But also remember, you can only go back so far with documentation.....
Clem 55: you mentioned you couldn't find info on your ancestor and her kids coming over from Belgium. This is what we found out about my DH's family. Apparently there was a limit on which nationalities could come to America. They were Jendra's from Latvia.....they went over the border to Russia (German?) and changed their names to Rosenthall and became Russian Jews to get passports !!!! Amazing, isn't it!!! We have written documents on that part....but I STILL can't find anything on them before coming to America!