I know that I have a grand father that immigrated in 1833,
from
the Visbek area. Is there any suggested reading that I can do, to
understand the area that he was from, as well as what it was like.
That's a difficult topic to read about in English. The best thing would be to go to
honkomp's web pages. He saves a lot of my material and posts it on his site.
see News & E-Mail bei t-online.de | Politik, Sport, Unterhaltung & Ratgeber
or
http://www.om-online.de
( I find my stuff all over the place) 
If he was heuerleute in hagstette, how can I read up on that?
Like I said, the best thing is to read here and in the archives.
was wondering if there would be records that show terms of service
with the farmer? As you can tell I have little grasp of this
Heuerleute thing.
It is not too difficult to understand the concept of not having any new farmland
available, right? Typically a boy who was not about to inherit anything would work
as a Knecht in his youth. That is a job for whatever on somebody's farm basically
for food. To get married he would need a roof over his head where he could raise a
family. Any place would do, a stable, a barn. a bakehouse - whatever. Some
farmers would build a Heuerhaus or a Doppelhauerhaus which would serve as a
stable and living quarters for a Heuermann and his family. They would typically sign
a one year agreement which would be signed like a contract. Each party got what
they wanted. One needed space and the other labor. The Heuermann would also be
given some land to farm on his own to feed his family but often that was not enough
and he would have to supliment his income by sidejobs. The wife and kids would
also work. It was subsistence living.
I have read some stuff, but I tend to get confused
because they each say something a little different, or at least my
take on it is different, ha ha don't know which.
Many people simply translate Heuermann as someone who leases land. It was a bit
more complicated then that.
I need to slow down and be patient on many things. I trust
father Hoyings opinion, but I also need something to occupy this drive
I have.
I will look around to see what is available in English and post here.
Fred
26 Warren St.
Beverly, NJ 08010
FredRump@earthlink.net
609-386-6846
215-205-2841 (cell)