I have been following, with a great deal of interest, the messages of the past few days regarding the Michels family of Wisconsin, who originally came from Holsthum (Treves), in the Rhineland. I don't believe much in coincidence, especially with German family names. But first a question. The village of Holsthum, was it formerly known as Treves? The modern city of Trier is some distance away, regardless of the language used. I wondered at the connection of the two names, if any. My wife descended from a Philip Michals, and he immigrated from the Rhineland in the early 1850's. His Army discharge in 1865 gives has place of birth as being Treever, Empire of Germany. [An error in the spelling of Treever by an Army clerk?] I'm grasping at the well known straws, but could my Philip Michals belong to the same family back in Germany as the Michels family in Wisconsin? I have noted in the past that it is not at all unusual for German family names to undergo a change on immigration, by accident or by design. Suggestions are hoped for..... Chuck Mallette

Treves is the French name of Trier and thus the same city. Barbara ----- Message d'origine ----- De : "Charles Mallette" <[email protected]> À : <[email protected]> Envoyé : lundi 17 juin 2002 05:34 Objet : [TRIER-ROOTS-L] Michels Family of Wisconsin.... > I have been following, with a great deal of interest, the messages > of the past few days regarding the Michels family of Wisconsin, who > originally came from Holsthum (Treves), in the Rhineland. > > I don't believe much in coincidence, especially with German family > names. > > But first a question. The village of Holsthum, was it formerly > known as Treves? The modern city of Trier is some distance away, > regardless of the language used. I wondered at the connection of the > two names, if any. > > My wife descended from a Philip Michals, and he immigrated from the > Rhineland in the early 1850's. His Army discharge in 1865 gives has > place of birth as being Treever, Empire of Germany. [An error in the > spelling of Treever by an Army clerk?] > > I'm grasping at the well known straws, but could my Philip Michals > belong to the same family back in Germany as the Michels family in > Wisconsin? I have noted in the past that it is not at all unusual for > German family names to undergo a change on immigration, by accident or > by design. > > Suggestions are hoped for..... > > Chuck Mallette > > > ==== 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 >