Dear Friends, I would like to ask you for your ideas on my search for my Bohemian ancestor, Josef Sott (Schott) who arrived in Baltimore in early 1868. I have hired a genealogist in Prague to do research. A review of the passport applications for 1867 was unsuccessful. He has found a number of Sott’s in the phone book, most living northeast of Pilzen, some living south of Pilzen and a few on the northern rim. The Germany form Schott was used on the arrival manifest and various other forms were used on census documents. Josef’s grave stone in the National Bohemian Cemetery shows his name as Sott (with hacek). A mortgage signed in Baltimore also uses this name, but as you would expect, without the hacek. Later, the family began using the German form, Schott. The genealogist says that Josef would be likely found in official records in Bohemia as Schott, because of German being the official language. Since he and his family used Sott on two important documents, he believes that Josef was not Sudeten German, but more likely lived inland area rather than along the border. The Bohemian immigration to Baltimore begins around 1845. Several of the later immigrants came from south of Pilzen (Klatovy) or east of Prague (Kolin). Your opinions on our guesses and approach would be much appreciated. Sincerely David Schott kilkea@sbcglobal.net