Dieter: The word zug appeared after the name of a person in a 1800s church book, specifically, after the father's name in a birth entry, where the father's occupation or citizenship is usually placed. Someone suggested that it might mean zugezogen indicating the he had just moved to the community. That definiition might fit this guy. One family legend had it that he had left the town ahead of the police, but then he had kids regularly at 2-yr. intervals, so he was there every now and then. For his first child, he is listed as einwohner, for next as heir ( his father had just died), and then as burger. Then suddenly as zug. It's possible, I suppose. On the one ship manifest where we found a name and age that fit, he was listed from a town abt. 30 miles away. I thought it might be our researcher's shorthand for zuegmacher (some of the family did make cloth); she replied that was what the record said in the then pastor's handwriting. Very confusing. But 3 years ago, I thought this particular man was but a family myth. No. He was indeed a twin, did indeed come to Wis., and we have since tracked most of his kids. So anything is possible. If it is a short hand for zugezogen, then the question is -- would this be common usage for someone who works away, but comes home occasionally. Thanks. pat smith