Book Description

Michael Arbogast was restless He viewed his future in Baden-Württemberg, Germany as bleak. It was a part of his DNA to create a better life for himself and his descendants, at least give them a better opportunity than he saw in his existing situation. Local talk had it that the frontier wilderness in this place called America offered opportunities if one had the right stuff to survive the challenge. But was his life so reached in Germany that he should risk his future on a gamble of wrestling a small parcel on the earth surface from the current owner who would die before he gave it up, and ever mindful that the former owner lingered in the nearby forest. Could this be a better life, knowing most of his remaining years would be committed just surviving while getting a toe hole in the American wilderness? The payoff for the toil and suffering of the pioneer comes from the 'better life' of future generations .. And so Michael Arbogast came, leaving the hinder land of Baden-Württemberg. He put down roots in the heart of the Allegany Mountains, straddling the Eastern North America continental divide in what is now Highland County, VA. Here his family came into existence and prospered, expanding to well over 15,000 descendants. The size of the Michael Arbogast family exceeds what can be included in one volume. As a result it is presented in three volumes. Contents unique to each volume are: Volume One - History of Michael the Man, His immediate family, and the descendants of his oldest son Odessus Adam.Volume Two - The descendants of his children David, Mary Elizabeth, son Michael, Dorothy, Volume Three - The descendants of his children Henry, Peter, John and GeorgeThe bulk of each volume is a recording of the descendants of Michael and his wife Mary Elizabeth Samuels, plus interesting side stories about many descendants. This book is about caring for your ancestors. If you don't care then Dr. Price (William Price, author of Historical Sketches,1901) had it correct, "Persons knowing but little of those gone before is very likely to care but little of those coming after them." And why should you care? Consider this; if you are the product of an emigrant ancestor didn't some not-to-be-forgotten relative prevail over the obstacles so that you might exist. If any thread of your emigrate ancestry had wiggled ever so much from the path they followed you would have experienced an eternity of nonexistence. So why would one not collect the data and honor our ancestors? Thucydides said "Both justice and decency require that we should bestow on our forefathers an honourable remembrance." And the Good Book offers these words "Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers? Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation. Joel 1:1-3