Dr. Moyer, You may want to read the John Smith book on the Russian Mennonites for a little background--and in the off chance your ancestor was Mennonite. Unfortunately, only two pages would give you much information on the Dutch Mennonites that moved into Prussia. Most of them moved into the Vistula delta and south. The name you cite is not one that is common among Russian Mennonites. By 1803, the Mennonites were moving out of Prussia to avoid military conscription. Some did move to the United States and, as you know, into PA. Bethel College in Newton, KS, could assist you with more information as well as Pacific University in Fresno, CA. -------------- Original message -------------- From: Karl Moyer <[email protected]> > > His name was Casper Ross. He emigrated from Holland to Pa in 1802 and settled > > in Centre County. I understand now he really wouldn't be considered > > "Pennsylvania Dutch" however his father was from Germany, Straaslund, mother > > from Amsterdam. Casper was baptised in an Evangelical-Lutheran church in > > Amsterdam. > > Strasslund lies almost due north of Berlin, very near the sea and the > present border of German with Poland and thus in the area once called > Prussia. I am not aware that persons known as "Pa. Dutch" or "Pa Germans" > came from that area of present-day Germany, but my hunch is that person > would not be identified with the Pa. Dutch and did not know the dialect. > Any help on this from anyone? > > His baptism in a Lutheran church in Amsterdam is interesting, given that > Lutheranism was a very small and carefully-controlled minority in Holland. > Lutheran church buildings often were required to be sited back from the > street and NOT to look like church buildings -- thus, no towers, etc. > What's more, baptism among Lutherans was sometimes freely given, as with the > Lutheran pastors in Lancaster PA even baptizing children of Mennonites. > (!!!) That does not necessarily mean that this man was a Lutheran by > training and/or persuasion. > > The name Ross -- or perhaps Roß -- is a German form. means a > horse, or poetically also a "steed." Thus, "sich aufs hohe Roß" means to > get on one's high horse. But in slang the word also can mean "blockhead," > and in vulgar slang it can be combined with " -apfel" to imply in vulgar > terms what comes out the back end of the horse. "Der Apfel" means "apple," > and you can take it from there, I'm sure!! :-) > > Dr. Karl E. Moyer > Lancasterr PA > > Dr. Karl E. Moyer > Lancaster PA > > > > ------------------------------- > 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