Cary, in response to Kathleen's post about the 1950 picnic for the Germanna group, wrote: Kathleen wrote: ---- > > The Washington Post, May 29, 1950, page 14: > > "Picnic at Germanna. > . > The Society estimates some nine million people resulted from the landing of about 250 families by Lieut. Gov. Alexander Spotswood in 1714, 1717, 1719 and 1724. One might have to know the number estimated living in 1950. I think we have members of this list who know how to determined such estimates. If a room full of people all know all their ancestry back five generations, there will be at least one set of blood cousins present. I think the number has to be at least 20 persons. The problem is most people don't know all their ancestry back five generations. Even in a room of dedicated genealogists, there seems to always be one set of great-great grandparents that are unknown. I like to brag on being back to 1450 in the village of Hochdorf on my Katz and get all the nice mumbling of ooohss and ahs. But, then I quickly say, "Let me tell you about my great-grandfather, b 1841 in Tennessee as per the census." I've never found him and I started in 1956! Cary My response: I have to agree with Cary. There is my Baden-born ancestor [great-grandfather on my mother's side] who showed up in Texas about the end of the Civil War, and his name is Wilhelm Braun, anglicized to William Brown. His naturalization petition says *Prussia*! I doubt that I, the only known family historian, among the multitude of Brown cousins, will ever discover Braun's origins in Baden. At a recent genealogical conference, I glimpsed a book on localities in Baden, and there were so many localities listed, it made my head swim. Now, if I were ten years old and interested in research, I might dare to begin research!!! So, Cary probably hit the nail on the head!!! And my Dad's lineage is so full of common surnames, most of whom fled colonial Virginia!!! But not the Kempers--they stuck around for a while and began marrying outside the *Germanna colonists*! (But there are SO MANY John Kempers!!!) E.W.Wallace **************Get fantasy football with free live scoring. Sign up for FanHouse Fantasy Football today. (http://www.fanhouse.com/fantasyaffair?ncid=aolspr00050000000020)

And then there are the Pennsylvania bunch of Germans: (Julius Kaemper) WILL AND ESTATE OF PETER MEFFERT ABSTRACT OF WILLS BY ALFRED SMITH OF PHILADELPHIA BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA VOL. 1 .1752-1798 Page 239 WILL OF PETER MEFFERT To the Reformed German Congregation in reading.25 Lbs. All rem. Real and Personal to my ONLY SON ABRAHAM but in case he should die in his minority I dispose of my estate as follows: The child of my brother JULIUS my land in Northampton County - about 700 acres in 3 tracts. To John and Elizabeth, children of George Yeager in reading, a lot of ground in Sunbury, Northumberland County. Exrs. To sell house and lot in Reading and all rem. Of estate and pay to the above named congregation the further sum of 25 Lbs. And 50 Lbs. To the above named John and Elizabeth Yeager. 50 Lbs. To John and Elizabeth, children of Conrad Geist in Reading and 50 Lbs. To Elizabeth daughter of Julius Kaemper and 25 Lbs. To Kaniel Korper, son of Brother Valentin and 50 Lbs. To the child of my niece, Christina, wife of Henry Schreafler in Reading. 25 Lbs. To Paul, son of Henry Bingeman. Remainder to Brother Julius and Brother in law George Yeager. Exrs. Friend Daniel Rose to be Guardian of son Abraham. 13 January 1778 Douglas County Wit. Henry Christ, Jr. and Peter Groff Admn. To Ann Mary Meffert, the widow -----Original Message----- From: germanna_colonies-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:germanna_colonies-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Hdanw@aol.com Sent: Friday, July 25, 2008 1:56 PM To: GERMANNA_COLONIES-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [GERMANNA] Unknown Ancestors Cary, in response to Kathleen's post about the 1950 picnic for the Germanna group, wrote: Kathleen wrote: ---- > > The Washington Post, May 29, 1950, page 14: > > "Picnic at Germanna. > . > The Society estimates some nine million people resulted from the landing of about 250 families by Lieut. Gov. Alexander Spotswood in 1714, 1717, 1719 and 1724. One might have to know the number estimated living in 1950. I think we have members of this list who know how to determined such estimates. If a room full of people all know all their ancestry back five generations, there will be at least one set of blood cousins present. I think the number has to be at least 20 persons. The problem is most people don't know all their ancestry back five generations. Even in a room of dedicated genealogists, there seems to always be one set of great-great grandparents that are unknown. I like to brag on being back to 1450 in the village of Hochdorf on my Katz and get all the nice mumbling of ooohss and ahs. But, then I quickly say, "Let me tell you about my great-grandfather, b 1841 in Tennessee as per the census." I've never found him and I started in 1956! Cary My response: I have to agree with Cary. There is my Baden-born ancestor [great-grandfather on my mother's side] who showed up in Texas about the end of the Civil War, and his name is Wilhelm Braun, anglicized to William Brown. His naturalization petition says *Prussia*! I doubt that I, the only known family historian, among the multitude of Brown cousins, will ever discover Braun's origins in Baden. At a recent genealogical conference, I glimpsed a book on localities in Baden, and there were so many localities listed, it made my head swim. Now, if I were ten years old and interested in research, I might dare to begin research!!! So, Cary probably hit the nail on the head!!! And my Dad's lineage is so full of common surnames, most of whom fled colonial Virginia!!! But not the Kempers--they stuck around for a while and began marrying outside the *Germanna colonists*! (But there are SO MANY John Kempers!!!) E.W.Wallace **************Get fantasy football with free live scoring. Sign up for FanHouse Fantasy Football today. (http://www.fanhouse.com/fantasyaffair?ncid=aolspr00050000000020) ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to GERMANNA_COLONIES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message