Good morning, all. I'm looking for information about my GGGrandparents, Lewis SHAFER and Catherine CONRAD, specifically where they came from and how they got here. According to the 1855 NYS census, (p 15, Wayland) Lewis Shaffer, age 30, was born in Germany, and was here 8 years. His wife, Katherine, age 26, was born in Germany, and was here 18 years. According to Marion E. Scott, the Genealogist and Historian in Wayland, NY, Lewis' parents were George and Catherine _______. Her parents were Henry CONRAD and Margaret BAESEL. Henry was the son of Heinrich CONRAD and Catherine HOPF. Margaret(ha) was the daughter of John Nickolas BAESEL and Marie SCHLEY. In a recent letter, Marion says, "There was a great influx of Germans coming to this area in the early 1800's. They came mostly from the Saar basin, St. Wendell canton. The small communities of Niederlinxweiler and Ottweiler in particular. There were a few in the neighboring down of Dansville that came up from the Dutch county in Penna. But for the most part ours came straight from the homeland." Do any of you have any information about this family? About their history in Europe or their migration here? Any suggestions about where I might look? Thanks in advance. Ric Shafer