Explore your roots at local libraries

Editor's note: This story appeared in the fall 2026 edition of Roots magazine. Nearly 200 years ago, a ship carrying German immigrants ran aground in a violent storm off the coast of Virginia. The survivors eventually pushed inland, settling in HancockCounty, where their descendants still live today. John Deeds, a lifelong resident of Rawson, said his father sparked his interest in local history and genealogy. That curiosity led him to discover he was a direct descendant of MargarethaArras, a young survivor of the wreck who is often credited with keeping fellow passengers calm as the storm battered their vessel. In July 1831, The James Beacham, also known as the Famous Dove, set off for Baltimore, Maryland, hauling roughly 160 passengers. The group had traveled 400 miles from Hesse-Darmstadt to Bremen before beginning their transatlantic journey. A second Dutch ship, whose name seems to have been lost to the annals of history, left around the same time. That ship arrived in the United States without incident, docking after the Dove's ill-fated voyage. "They were wanting to get away from Germany because of all the wars and the famine," Deeds said. Other accounts say it was the oppression of the monarchy and rising taxes that led them to seek a better life abroad. The Historical Marker Database documents how the ship survived the storm, saying the boat was blown off course before losing the mast and then the rudder. "The wind changed to the northeast with heavy seas washing the decks," a webpage said. "On September 16, the ship started to fill with water faster than the sailors could pump it out." With the ship sinking and no clear sense of where they were, tensions rose. At midnight, the captain, reportedly drunk since the time they left Germany, ordered the lifeboat launched. The leader of the voyage, Johan Tracht, thought the captain meant to leave the passengers behind and retrieved his seven guns, arming his six friends and telling them to shoot any manwho tried to escape. No one tried to leave the ship after that. During the chaos, Arras stood and recited the biblical story of Jesus calming the Sea of Galilee. A crew member mocked her, saying she should be slapped for being foolish and insisting theywould all drown. Among the items that did make it to shore was a large "Gossman Bible," that was, according to Hancock County Historical Society literature, passed from father to son in the Gossman familyuntil being brought to America on the Famous Dove by Adam Gossman. It was later donated to the Hancock County Historical Society and is currently on display. But by morning, every passenger had survived and the ship lay only 100 yards from shore. Thefirst survivors reached Hancock County three years later, with others arriving over the next four. Many settled in what would become Jenera, establishing the community that remains today. Each September, local residents gather for Schiffbruch Gottesdienst, or "shipwreck churchservice," to honor the Famous Dove and the immigrants whose resilience shaped the region. Want to learn about your roots? Ready to figure out who your ancestors are? Two local libraries have considerable resources for genealogy and welcome anyone who shows up to do research. Here's a look at what Sandusky Library and the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museums has to offer. Sandusky Library "The library features a reference genealogy collection, including microfilms, which are part of a broader special genealogy collection of analog resources," said Nestor Rave, who deals with special collections for the library. "Furthermore, library cardholders enjoy free access to a variety of digital genealogy websites, including the Sandusky History Blog, the Sandusky History Museum at the Follett House, Local History Archives through the Past Perfect Museum Software, the Hayes Obituary Index, and Newspaper Archives (now available from home), along with Ancestry, fold3 (military records), African American Heritage Resources and Heritage Quest," Rave wrote in an email to the Register. Staff is on hand to help people navigate the resources. If you need some concentrated attention, the library offers a "Book a Librarian" service. Use the "Contact Us" section of the library website or phone the library at 419-625-3834. The library also is the site for a genealogy club that meets once a month, from 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday. Check the library newsletter and website for meeting dates. "These gatherings aim to foster a relaxed, in-person environment where members can present and freely discuss and protect copy rights of their own materials — photographs, maps, letters and more," Rave said. Sandusky Library hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The library is closed Sunday. The library is located at 114 W. Adams St. in downtown Sandusky. The Hayes Library While the Hayes Presidential Library and Museums in Fremont charges admission for the museum portion of the site, admission to the library to use the facility's extensive genealogy resources is free, said John Ransom, the head librarian. The library does charge a small fee for photocopies. The library takes its inspiration from its namesake. "President Hayes was very interested in his genealogy and his family tree," Ransom said. The library has an Ohio obituary index, and it subscribes to a number of genealogy resources, making them available for free to library visitors, including Ancestry, MyHeritage, a New England Ancestors site and GenealogyBank. "We have well over 1,000 published genealogies," Ransom said. Many people have published a book and given the library a copy. In addition to the books, there are thousands of shorter biographical files, Ransom said. In addition, the library maintains county history resources for all of Ohio's 88 counties, including histories, cemetery description records, probate indexes, deed indexes and so on. The library provides a map of resources and there are always at least two library staffers on hand to help. Ransom is assisted by Emily Rinaman, Sharon Barnett and Margie Gfoeller in helping library patrons. The library is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the first three Saturdays of the month. The library is located at Spiegel Grove in Fremont and driving directions are available at the Hayes website.