Jo, I don't think we have a connection wuth the families, but with the similar names they could be cousins of sorts. It is odd that the 3 surnames are in both of our families, esp. since Ruppel and Wessel aren't as common as the Schroeder surname. Do you know where in Prussia the Wessel family was from? My Wessel was born in 1800 somewhere near border of Westphalia and Niedersachsen (not quite sure exactly where). I haven't researched the Ruppels in Germany as it is not our primary line. I do know that it was 2 brothers, and possibly an uncle, but older than your Anna Maria. Did they marry here or in Prussia?