I started my family research about 30 years ago and it has been a wonderful and educational journey which has taken me to the little village of Flessenow Mecklenburg-Schwerin Germany where my grandfather was born and raised.

Unfortunately, like many others, I waited too long to start this project as most all of my elders had already passed which I am sure were loaded with knowledge of the family. However, with the help of Gunter Koslowski, an emigration historian in Schwerin Germany, family members still in Germany and people like Richard Thompson, I have compiled considerable information on my ancestors and it seems every time I turn a corner there is another lead to follow.

In Sept 2001 I was invited back to Germany to speak at the dedication of Herr Koslowski's book, "Die Amerikaspur" which is part fiction and part fact about emigration from the Flessenow area to America and features my grandfather, Heinrich Wilhelm Theodore Bruders from Flessenow and the Kapingst family from Old Schlagsdorf near Flessenow.

To this date, my research is an ongoing project.

I started my family research about 30 years ago and it has been a wonderful and educational journey which has taken me to the little village of Flessenow Mecklenburg-Schwerin Germany where my grandfather was born and raised.

Unfortunately, like many others, I waited too long to start this project as most all of my elders had already passed which I am sure were loaded with knowledge of the family. However, with the help of Gunter Koslowski, an emigration historian in Schwerin Germany, family members still in Germany and people like Richard Thompson, I have compiled considerable information on my ancestors and it seems every time I turn a corner there is another lead to follow.

In Sept 2001 I was invited back to Germany to speak at the dedication of Herr Koslowski's book, "Die Amerikaspur" which is part fiction and part fact about emigration from the Flessenow area to America and features my grandfather, Heinrich Wilhelm Theodore Bruders from Flessenow and the Kapingst family from Old Schlagsdorf near Flessenow.

To this date, my research is an ongoing project.