---- bmspeckman@aol.com wrote:
Hi to all on the Hannnover list,
I would like to report a major success in my search for my German roots and it was made possible by the tremendous help I received by the active participants on this list. So thanks to Barbara, Gail, jb, Jill, David and many others for their help.
I started this process several months ago as a novice and traced my German family back to 1870 in San Francisco where I found my Great Grandfather Frederick and his new bride Anna in the 1870 Census. They lived about 2 blocks from where I work in downtown San Francisco. But I could not go back any farther until I fired off a quick (naive) email to this list. I reviewed a lot of advice on how to proceed in my research on this side of the pond and in Germany. And I have been following that advice and information has been falling in place. When I started the journey my main goal was to find where my GGF lived in Germany before he came to the US - this I was told was key to tracing back any further.
Last week I found Frederick Speckmann on the ship the Elizabeth coming to NY in 1860. Yesterday I was able to get the ships manifest and found my GGF who was 16 and traveling by himself. Many of the passengers show as their home town just Hannover but I was fortunate that Frederick indicated he was from Schinckel, Hanover. And Bingo, there it was his home town and the link to further tracing the family!
So this long email is to say thanks to all that have helped so far and also to ask for a little more help.
I understand that Schinckel (at least the Schinckel that I think Frederick was from) was a town seperate from Osnabruck at one time but is now a part of Osnabruck. What I believe (at a minimum) I need to do is research the church records covering Schinckel. I believe that Frederick was a Catholic, at least his funeral was a Catholic Mass. So I think I am looking for Catholic Churches in the Schinckel area. Also looking for any Speckmanns in the Osnabruck area as possible relatives. Also I am open to any other advice anyone may have now that I have crossed the pond.
Thanks again to all that have helped,
Barney Speckman
Proud Decendent of a Speckmann from Schinckel Hannover
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Congratulations Barney
I know the feeling, that same thing happened to me less than 2 weeks ago. I had all my Great grandfathers information, ship name, date and port of arrival etc but lacked the name of his place of origin. Then when viewing an index list of Hamburg emegrees I found his name and it indicated the place of origin as Baddeckenstedt. This is where my current attention is directed. So far no luck, but someone has volunteered to help me search that area. I have mailed inquires to all Burgdorfs (all 5) in that village but not enought time has expired to get a return letter.
Since I have had great success in finding my mother's family in Dahn Germany I am planning a trip there in late April. I am praying that I get a breakthrough as to the Burgdorf name in Beddeckenstedt so I can go to both places.
Let us know how you fare in your search in Schenkel.
Max Burgdorf