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Archiver > SWITZERLAND > 1999-10 > 0939643460


From: Doris Tartt <>
Subject: [SWITZ] Routes from Switzerland to America
Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 07:04:20 -0500


Hello Listers,

I hope someone can give me some direction.

My ancestor, Henry Boozer (probably Heinrich Buser) was born in 1801 in
Switzerland. His father died in 1808 and his mother remarried. Shortly
thereafter, the family came to America - I think between 1810-1820. As
far as I know now there were four of them - Henry and his sister and his
mother and step-father. I don't know any of their names.

Henry was bound out to a man named Becker in Lancaster Co., PA for four
years. He was married in 1825 in PA or OH to Catherine Painter, daughter
of John Adam Painter and wife Catherine. Henry and Catherine lived in
Columbiana Co., OH until about 1845 when they moved to Wood Co., OH.

The "family tradition" in our family was that Henry and his sister were
left orphaned when their parents died enroute to America and that their
governess took everything they had, so they were taken in by passengers
on the ship, not finding each other again until they were old.

Another descendant of Henry told me that in their family it was said
that they "sailed from Holland or LeHavre". Can anyone tell me if they
would have traveled by other means from Switzerland to either of these
places to depart by ship, or would these be ports that the ship would
have docked in during the voyage?? Is there a clue here?

The passenger lists that I have found in libraries and on the net have
very few listings for the years I am looking for. Are they not available
or have I been looking in the wrong places?

Several people have suggested that I go to a FHC and read the Julius
Billeter files but my Mother lives with me and can't be left alone so I
am housebound and don't know when I could go to a larger city where
there is a FHC. So, any help or direction you good people could give me
would be greatly appreciated!

Doris Boozer Tartt in Mississippi

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