I read a little bit about it at my new favorite chronicle site. That I google Tosterglope Ventschau. Under title below at google then translate. history chapter 10
http://www.tosterglope.de
It says the villagers picked undesiable villagers first. And many went to Mecklenburg as well to escape. But I thought eventually there was a problem there too. I know I have one family at mecklenburg that lost many lives in wars with russia.
If you read more it is sad to think what they had to put up with. all those people trooping through. feeding more than your own suffering the consequences. Then the wars. No wonder you would want better for your children. I understand that after that timeperiod military service was years and years. My Wilhelm did not marry until 1873. He was born in 1843. I think he went into sevice about 1860.
Maybe what you said about hard to leave when military duty was coming up is the reason Fred's his family went to great lengths for him to leave. The method is at AIDA. First one aunt in america wrote he schould come. Then a second letter saying they could stay with them. And His father saying he would pay. Then Him saying he had decided.