Hello- I have been researching the origin in Germany of my great grandfather, Wilhelm (William) GROSS born June 1861 somewhere in Swabia and immigrated in about 1882. He had a sister, Maria, a brother, Paul Albert, and a mother, Paulina SCHEFER GROSS , who also immigrated, but separately, to America. There is strong evidence to suggest Esslingen as birthplace however after searching all church records from Esslingen, Lutheran and Catholic, they are not there. Possibly they emigrated from there but it doesn't appear that were born there. Maria's daughter did say on her marriage license that her mother, (Maria), was born in Esslingen. I've also checked other Esslingens. Emigration from Germany indexes and immigration indexes to USA have been checked to no avail. His death notice in the newspaper told nothing. He lived in New York City and I have tracked him at many addresses there, however, he left very little trail. After the death of his first wife in Feb 1897 in Brooklyn, he retur! ned to Germany, as the story goes, to bring his old sweetheart, Carolina EBERSPACHER back to America, where they married in 1898 in NYC. I have checked his immigration to America in both 1881-1882 and in the 1897-1899 year range. I found four Wilhelm GROSS names in 1881-1882 manifests but cannot prove any of them. Found one naturalization record for Wilhelm GROSS born in Winnenden but cannot prove that either. Can anyone help? Thanks so much. Betsy Gross Fulling betsyf@povn.net