This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: Cantonator Surnames: GERMER Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.maryland.counties.baltimorecity/8026/mb.ashx Message Board Post: I am seeking help finding the emigration information for my g.g.g.grandfather and his family from Braunschweig, Germany to Baltimore. This occurred sometime just before the 1850 census. I would like to find the ship the family traveled on and the date this occurred. I am grateful for your help. Great-great-great-grandparents family information: Johann Heinrich Germer Sr Born- 9 Jan 1809 Sickte, Germany, Died- 27 Jan 1882 Baltimore, Maryland USA Shoemaker Wife-Dorothea Henrietta Wilhelmine Schluter Born- 21 Dec 1808 Braunschweig, Germany, Died 23 Mar 1881 Baltimore, Maryland USA Son- Frederick Christopher Germer Born- 8 Aug 1831 Braunschweig, Germany, Died 11 Sep 1891 Baltimore, Maryland USA Shoemaker (child from a first marriage of Dorothea is what the family history is told. This may or may not be true) Son-Johann Heinrich Germer Jr Born- 26 Oct 1835 Braunschweig, Germany, Died 12 Nov 1919 Baltimore, Maryland USA Shoemaker Daughter- Sophia Elizabeth Germer Born- 29 Oct 1839 Braunschweig, Germany, Died 17 Oct 1930 Baltimore Maryland USA Daughter- Amelia or Menna (middle name not known) Germer Born- about 1842 Braunschweig, Germany died sometime in the 1850s I have detailed information of my family after they arrived in Baltimore, Maryland USA. They appear for the first time in the 1850 United States census. Johann Germer appears in the Baltimore street directories for the first time in the 1849-50 MatchettŽs Baltimore Street Directory. I can not find any information about the family being in the Baltimore, Maryland prior to 1850. The date on the United States 1850 census from Ward 1 in Baltimore, Maryland is 5 Aug 1850. Johann and his family were members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Baltimore. Johann, his sons and eventually grandsons had a successful shoemaking business in BaltimoreŽs Fells Point area until the early 1900s. I have a copy of great-great-great-grandfatherŽs master craftsmanŽs diploma for shoemaking from the Duchy of Braunschweig. The family name had three spellings since arriving in Baltimore, Germer, Garner and Garmer. Germer is the way Johann HeinrichŽs name is spelled on his diploma. The family name is listed in the US 1850 census as Germer all listed from Germany. The family name is listed in the US 1860 census as Garner all listed from Prussia. The family name is listed in the US 1870 census as Garmer all listed from Brunswick. The Baltimore street directories reflect this gradual "Americanizing" of our family name. Johann Heinrich Sr and Jr also eventually changed their first names to John Henry. Johann Heinrich Germer Sr. purchased a home in 1865 and his name is listed as John H Garmer Sr on the deed. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.