Early German Migrations
Pioneers & Colonists: Historical Background of Germans in Eastern Europe
James M. Beidler
Millions of German-speaking people never spent a day in today’s countries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. For centuries, German-speaking enclaves existed in Eastern Europe. Thus presentation introduces and gives historical background about these “Germans outside Germany.”
Germany to America: 18th Century Odyssey
James M. Beidler
There are many stereotypes about the immigrants who came from German-speaking lands to America in the 1700s. This lecture uses the personal memoirs of the immigrants themselves to dispel the myths about why they came, what the voyage was like, and how they liked America.
Keystone Records in the Keystone State
Sharon Cook MacInnes, CG
What can you find in Pennsylvania state, county and historical society repositories? We’ll look at the challenge of changing boundaries (both state and county), alternates to vital records, state censuses, and the following record groups: tax, legal, military, and land. Also on the menu: published histories and how to find them, manuscripts, repositories, the Published Pennsylvania Archives and the Pennsylvania Archives in Harrisburg.
Migration Patterns of Germans in America
Sharon Cook MacInnes, CG
Explore the push-pull factors that propelled Germans to settle where they did in America in colonial times and as they spread west in the 19th century. Knowing where your ancestors settled in the mid-1800s can often lead you backwards toward their original settlements in America by considering the migration routes of other Germans within the U.S., particularly allied families. This session explores how historical events channeled Germans into certain areas, how chain migration drew allied families together, and what tools you can use to follow their footsteps.
James M. Beidler
Jim Beidler is the editor of our own publication Der Kurier, the newsletter of the Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society. He has spoken at our conferences many times. See a more complete biography at his web page.
Sharon Cook MacInnes, CG
See Sharon's full biography on her
web page.
