"Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can't remember who we are or why we're here." 

I am embarking on a journey to uncover my family's legacy, beginning with my great-great-grandfather, Johann Eberhardt Puehlhorn. My research follows the footsteps of my ancestors from the landscapes of Bavaria to America, documenting not just a family tree, but the intertwined journeys that have shaped who we are today. As I trace our evolution from Puehlhorn to Belhorn, each discovery reveals stories of courage, determination, and transformation. This is more than genealogy – it's my personal quest to understand the paths my ancestors walked and the choices that led to our present. Through telling these stories, our family's legacy lives on, connecting past, present, and future generations of Belhorns.

Through this journey of discovery, I aim to:

1.  Map my family's migration story from Bavaria to America, starting with Johann Eberhardt Puehlhorn

2.  Uncover the personal stories of my ancestors and their unique contributions to our family legacy

3.  Place their lives within the historical and cultural contexts that influenced their decisions

4.  Build and verify family connections through careful research and pattern recognition

5.  Create a dynamic family narrative that grows with each new finding

6.  Preserve our stories and documents for future generations of Belhorns

I've chosen to pursue this research as an ongoing journey of discovery, where each piece of information leads to new pathways of understanding. Using pattern recognition and timeline alignment, I will verify each connection and document our family bonds. As generation 0 in this narrative, I serve as the bridge between our past and future, carefully piecing together our family's story while maintaining high standards for documentation and proof. By preserving these stories, I ensure that our ancestors' journeys and experiences continue to inspire and guide future generations of our family.

So lets start at the begining with Johann Eberhardt Puehlhorn