PAM asked:-
The only missing aspect for me is what port my ancestors sailed from. Did they board the Republic in Hannover or did they board in England? Where did the Republic originate?
Pamela - It is a simple job to surf for the information and the SS gives a hint that it was a British ship because it means "Steam Ship". Here is a link where you will see that the SS Republic was owned by the "White Star Line" which was a BRITISH company. When you visit the link I have given you, you will see that its home port was Liverpool, it would then have sailed out into the Irish Sea and then it would have crossed the Ocean to New York. You must now write to Hamburg and see if they have a record of the date of departure of your ancestor and which ferry ship they sailed on to cross the Channel to England.
http://www.norwayheritage.com/p_ship.asp?sh=repu1
Rena