For Tom Roll, Hope your visit to Alsace was a great experience. My great grandfather, Michael Roll, was born in Strasbourg. Some specifics on Michael and his father follow. While I cannot go back beyond his father, he must have been related to the other "French" Rolls in Alsace on the list. Father: John Roll b. 1769-70 Strasbourg or Bouxwiller, Alsace-Louraine, France m. Marie (?) d. Lancaster, New York or Mankato, Minnesota, USA bur. Calvary Cemetery, Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minnesota, USA. Abodes: Strasbourg or Bouxwiller, Alsace-Louraine, France; Lancaster, New York, USA; Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minnesota, USA. Marie: b. France(?) d. Lancaster, New York or Mankato, Minnesota, USA bur. Calvary Cemetery, Mankato, Minnesota, USA. There was a John Roll listed in the 1850 census as living with a George Roll in Lancaster, New York, USA and as being 81 years old at the time of the census. This would put his birth date around 1769. Michael: Michael Roll b. 29 Sep 1829 Strasbourg or Bouxwiller, Bas-Rhin (Alsace-Louraine), France. m(1). Maria Rosa (?) 1854(?) d. 7 Dec 1895 Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minnesota, USA. bur. 7 Dec 1895 Calvary Cemetery, Mankato, Minnesota, USA. Abodes: Strasbourg or Bouxwiller, Alsace-Louraine, France; Lancaster, New York, USA; Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minnesota, USA. Michael was a member of Saint Mary of the Assumption Roman Catholic Parish, Lancaster, New York (Erie County) in 1860-1867. Michael apparently came to the United States some time shortly prior to 1860. Maria Rosa: d. Based on the name and birth date of their last child, Maria Rosa, and the date of Michael's second marriage, his first wife, Maria Rosa may have died in connection with the birth of their daughter, Maria Rosa on 5 Apr 1863. The New York church record mentioning Maria Rosa is in Latin which makes it difficult to determine whether it is recording the birth of the daughter or the death of the mother. I would be interested in any possible connections with your Roll line in Alsace. Nancy Lohbrunner has asked if I had any additional information on Michael Roll's family in Lancaster, New York. All I have are the children I believe were born there: William Roll b. 1855 Lancaster(?), Erie County, New York, USA Joseph Roll b. 1857 Lancaster(?), Erie County, New York, USA m. Bertha (?) Wisconsin, USA. Occupation: Blacksmith (Joseph's daughter: Louisa Roll b. 10 Oct 1883 Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minnesota, USA.) Frank Roll b. 1860 Lancaster(?), Erie County, New York, USA Catherine F. Roll b. 1862 Lancaster(?), Erie County, New York, USA Maria Rosa Roll b. 5 Apr 1863 Lancaster, Erie County, New York, USA Michael Roll's second marriage: Hedwig "Hattie" Zimmerman 1864(?) Lancaster, Erie County, New York, USA(?) St.Peter and Pauls Catholic Church records for Calvary Cemetery in Mankato, Minnesota show the following: Section 10, Block 2, Lots 5,6,7,8 "Michael Roll", "Hedwig Roll", "Mrs. Roll", "Mr. Roll". The Roll plot in Calvary Cemetery is marked by a large stone cross standing 10 feet high with "ROLL" chiseled in large letters. On the opposite side of the cross are chiseled birth and death dates for Michael and Hedwig in German language. While from Alsace-Louraine and listing his nationality as French in several Minnesota census listing, the Michael Roll family spoke "Low German" (Platt Deutsche) and appear to have been, in general, culturally German. Hedwig: b. 17 May 1843 Baden (Baden-Baden?), Germany Parents: Michael Zimmerman (b. Germany) and Francis Hedwig(?) (b. Germany) d. 23 Jan 1903 Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minnesota, USA. bur. 31 Jan 1903 Calvary Cemetery, Mankato, Minnesota, USA. Michael and Hedwig arrived in Mankato, Minnesota around 1869 after moving from Lancaster (Erie County) New York, USA. Children born in Lancaster, New York from Michael's second marriage: Francis (Roll) Hillesheim b. 2 Apr 1866 Lancaster, Erie County, New York, USA m. Arnold Hillesheim d. 18 Feb 1940 LeSueur, Minnesota bur. Calvary Cemetery, Madelia, Minnesota. "She [Francis] moved from Minnesota to Oregon in the late 1920's and lived with us until 1939 [Her daughter, Gertrude, had moved to Oregon following her own marriage in 1923.] when she left to visit my two uncles [Fred & Alphonse] in Minnesota. She had a stroke there in October 1939 and died in February of 1940." Clara Roll b. 1867-68 Lancaster, Erie County, New York, USA m. William Budde David Petrie Arden Hills, Minnesota, USA dapwyn@aol.com