I live in Virginia near Washington, D.C. and am trying to trace my Mother's family back to Germany. I have run into a dead end with a Christopher (R?) Pless (wife named Hannah) who appeared in a Lutheran German community in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina around 1760. His presence is well documented there after 1762 and he had sons named John, Henry, Philip, George, Joseph, Martin and Peter. There are weak references to other Plesses, Jacob and Henry, in the area about the same time, who could have been related, and these names appear in later Christopher generations.

I have been unable to trace any of the above named people through Pennsysvania, their probable entry point into the U.S.A. However, I have been able to trace some of the other N.C. community members and close friends (Lentz and Bechtel) back to Baden-Wuerttemberg (Heidelberg area -- Dossenheim and Hochdorf). I suspect that the Plesses may have been from the same area.

Does anyone have any information (towns, churches, etc.) in the northern part of Baden-Wuerttemberg (before 1760) with Pless family records that I could search for Christopher or his family? Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Greg