I am interest in the Claus Sothmann & Christiana Ehlers family. They were born aroung 1800 in Holstein Germany. To get his four sons out of Germany during the Franco-Prussian war, it is thought that Claus turned over a fleet of barges. Christiana died in Germany in about 1950. Claus' second wife, Anna Stomp, also died in Germany. Claus came to America with his four sons & maybe some daughters in about 1870. His parents may have been Claus & Annie (Aultmann) Sothmann.
Sothmann may also have been spelled Sootmann, Sethmann, Sodmann, Southmann or Sothman.
I would be interested in exchanging information.
Sharon Keys