hordak Posted January 11, 2010 Report Share Posted January 11, 2010 So my family hasn't been here long. My great grand parents on both on mom and dads side were the first born Americans but i am interested in learning more. Anyone have any success or ideas finding out info on family in the old countries? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted January 11, 2010 Report Share Posted January 11, 2010 From which old country? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WmLee Posted January 11, 2010 Report Share Posted January 11, 2010 My grandfather lied about his genealogy for years, since he was 15 anyway, because he entered the country illegally. He spent his entire adult life in the armed services, (US) married a women from another country, (while stationed overseas) my mother was born in another country, he lied and got them both citizenship, (because grandma married a “citizen” and mother was his daughter) . . . . and it goes on.He was 90 something when he finally told me the truth, (I had been looking for his parents to do genealogy for years). The local library had copies of phone books from around the world. I checked for the country and city he said he was from and found a number of people with the same last name. I started calling each Sunday, (the rates were lower on Sunday) and three weeks later found his younger sister. There are a lot of tools out there if you think about it. Take all the info you have and start snooping!! I now have a really extended family and we talk and visit all the time, (as we can afford anyway). Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hordak Posted January 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2010 From which old country?Kingdom actually. Württemberg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hordak Posted January 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2010 My grandfather lied about his genealogy for years, since he was 15 anyway, because he entered the country illegally. He spent his entire adult life in the armed services, (US) married a women from another country, (while stationed overseas) my mother was born in another country, he lied and got them both citizenship, (because grandma married a “citizen” and mother was his daughter) . . . . and it goes on.He was 90 something when he finally told me the truth, (I had been looking for his parents to do genealogy for years). The local library had copies of phone books from around the world. I checked for the country and city he said he was from and found a number of people with the same last name. I started calling each Sunday, (the rates were lower on Sunday) and three weeks later found his younger sister. There are a lot of tools out there if you think about it. Take all the info you have and start snooping!! I now have a really extended family and we talk and visit all the time, (as we can afford anyway). Good luck.See i have often wondered about the illegal thing. Story goes GG grandpa was brought off the street one day a taken into a military recruiting office. This was right as the Franco Prussian war was getting ready to kick off. GG Grandpa, using the quick wit my family is known for, stands there with a confused look on his face. The recruter points to a contract and says sign and GG grandpa cups his ear, looking confused. After a little while the Recruiter realizes GG grandpa is "deaf" and wouldn't be fit for military service. As he leaves the recruiter slams a book on the floor to startle him but he just keeps walking then goes to find a ship leaving to America.I don't know if the story is accurate. I have checked the Ells island records online, but neither name comes up. Don't know the other ports people came through on the east coast.What complicates things further is my GG grandpa, the immigrant, spells his name differently, at least on his headstone, (and what my mother put on family search) then my g grandpa and so on.My name doesn't look like it sounds so i'm not sure if the "new" spelling is right and the funeral home spelled it wrong on the headstone (People commonly misspell it) or if GG Grandpas headstone is right and his son misspelled it and it stuck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beefche Posted January 12, 2010 Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 Your best bet is to start with family. Anyone who may know the stories or have any family history (old Bible with names, letters, etc.). Just start asking family members and they will direct to other family members who may know. You can try going to a family history center and ask them about how to do research for the old country. You might be surprised at how much info there is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RanMan Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 Kingdom actually. WürttembergI have some success with both Ancestory.com and New Family Search in Germany. Of course, there is a subscription fee for Ancestry.com. You could also try the internet and see if there are any German genealogy sites that might have information. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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