Hi Michael,
I've run across your name a few times today and had some comments for you.

Genealogy under 30:
Although I'm in my 40s now, I began research when I was a teenager. It was a much different world then, no internet, etc. I'm curious how you find dealing with other (older) researchers in today's internet world.

Records in Germany
I've found the easiest way to make contacts for a location in Germany is to write the local church or pastor/priest. Although some have never replied I've had several others that turned my request over to a local researcher who assisted me virtually without charge.

North Carolina:
What counties in NC are you interested in? I live 30 mins from the NC State Archives in Raleigh if you ever need someone with feet on the ground.

Joel

You need to know what religion your ancestor are: LDS has Catholic records
and civil regristaton - you will need to be able to READ german. You can order these films from the Family History Center by your area...

www.familysearch.org

Title Kirchenbuch, 1705-1805
Authors Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Kaldenkirchen (Kr. Kempen) (Main Author)

Note Location
Film
Taufen 1705-1803 Heiraten 1706-1800 Tote 1700-1805 FHL INTL Film
174477

Title Kirchenbuch, 1748-1800
Authors Katholische Kirche Kaldenkirchen (Kr. Kempen) (Main Author)

Note Location
Film
Taufen, Tote 1748-1800 Heiraten 1750-1798 FHL INTL Film
174476

Crefeld - there are SEVERAL church in that town. They go back 1600's.. You need to look at the Family History Library CATALOG...

Good Luck... If you need help let me know

You will need to look at other town near by that are filmed that has earlier records..

For example Neckargartach started 1627 and I decided to check Bockingen and their records started 1581 and I found the people there...

Lineage groups are a challenge from most of us I think. :)

I have some contacts in Germany, if you know the areas you are looking at I would be glad to see if I have contacts in that area.

My Loy/Laye family left the Berks County, PA area around the time it was formed from Bucks in 1752. They settled in Orange (now Alamance County), NC.

Joseph Greenwood (1755-1835) left Kent County, DE in 1782 and settled in Rowan County, NC. He stayed there 12 years and then moved west into Kentucky.

If I can ever be of help to you, just ask.

Reason for migration?

For the Loy family I'm not sure if it was land or religion or both. They came to NC with other families from the same area and these families were the core of an early church in the county.

As for Joseph Greenwood I think it was completely economics and perhaps some adventure. His father died shortly before the American Revolution and appears to have left enough debt that all of his lands were sold. Joseph served in units from both DE and MD during the Revolution and left for NC soon after the war ended. He bought land in Rowan County on which he lived for 12 years and then sold it. I'm not sure why he once again moved, but he appears to have moved just behind the early frontier. He moved to Davidson County, KY where he lived for 7 years and then Wilson County, TN for 7 years. By 1809 he had land near Huntsville in the Mississippi Territory where he stayed for 20 years. When he was in mid-70s he moved to Calloway County, KY where he again bought land, although it appears his daughter and her husband were living with him.

I'll check with my contacts and see if they know anyone familiar with the towns you mentioned.

Yes, I know what you mean - sometimes this research can get very frustrating! No matter what route you take, it still comes up a big fat 0!!!

Regarding your Philadelphia Greathouses, what was the time period for your Barbara Greathouse?

Hi Michael, Even though I have proven several grandfathers in the SAR & DAR, I currently have 5 pending applications, One has to do James Welborn his wife was Mary Isabella Teague, Their son Gideon Welborn married a Tabitha unknown believe she was Tabitha Lawler, They had a daughter named Mahala Welborn who married a Joseph Hall. Mahala & Joseph lived in Trenton, Jackson County, Alabama and moved to Marion County, AR after 1830 Joseph died about 1843 in Marion County, AR, Mahala was born in Barren County, Kentucky 1801 and died after 1880 Coryell County, TX. My problem here is proving that Mahala was Gideon's daughter. Mahala and Joseph had 4 children William Hall who married China Woods, my line, Abner Hall who married Sarah Duvall their Bible records were distroyed in a fire, John Hall who married Caroline King moved to Missouri, and Susan Mahala Welborn who married Robert Jefferson "Jeff" Wood moved to Texas and then Oklahoma. Gideon Welborn was killed May 1818 in Barren County, KY I have been unable to find a record that names Mahala as his daughter, have not found a marriage record for Joseph and Mahala.