Family Migration

The article with this definition explains 12 Types of Migration (Human Geography Notes) (2025)

My family migration:

Maternal:

SCHULER, Johann Georg, b 1792 Endingen, Emmendingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, migrated to U.S.1833, died 1860 in Ohio, his descendants live in Lockport, Illinois today

ZIMMERMAN, Agnes, b 1787 Endingen, Emmendingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, migrated to U.S. in 1833 

VonGUNTEN, Anna, b1819 Canton Bern, Switzerland, migrated to U.S. in 1834, married in 1838 Wood County, Ohio, died 1887 in Lockport, Illinois

KEMPH, Magdalena VonGUNTEN, b 1812 Schwanden, Bern, Switzerland, married 1832 in Switzerland, migrated to U.S. in 1834, died1887 Lockport, Illinois, descendants live in Kansas, Montana and other western states

BAUMGARTEN, Lena, b 1842 Oldenburg, Saxony, Germany, migrated to U. S. in 1866, married 1864, raised family and died1916 in Lockport, Illinois

ARMSTRONG, Nathan Nelson, b 1831in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, migrated to New York then to Illinois, descendants migrated to Iowa and west coast, Washington, Oregon, California

Paternal:

KAMPE, Frederick, b 1826 in, Hanover, Germany, migrated to U.S. 1853 first to Mason County then to Will County, Illinois, died in 1908 in Will County, Illinois

ELSNER, Hans Caspar Friedrich “John”, b 1814 in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, migrated to Frankfort, Will County, Illinois in 1863, died 1876 in Frankfort, Illinois, after the Civil War, several descendent families migrated together to Iowa KOERNER, LANGE (Long or Lang), ELSNER, late 1800s TENHOFF migrated from Iowa to Minnesota

Many other family surnames will be added to this list as I dig deeper and climb higher on my trees.

Relationship to me: both lineal and collateral ancestors on my maternal and paternal side

Family and friends help me to correct my paper mistakes and to add stories to the family. All of my research papers, photos and other “stuff” will be located in Alabama at a community college associated with a historical society. This collection is open to everyone. Online I am at MyHeritage and Ancestry aka RootsDigger or Roots_Digger.

 

Schuler, John : Migration, Immigration, Emigration

 

Migration, immigration or emigration, what do you want to know about your family? Though family wanderings may appear haphazard, a purpose or decision is hidden within every move. Together, the move and the purpose create a great story. First the family historian needs to learn a few basic terms. Migration means moving from place to place. Immigration reveals the new home or the move from the homeland to the new country. Emigration reveals the origin or the homeland. John Schuler (1815-1875) provides an appealing case study. My example, John Schuler emigrated from Endingen, Germany in June 1833. John immigrated to Baltimore, Maryland between July and September 1833. In 1838, John married Anna VonGunten in Wood County, Ohio. He migrated to Lockport, Illinois about 1840. About 1854, John left Lockport, continued west and ended in Sacramento, California in 1872. What caused him to leave his wife and six children? Was it financial? He provided a home for his family. His descendants live on the same land purchased from the Illinois and Michigan Canal Association. He and his wife attended Christmas church services in 1852. Did he send money home?

In order to follow the trails, the family historian must study history, migration routes, geography and the push and pull factors. The push and pull factors provide the motivation or incentives. The push circumstances encourage the people to leave an area; the pull attracts the people to a new location. David J. Sautter researched extensively the families that left Endingen for America. According to David's research, the population of the small agricultural village reached 699 inhabitants by December 1834. Had living conditions become so crowded that Johann George and Agnes Schuler felt their future and that of their children would be brighter in America? They were one of the first to leave..." Johann Georg Schuler and his wife, Agnes Zimmermann, left sometime in June of 1833 with their five children. Johannes Schuler, the eldest child, was 19. David J. Sautter's research is available on Family Search.org.

Sources for general knowledge include:

• Smith, Juliana Szucs. "Coming to America: Finding Your Immigrant Ancestors." September 1, 2010. Ancestry online classes (video). [http://www.ancestry.com/cs/us/videos]
• Family Search.org - research the Wiki by place or topic. [https://familysearch.org].
• Place Name Maps - ideal for cities that have changed names or are no longer in existence [http://geonames.usgs.gov/domestic/index.html]
• The National Map: Historical Topographic Map Collection - study the land for rivers and contours [https://www.usgs.gov/]
• Surname distribution maps show graphical locations where surnames occurred at different periods in time [https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Surname_Distribution_Maps]
• The Ships List offers fleet lists, passenger lists, ship arrivals, marriages at sea, famine emigrants, ship wrecks, events of 1862, diaries and journals and immigration reports [http://www.theshipslist.com/]

Hints for a specific family or person's migration pattern may be found in the census, draft or military records, pension records, family lore, vital records, newspaper clippings, intent for naturalization and naturalization. For John Schuler, David J. Sautter's research offers the place of birth and emigration date. The Baltimore, Maryland ship manifest provides the immigration date and port. A digital image of the Wood County, Ohio marriages provides John and Anna's marriage place and date in 1838. The U.S. census for 1850 places the family in Lockport, Will County, Illinois. A newspaper announcement places John in Sacramento, California in 1872. Cemetery records for the Lockport City Cemetery return John to Lockport, Illinois. He was buried on August 25, 1875. His personal records are on my Roots_Digger [Under Construction] Family Tree on Ancestry.com. John Schuler provides an interesting case study; more family stories will follow.

Questions or comments? Please contact Selma Blackmon, thank you