However, I do have some interesting information to report that might constitute a lead on his European roots. It begins with the fact that Andrew and wife Mary were members of the Dutch Reformed Church in 1898.

The Dutch Reformed Church is, I believe, a Calvinist branch of the Protestant group of churches. When the Protestant Reformation began in Germany with Martin Luther, it became the source of major conflict between its converts and their Catholic neighbors who chose not to convert. The second bloodiest war in recorded history - the 30 Years War - was a direct result of this tension. In general, the northern and eastern portions of the Holy Roman Empire - those later associated with Prussia and the Hohenzollern dynasty - were Protestant, and the southern and western portions - those associated with the Habsburg dynasty - remained Catholic.

When the reformation reached The Netherlands (a Habsburg territory), the Protestants, here called Huguenots, were persecuted and many left for more friendly lands. The duke of Prussia took advantage of this exodus to recruit settlers for his new lands east of Oder riveri (Neumark).

I came upon the following entry of a marriage of another (as yet unrelated) man named Beisiegel. This marriage also took place in Brooklyn, and in the Dutch Reformed Church.

Note that the groom originated from Dreisen in Prussia. This is one of the areas in Polish Prussia where many Huguenots were settled. I have also observed maps showing distributions today of the name Beisiegel in Europe, and they tend to match those areas where I believe Huguenots settled.

Could it be that Andrew Beisiegel is of Huguenot background, that his roots are actually Dutch, and that his family settled in the Neumark before Andrew left for America? Stay tuned!