I first became interested in my family history back in 1974 or 1975. Back then I walked through cemeteries recording dates from tombstones and looking through county records for names and dates. Later (2003) I was able to view microfilm at the local LDS Family Life Center. Now I can sit at my computer at home and do further searching. I have been able to expand my data to over 500 families. Here are some of the family names I have researched.

Paternal Side - surnames
Lau, Bitterly, Dreyer, Golly, Haller, Furter, Winkler, Arnold, Dentler, Brockmoller, Loest, Berger, Striedel, Schrade

Paternal Side - locations
Texas (Meyersville, Victoria, Goliad, Cuero, Yorktown)
Germany, Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Lubtheen, Vellahan)
Alsace (Oderen, Mollau, Urbes, Fellering, Saint Amarin)

Maternal Side - surnames
Winter, Hagens, Nilsson, Rindorf, Syamken, Janota, Bordovsky

Maternal Side - locations
Texas (Yoakum, Shiner, Sweet Home, Swiss Alps)
Germany (not much luck here as yet)

The search will continue in hopes of new records becoming available for adding to my data base.