Hello List,
After much time looking and asking questions of family members the closest I
can place my gg grandfather to a town in Germany is "Close to the city
Hannover." Does any body know the names of towns/churches that would be good
places to start looking. Also any suggestions as to the best method. Any
assistance would be appreciated. His name was Frederick H. Layman ( the
correct spelling is thought to have been Lehmann), it is also believed that
his father was named Frederick. He left Germany on or about 1857 by an
indirect route. No luck so far trying to find the ship he came over on. I
also can't find any immigration or application papers on him. He did serve
in the Civil War and I have got copies of is military records as well as his
pension records for him and his wife. The only information listed as place
of birth is Hannover, Germany. I was always led to believe that this was the
Kingdom of Hannover. I am told that the reason that I may not be able to
find any other records is that since he enlisted in the Union Army it was
not necessary for him to apply for citizenship.
Thank you in advance
Fred Layman
sgo@adweb.net
Hello Fred,
this should be the worst case that a genealogist ever could happen.
Place: a town near(!) Hannover?
---> there must be about approximatly 6.000!parish
in former kingdom "Hannover"
Surname: Lehmann?
---> there are about 242 Lehmann in Hannover-city today
and about 500-600 in the region next to Hannover.
Name: Frederick (german: Friedrich)
---> almost any second man in that time was called "Friedrich"
for exampel: Friedrich Heinrich Wilhelm - Heinrich Konrad Friedrich
Conrad Wilhelm Friedrich - etc.
In my family, comming from that region (total. ca. 1.800) the most
common name is "Heinrich" (186), "Johann" (162),"Friedrich" (129), etc.
left Germany an indirect route:
---> may be Hamburg, Bremen, ...Antwerpen, ....France, ......Spain,
etc.
it is nearly impossible.
You should look for any secondary reason:
***> Where did he live/arrive in US? ---> so look for any other person
in
that paticular region. Most of the emigrant went to where they knew
other german emigrants living.
***> keep looking in this [HN]-list - keep typing "Lehmann" in tis list.
That�s what you did! ok!
***> try to find "Lehmann" in Ellis Island-record. I found a man of my
family
"Heinrich", born close to Hannover, living in Hamburg
travaling to NY 6. July 1895, ship of traval: "Venezuela",
port of departure: Puerto Cabello, Carabobo, Venezuela...
....I�ve never seen him going!
I wish you GOOD LUCK, realy.
...my be you�ll find FREDERICk like I found HEINRICH.
Klaus
Hello List,
Another suggestion I would have is to track the wife of your great great
grandfather. It is possible you could find her, and your great great
grandfather could have come from the same village or a village near hers.
If you know where he first bought land in the United States, then I would
see if place of origin is known for his neighbors. Possible he and his
neighbors came from same general area.
Good luck with your research.
Steve Frank
You might check http://foko.genealogy.net to see where other people are
searching the name LEHMANN ..it may give you a place to start.
Bonita Hillmer
Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Dear Fred,
It is not that bad as Bonita did point out.
1200 lutheran parishes and 120 catholic ones.
No Lehmann farms around Diepholz, next ones on the Weser at Eystrup and Wechold.
The name is rather unusual for general Hannover. In 1689 it was to be found in
the Neustadt part of Hannover city and in the Amt Lauenau.
Greetings
Falk Liebezeit
Diepholz
Bonita schrieb: