This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.michigan.counties.houghton/1516.3.1.1.1.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Jean You seem to be exchanging messages with Jerry Luoma, although that isn't exactly clear as I seem to be getting his messages directed at you - although that's fine. Again Jacob Ludovicus "Louis" Braun was born on 25 Aug 1834 at Ranschbach, Rheinpfalz, Bavaria. Rheinpfalz Bavaria was a small province above the northeast corner of France on the westside of the Rhine, and ruled by the kingdom of Bavaria in se Germany at the time. At the time these Brauns immigrated, Rheinpfalz Bavaria was not yet a part of Prussia. Louis Braun, who married Pauline Kohlhaas, was the son of Johann "Jacob" C.Braun, born in Ranschbach in 1808, and Anna Maria Haas, born in Fruendsheim or Freimersheim, near Neustadt, Rheinpfalz, Bavaria in 1807. I have no record for Louis having a brother or even cousin named William Braun (b.1825), and it is unlikely he had a brother born in 1825 due to the ages of his parents. Johnann "Jacob Braun was the 1st of 6 known children of Jacob Braun and Katharina Lauth, the latter also of Ranschbach. I have no families for any of these other five children. Sorry. Tom Lutz