Hi Marc
This immigration story is fascinating - even if we are probably very remotely linked (or not at all maybe).

When we investigate an Ancestor, we learn a lot about history, geography, culture, immigration patterns. So I don't fell I loose my time - to the contrary, because my origins must be from countries around yours.

I tried to locate possible ancestors and birthplace for Helena Wuster (Wurster).

I still think the key remains to explore my Alsace record link (and Alsace or parts of it was Germany before 1793). Borders changed all the times around there.
As people names changed all the time depending of context, of writing skills of the ancestor or of censor agents etc.
All of that doesn't make it easy for us...

As I said, the link I sent you is definitely to explore (Alsace bas-Rhin) but there are so many cities and villages to search !!! (records being scanned but not indexed)... I tried to restrict but I am not satisfied with my results

I tried to pose hypotheses on possible birth location for the Wursters and the Jacob wife's village - Wurtlingen seemed a possibility. She was the only one of the group to have a birthplace - and people of these small places often came from the same place - But I did not found anything on Google about this place (except some links to Ancestry trees).

It is as Wurtlingen never existed.

I did not like this. By searching on Bibliotheque de France (Gallica website - which is excellent in content, but a struggle to work with, even if I am French speaking...), I was able to find that this Wurtlingen village had multiple names in history:

citation: "Pour Vétrigne, dont les formes allemandes oscillent entre Vintringen,Wurteringen et Wadtringen, Perrenot (3) pense que nous (1) ICHTERSHEIM, Gantz neue Elsâssische Topographia, Regensburg, 1712, t"
Source and original link to the text of the book:
http://gallica.bnf.fr/Search?ArianeWireIndex=index&p=1&a...
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6244293c/f295.image.r=...
p.229

I have seen Wintringen as well, in another document

so here is a list of possible names for the same commune (village):
Vintringen
Wurteringen
Wadtringen
Wintringen
Vétrigne (french - actual name)

Maybe it will interest Jacob's family as well - they might find more about their ancestors

I have no idea if this is of any help to start your search : ))

Cheers.
Maj

PS if you think this forum link is not of general interest - we may write offline - just send me a private message and I will give you my email.

Miscellaneous links I found upon my path- probably you know most of them - but just in case, because I used some German keywords
http://www.geni.com/surnames/wurster
http://www.surnameweb.com/Wurster/surnames.htm
https://www.houseofnames.com/wurster-family-crest?a=54323-22...

archives de Vetrigne
http://www.archives.cg90.fr/ark:/12997/a011341578574EcPqzw

très intéressent:
Vétrigne archives sur Google Books
http://books.google.ca/books?id=gzIBAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA285&am...

on cities and village of France:
http://gallica.bnf.fr/Search?adva=1&adv=1&tri=&t...
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k61331543.image.langFR....