I am seeking information on my ggg-grandmother Margaretha Mandel or Mandl, born 1843 in Breitenbrunn, Bavaria, Germany, particularly her parents' names and the history of her family back in Germany. She immigrated to Ohio in 1861 and settled in Delphos, Van Wert County, Ohio. She married Joseph Bäcker later that year and they had several children. Many of their children and descendants go by the surname Baker rather than Bäcker. I am a descendant of their daughter Maria Magdalena Baker, born 1864, who married Johannes Grundtisch and moved to Buffalo, N.Y.

Margaretha had two brothers, Joseph born 1841 and Nicolaus born 1853, who came to America in 1868. They also settled in Delphos and they have descendants in Akron, Cleveland, and elsewhere in Ohio.

The town of origin (Breitenbrunn) comes from Margaretha's immigration record - the ship manifest for the port of Hamburg. The RC Church in Delphos had her town of origin listed as Bittersburg but there is no such place.

I believe the Breitenbrunn that Margaretha came from was the one near Mindelheim, as this is a predominately Catholic village. I understand the LDS has microfilmed records from this village and I plan on getting them soon to be sure this is the right place. There are some 7 Breitenbrunn's in Bavaria in all, so it may not be.