Can anyone help with these answers? Marilyn Kline Washington -----Original Message----- From: joyecho <joyecho@aol.com> To: marilynkwash <marilynkwash@aol.com> Sent: Sun, May 5, 2013 3:29 pm Subject: Fwd: Luther Questions -----Original Message----- From: joyecho <joyecho@aol.com> To: marilynkwash <marilynkwash@aol.com> Sent: Tue, Apr 30, 2013 12:44 pm Subject: Fwd: Luther Questions Hi, Marilyn! I've been puzzling over some Luther genealogy questions for quite some time and thought that I'd get your two cents. I am not an authority on the Luther family. I did do some research for some of the Luther's from Susquehanna Township near the now defunct coal mining area of Cymbria, who married into the Weaklands. I believe that Charles Weakland who lived to his late 90's, was baptized by Fr. Gallitzin in this Luther household--pre St Joseph's at Hart's Sleeping Place. I will post these comments so you can get more information. 1. The Carrolltown Death Records show John Luther (1800-1862) as the son of George Luther and Elizabeth Little. His baptismal record in Ledoux shows him as the son of Conrad and Elizabeth as I have always believed. Any idea why there is a discrepancy? Who are George and Elizabeth? I am not sure who George and Elizabeth are or who Conrad's wife was--I think the two stories of the Hessian soldier meeting the girl who saved him are mixed up. I am sure I have read the girl who saved the soldier was named "Smith." The American Revolution was from app 1776 to 1801 [depending on how it is calculated] and the War of 1812 was basically a continuation the same world that began after the French Revolution and Napoleon which extended from 1789 to 1815, when the Treaty of Vienna settled things. These wars effectively stopped emigration because the English Navy controlled the oceans. Also, many of the "Hessians" came from other German States [notably Brunswick], but the mercenaries became known generically as "Hessians." Each soldier "cost" so much to England, and there were fees and fines from the British for each dead, wounded, prisoner, and/or deserter soldier. This is why they tried to find the deserters. 2. Did you ever see anything that suggested that Conrad Luther was born in Russia instead of Thuringia? The Federal Mortality Schedule for 1880 for our Chrysostom (Christian) Luther reports that his father was born in Rushia. Several things here. After the Third Partition of Poland, there were three separate parts of Poland--Russian Poland [East and Lithuania], Prussian or German Poland [to the West] and Galacia to the [South Central,part of the Austrian Hungarian Empire.] You will see this in the emigration files and it is the reason the Census started asking which language the emigrants spoke in an attempt to establish the geographical location. Second, I have seen the handwriting of the letter "P" and "R" looking alike--Prussia may be taken for Russia and vice versa. Third, Prussia kept expanding and areas that were formerly something else became Prussia. A good example that applies locally is the southern Germany area of Hohlenzolern Sigmarigan which became part of Prussia after the 1848 Revolution. When the area changed allegiance to Prussia, it also had to change religions from Catholic to Protestant, and this encouraged emigration of those who wished to remain Catholic. Carrolltown had a Hohlensolern Hotel. 3 . Who was the Chrysostom (Christian) Luther who lived, married and died in Cocalico, Lancaster? Could he have been a relative of Conrad's? Ancestry family trees show his family origin as Alsace so it seems unlikely but he clearly lived in the same part of PA as Conrad did. The borders and national alliance of Alsace Lorraine changed perhaps more frequently than any other area of Europe. During the Napoleonic Wars 1794 to 1814, all of the West Bank of the Rhine was incorporated into France. Previously much of it had belonged to German Princes who were part of the Holy Roman Empire [dissolved by Napoleon app 1804.] 4. Do you have any idea about Elizabeth Barth's or Rebecca Smith's origins? All I know is that both were from the Lancaster area and converted to Catholicism. These are the two stories I have confused. By the way, our American Luther's are definitely not direct descendants of Martin Luther. The key word is "direct." In the past, the descendents of collateral [brothers and sisters] relatives were incorrectly mixed up with direct descendants. I have since "lost" the family tree a Luther researcher from Philadelphia sent me, but he had the Cambria County Luther's descended from an uncle of Martin Luther. This could certainly be possible--I had no way to document the family tree. It is not possible that the local Luthers are direct descendants, as the direct descendants of Martin Luther are all very well documented. I hope that life is good for you. I continue to have so much fun with ancestry dna! My 93 year old Mom checks her matches on her IPad every day. Are you the person who wanted the info about Dr. Fees? Thanks so much! Blanche McGuire