Researching and writing the history of my great-grandfather has been a dream of mine for many years. What joy to again have this become reality. I thank the Lord for strength to do this so it need not be lost with the passing of time. In her later years my grandmother, Mary Margaret (called Anna Margaretha earlier), lived in our home so we learned to know the various families as they came to visit her. My uncle, A. C. Yoder, kept notes on the relatives during his lifetime and these were given to me after his death. He visited the relatives in Germany in 1930 and took some pictures. My hope is that you will spend time with your families, telling them of relatives and happenings of families, the good times and the bad times, so they won't say "the folks never told us anything about our ancestors."

Johann Peter Lembrich grew to manhood in Waldgrehweiler, a small village in the beautiful Rhineland about 75 miles southwest of Frankfort am Main, Germany. He served in the army from 1820 until 1826 and then in the reserves until his discharge on Jan. 9, 1827. That summer he married Elizabeth Hupperich. They lived a few houses down the street from the old family home while their children were being born. Elizabeth died from tuberculosis in 1845, age 39. Two years later Peter immigrated to America, bringing with him his 8 living children. My Aunt Auguste, Michael's wife, in later years told how the land agent persuaded Peter, who was in poor circumstances, to move to America to better his condition. The land agent made him think "sausages grew on sticks" or as we might say "money grows on trees." He sold his few belongings and began the footsteps to a new experience.

The ship list (AB 5239, #209) shows the ship name as Bk. James Boorman, the ship master as E. Jacobson. They sailed from Antwerp April 29, 1847. All the passengers were from Germany. Listed among the many on board were Peter and his children. It stated that Peter was a mechanic.