Hello Maureen, Thank you for the quick response! Basically I am looking for information about him prior to him coming here, by himself, in 1856 when he was, actually, 17 years old. This is what I know about him prior to his arrival here: Name: William Charles Wormell Born: Feb 12, 1839 Arrival in Boston as cabin boy: Feb 29, 1856 Occupation: Sea Captain (later years) Father: Charles Mother: Anna Place of origin/birth: Prussia, possibly Stettin I am from Cape Cod. I have been researching my mother's side and father's mother's side for years...and go way back on several of the branches. I am actually first one in my direct line on my mother's side to move more than 70 miles from Plymouth Rock since 1620:)! My search for William's family has been in Germany but really has been limited. I did do extensive research here to find out what he did here until he was married and received his citizenship. Thank you for the new information concerning Wurmeling. Perhaps that may even be an alternate spelling (Wurmel). Again, the "e" at the end of my last name was added by my grandfather's sister to make it look more French at the turn of the century. Apparently she thought it looked too German. My grandfather was too young to object, though his older brother did and did not change the spelling. I am learning that there is something to be said about being of Prussian decent. A few months ago I was speaking online with a new acquaintance from Berlin and I told him my great grandfather was from Prussia. I forget exactly what he said, but he mentioned all sorts of complimentary characteristics that I must have if I am from Prussian decent:)! He was right:)! Thank you. Hope this breaks a brick! Jim On Aug 2, 2009, at 7:33 PM, [email protected] wrote: > Hi Jim - Sure hope you can fill us in on more than just a surname. > Need > full name, spouse's maiden name, siblings and children, religion, as > many > dates as you have proof for, occupation sea captain? That's one > good clue. > But I do not know of a way to take a surname and find his > birthplace in > Europe. So perhaps we can zero in on Boston and thereabouts. You > didn't > mention where you have been looking, but over 40 years, that has to > be a > long list and many documents. Brick walls don't go on forever - > we're > Prussian! > > In Bahlow's book, Würmeling is a place name in Holstein. There is a > reference to Vormann (or Fuhrmann) Low German, wagoner, in Hamburg > around 1263. > Hanks & Hodges' dictionary shows Old English origins for Wormald, > Wormal, > Wormhall, Wormell, Wormull, Warmoll. No Wormelle. > > So - please give us some more of your ammunition and let's see what > happens > to that brick wall. > > Maureen > > > In a message dated 8/2/2009 3:41:10 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, > [email protected] writes: > > According to my great grandfather's naturalization papers, he arrived > in Boston, from Prussia, on 29 FEB 1856. He was 15 years old. Family > story says he worked his way over from Germany as a cabin boy on a > ship. He never spoke about the "old country". My father said he > thought his grandfather came from Essen or Stettin. In looking at a > map of Prussia of 1850, Essen was not part of Prussia so it appears > that Stettin, now Szczecin, Poland, is possibly a starting point for > my research. > > This is my last line and brick wall of my tree which I have been > researching for 40 years. I have only come across WORMELL as an > English name and any records I have seen for Germany/Prussia do not > show the name. > > If anyone can point me in the right direction as to where to start > based on this information, it would be greatly appreciated. I have > gone so far as taking a long shot and joining the Germany DNA group > to > have have my DNA tested, in hopes that there might be a match. No 37 > marker matches. > > Interestlingly, the both witnesses on his naturalization papers were > from Denmark. Both worked in shipping industry...one as a captain, > the > other as the owner of a "employment agency" for the shipping > industry. > Both also lived near him in East Boston. My great grandfather was a > sea captain. > > Thank you, Jim Wormelle ("e" added on early 1900's) > > ------------------------------- > 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 > > > **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just > 2 easy > steps! > (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222846709x1201493018/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx > ?sc=668072&hmpgID=115&bcd > =JulystepsfooterNO115) > > ------------------------------- > 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