Thanks to all who are sharing their German ancestors here in the USA. My paternal grandmother's paternal grandfather was born in Hesse Darmstadt Prussia in 1836, came to the States in 1861 and settled in Wayne County, Ohio. He (Johan Friederick 'Fred' Appuhn) enlisted in McLaughlin's 16th Infantry in June 1864. He was captured (October 1864) during night picket duty in Decatur, AL. He spent the remainder of the war in Andersonville. He was mustered out June 1865, married Susan(nah) Kercher September 1865, became a US Citizen October 1865. They had two sons (Harry Curtis, John David (my great grandpa) there in Wooster, Wayne County, OH. They then made the trek (1869) to Cass County, NE where they homesteaded and had 7 more children. All reached maturity but one, a 3 year old daughter died in a prairie fire, she was the youngest child. My maternal (Grace Muriel Appuhn Stevens) grandma's mother was German and English. Grandma Grace spoke German to her grandchildren when our grandpa wasn't around. He didn't want her talking in German....and I understand it had to do with the two WW's. After Grandpa Stevens passed in his 80s. Grandma was in a nursing home and they had an aide that spoke German and Grandma got to conversing with her in German. Also, from what I can glean from family and some of their records, my gggrandpa did not speak English. And on his death certificate his parents were unknown. I did find his parents through LDS church records. He also had a brother about 5-8 years older. Also, family stated he was from Alsace Loraine. I have connected with a cousin that lives in Berlin and is the family historian for Appuhn, Appon, Appin, Appunn family. He helped me trace gggrandpa 'Fred's' paternal line to Johann (Joachim) Gebhard Appunn, 1670, Sommerschenburg, Germany. Again, thanks to everyone for their input. I have really enjoyed reading about other family language information. Jacqueline Stevens Leathers Bask0491@aol.com My Surnames: Appuhn, Barnes, Caress, Cherry, Criss, Crist, Cunningham, Hallwaechs, Jones, Kercher, Keiser, King, Maxwell, Peters, Pickering, Stegall, Stevens, Williams, Young.