This is a work in progress, a labor of love. While much of the information is based on significant evidence, some comes from other researchers and some is based upon educated guesswork awaiting additional supporting evidence. It is shared here in the interest of collaborative research. Bearing in mind that nothing is ever "proven," only supported by more or less reliable evidence, you must conduct your own research to satisfy yourself about the verity of each bit of information as it relates to your interests. We welcome corrections and additional information, and look forward to hearing from anyone interested in any aspect of this database. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: In particular, I owe a great debt of gratitude to Elsa Vorwerk (1897-1980) and Ruth Mary Hoffman (1907-2008) who left no descendants but served over the years as faithful custodians of precious family photographs, documents and other memorabilia; and also to Helen Kammerer Hoffman (1866-1955), Margaret Elizabeth Boehner Leggett (1898-1984), Robert Edmund Borth Jr (1917-1993) and George Carl Shipston (1921-2002), who gathered and recorded family details over the years.