Patricia, Thanks so much, I'll try to answer each part of your reply. Have you tried a death record for the child who was born in Germany? Yes, all it says is Germany. Do any of the census records indicate that any family member was naturalized? Where did they settle? One census record says he was eligable to vote, so that should mean he was naturalized, but that could be an error. They were in Stark Co OH. first until 1852/53 then moved to Scott Co Mo. shich is where I live (again). I grew up here. So the church and courthouse records are handy. Part of the census records give Germany as POB and some Bavaria. Did you try the books Germans to America? I don't know what years these volumes cover but someone on the list might be able to do a lookup for you if your local library doesn't have these books. If there is a vol. for those yrs. I haven't seen it. Let me know if any of these suggestions are helpful...and let me know if I can suggest anything further if you have already checked these things before. Did you try geneanet.com for your family name? I found a relative there. It gives you some indication of people tracing the same surname. Yes there is one other person with the info, but she got it from me. (smile) There is also a German version but I never understood it...it's in German but someone found the name of a person for me who is researching the same family and I have written him and gotten five pages of information! I haven't tried this--Iwill. All good ideas--thanks. So good luck and let me know if I can help... Pat Meyers DeKalb, IL ----- Original Message ----- From: glenn _kathy _rogers Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2002 2:43 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [TRIER-ROOTS-L] dialects Thanks to Ernst and Anne The information was very helpful. I haven't been able to pinpoint the town of origin for my MENZ ancestors. But another helpful person on this list or Pfalz was able to help me from a couple phrases I had been taught. He had said it was a dialect that was spoken along the Mosell R. but didn't give it a name. My ggrandfather had told his children and grandchildren stories of living very near a river (they couldn't recall which river) and of walking to Luxembourg. I know family stories are often unreliable but this one seems to be checking out. The phone books of the area have too many Menzs to try that route unless I can't get more information another way. I have been unable to find naturalization or ships records for them. Catholic church death and marriage records don't place of birth. They would have immigrated 1846-48, there was a son born in Ger. in 1845 and he remarried in Ohio 11 Jan 1848, after his 1st wife died on board ship ( her death is also family lore). Born in Ger. were: Martin MENZ b. 9 Jan 1817 Taddeus MENZ b. 10 Apr 1842 Linus MENZ b. 23 Feb 1845 They were Catholic. Any help or suggestion about what else to try will be appreciated. And if someone else would like to try to determine which dialect exactly it was let me know. I have to try to type it phoneticly but it seems to work before. Sorry this got so long. Thanks Kathy R. ==== TRIER-ROOTS Mailing List ==== Going on vacation longer than 4 days? Go to http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/DEU/TRIER-ROOTS.html to unsubscribe ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com