There is a wonderful book "German Home Towns 1648-1871" by Mack Walker. There is a chapter on Guilds which opens with a story about a man who was in a guild who wanted to marry. His intended's father had been born out of wedlock. This could mean that the children of the marriage might not be eligible for guild membership! I highly recommend reading this book - at least that chapter. One would probably have to get it through inter-library loan. Sherry Nay ----- Original Message ----- From: "Suzanne Matson" <holtzclaw.research@yahoo.com> To: "Germanna Colonies" <GERMANNA_COLONIES@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, November 10, 2008 10:47 AM Subject: [GERMANNA] Fw: Questions about guilds in Siegen area >I am resending this because it apparently never came through for unknown >reasons-- > > Suzanne Collins Matson > > > > ----- Forwarded Message ---- > From: Suzanne Matson <holtzclaw.research@yahoo.com> > To: Germanna Colonies <GERMANNA_COLONIES@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, November 10, 2008 9:08:30 AM > Subject: Questions about guilds > > > Has anyone done any research on guilds in the Siegen area? > > Were they organized like the Dutch guilds or the British guilds (livery > companies today)? > > Did membership have benefits such as care when ill or no longer able to > work or confer social status? > > Did membership pass automatically to male direct line descendants? > > Was the control of the members of the guild limited to the town limits of > any given town? > > Suzanne Collins Matson > > > > > > ------------------------------- > 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 >