Hello Everyone: I have hit the "brick wall" trying to find the name of the home town of my gggrandfather, Henry J. Lotz. The only info I have comes from American sources. His was born 8 June 1815 in Hesse and he died 18 October 1887 in Sandusky, OH. He married in New York City in October, 1846, "right off the boat" according to family info. His wife, Bridget Claven, was born in Ireland. If the family info is correct, they possibly met on the boat, which therefore must have sailed first to Ireland from Germany and they to NY. He brought with him a clavichord, a small keyboard instrument which was an ancestor of the piano. Perhaps the info about the route of the boat and the musical instrument might suggest additional leads for research, but I am at a complete loss to know how to proceed. I have already researched at the usual sources, e.g. LDS, censuses, marriage/death/cemetery records, newspapers, records for his children, etc. but no leads there. If anyone has any suggestions how I can use info about the ship route or the fact that he must have had a musical background in Germany as research leads, I would be very appreciative. He moved 1849/1850 to Sandusky, OH, where he owned a grocery business and did not follow a career in music. Thank you very much for any research suggestions at all. Paul C. Miller