Just beginning research on my mother's family from Prussia / Germany. Reviewed Bob's hints / information on using German sites but came up blank while perusing those sites.
Factual information (from headstone in Old St. Mary's Cemetery in Sharpsburg. Pennsylvania) for Barbara SCHMIDTCHEN (mother of Nikolaus) is birth date of 15 January 1787 in Germany and date of death is 25 January 1870 in Sharpsburg, PA. Her maiden name may have been STINE. The 1860 US census has a Barbara STINE living with a Nikolaus SCHMIDTCHEN and his family. Age of that Barbara is comparable to her birthdate in 1787.
The following information about her son Nikolaus (Nicholaus/Nicolus) is from another headstone in the cemetery. Born 1 December 1817/1819/1820 in Germany and date of death 10 March 1901. I don't know if Nikolaus has any other siblings.
Where should I begin besides US census records? What German / Prussian records are available on line? Am I stuck if I don't know the exact city of birth?
Thanks in advance.
Sandy Run Trail
