My father's family survived the 30 year war instigated by the French to purge all protestants from the land--back in the late 1600s early 1700s. Just recently I found a record of the ship manifest with my ancestors names! It is amazing that when I lived in Switzerland, I was but miles from "home" and again now-in upstate NY...That ancestor immigrated to miles from where I currently live! This family story was lost to time until I dug it up recently! Having been born in Virginia, I am American.