port. They are trying to restore this information from many different sources. The last time I checked their website, it was in German only. For now, the immigration ship lists in the U.S.A. are the best source. I usually find that information in the series of books and a CD called Russians to America 1850-1895. I found numeruous Pfeifers but not your family. I do have a photo of the ship "Weimer" of North German Lloyd. It was launched in 1891 "Ships of our Ancestors". The Naturalization to Citizenship extended over many years. Shortly after they arrived in the U.S., they would file a Declaration of Intent (for Citizenship). Then, they had up to seven years to file a Petition for Naturalization. Then the actual Nationalization would come after that. The Declaration could have been filed in Wisconsin, the Petition may have been filed in Nebraska and the Naturalization may have been filed in the State of Washington. In each state, those records are held at the county archives where the person lived. Each county has their own website so I would have to know where in Nebraska they lived to give you the website but you can try the State Historical Society in each state because they have been colletcting the data, especially the State of Nebraska... www.nebraskahistory.org/lib/arch/index.htm For Marlin, Washington go to Grant County for Death Certificates, and Naturalization etc. Go to website: www.rootsweb.com/-wagrant/grant.htm . For records before 1909 (when Grant Co was extablished) you should go to Douglas Co (the parent county). A death certificate could actually be better to find the parents of Philipp and Sophia. The death certificate usually has the place of birth and the parents names as well as the cause of death which is handy if you want to work on a medical genealogy for genetic problems. Apparently, you hit your brickwall in the usual area, from the immigration data to the village of birth in Russia. In most cases, they were born after the last available Russian census 1857. I have my own method of reverse genealogy to get through those walls that I have found successful over the years. I jump the wall and find the ancestor on the other side and then work towards the wall from the backside. It narrows the search in the wall as well as lets me continue back to Germany in the meantime. Brent Mai has the 1850 and 1857 Russian census data for Warrenburg and should be translating them soon. I have preordered them and hope to receive them soon. They would include the parents of both Philipp and Sophia. So, if you could get the Death Certificates with the parents names we will be through the wall and on the way to Germany. In the meantime, I have checked for grandparents and beyond and found there was only ONE Pfeier family line and one Adolph family line in Warenburg back to the original settlers ( O. S.) in Russia. The Pfeifer O.S. was Johann Pfeifer, born 1710 in Herrnsheim Pfalz. The family arrived in Oranienbam on 18 June 1766 from Lübeck (document # 962 of the Kuhlberg list) and later arrived in Warenburg on 12 May 1767 (Igor Pleve's "Einwanderung in das Wolgagebiet") I have similar data on Conrad Adolph, born 1730 in Holzhausen, Hanau. Let me know what information you find on the Naturalizations and death certificates and we can connect your family. Jerry Goertzen .