A friend of mine sent me this. Perhaps it will help others searching for emigration records from Hesse. And thanks to Theirry Dietrich for all the wonderful information he provides. "you are right, the birthplace of Peter Anton Schachner is Lorsch, a neighbour town of Bensheim. I have found the proof: Peter Anton Schachner is listed as emigrant in 1839, birthplace Lorsch, emigrated with family. Here is the link to Hesse State Archiv, where you can search: www.hadis.hessen.de . Typing in the field "Schnellsuche" Schachner Lorsch you will receive 4 matches. The right one is "Auswanderer-Nachweise": Schachner, Peter Anton, Herkunft: Lorsch. - Auswanderungsdatum: 1839-06 / Ziel: Amerika, USA. - Bemerkungen: mit Familie." Nancy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Cindy Phipps" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 7:59 AM Subject: Re: [HESSE] "Loritz" Darmstadt > Thierry, > would these papers be archived in the town/village of emigration, or in a > larger, centrally located city? > thanks! > Cindy > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Thierry Dietrich" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 12:22 PM > Subject: Re: [HESSE] "Loritz" Darmstadt > > > In earlier times the citizen of a country "belonged" to the souveraign. > They > didn't have a passport or the permission to leave the country. > > Thus they had two options, either breaching law by trying to illegally > emigrate with the risk of getting caught and being jailed and the risk > that > staying relatives were punished instead. Alternatively you had to apply > for > emigration. Usually this included that you needed to pay a certain sum, so > you kind of "baught" yourself out. > > These applications and their responses (they were not always granted) > usually are still available in archives and may help you identify the > origin > of your ancestors. > > Cheers, Thierry > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message