My ancestor, Johann S. Pickner came to the US in 1861-1863 however I have not been successful in finding his name among the passengers on any of the ships from the period that came to the US from Europe.
I suspect his surname was changed between here and there, as it is not a common name at all.
Johann likely traveled with his wife (uncertain) along with children Anna, Joseph, Francis and James. He is listed with them and a wife (Anna) in the 1870 census.
I had found records once of a Francis and a Joseph from "Boehmen Koenigreich, Austria"- not defining a city of origin.
I have seen references from other research to the surname "Picker".
I have seen references to a city name of Zweisel.
I have no information on them prior to the 1870 census. The page is at: http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/19273985/person/779236062?pgN...

Any information would be most welcome, this side of the lineage has been very frustrating!

They came on the Kosmos in 1867, but I see you already have that on your tree. Do you think Johann came prior to that arrival?
Jean

Jean:
Thanks for the reply. I had found the Kosmos entry, but on the 1870 census it's recorded that James Wenser was the last born in Bohemia (1861) and John Jr. was born in the US (1863 Illinois). While these dates are iffy, this would indicate he was in the US and married (or re-married) by 1863 in order to have John (1863) and Fannie (1865 Indiana). I now believe they arrived somewhere between 1861-1863. ---If the Kosmos entry is to be believed, Fannie's birthdate is wrong, Wenser and Caroline were twins (Anna and Emma I think were), Anna/Emmas BD was wrong, and Joseph, Francis and Fannie are no where to be found on the ship. Very conflicting information. Of course I can find no information on them prior to sailing. Also odd they would travel to Le Havre to sail for America (although not unheard of, my Paternal ancestors traveled from extreme southeastern Germany to Le Havre). A real puzzler.

Some other thoughts:
A hint that he remarried, Anna was not his first wife. Doubt this, his first child is named Anna (Emma twin). Both entries Kosmos and 1870 census correlate births for Johann and Anna at 1835 and 1837 respectively, and have identical names.
According to the 1870 Census, Fannie would have been 2 in 1867. John Jr. would have been 7 in 1867, Joseph would have been 9, Francis would have been 10. None are on the ship as far as I can tell.
Another transcription from the Kosmos says:
114 Johann Pschner 33y4m M Miller Bohmen Wisconsin Between Deck
115 Anna Pschner 30y6m F Bohmen Wisconsin Between Deck
116 Caroline Pschner 0y7m F Bohmen Wisconsin Between Deck Died
117 Wenzel Pschner 0y7m M Bohmen Wisconsin Between Deck
118 Anna Pschner 10y12m F Bohmen Wisconsin Between Deck
119 Franz Pschner 3y9m M Bohmen Wisconsin Between Deck

May I ask, really no evidence from which part of the country were? Why did you mention Zwiessel city, it is in Bavaria (but near the border with Bohemia, ca 15 Km) ... Regards

I mention it because an entry on another site hinted about it, but I have no information. I included it in the hopes it would trigger a reference someone else may have had.
On a side note; in looking at the Kosmos ship's manifest, I saw a great number of Bohemians traveling to Wisconsin. I thought I might cross-check in case they were traveling as a group. Not surprisingly I found nothing on the other passengers coming from Bohemia to Wisconsin at the same time.
It is interesting that Zwiessel is so near to what was once Bohemia.
Now part of Czech Republic, yes?

dband131

Is PICKNER an americanized version of PIKNER?
CZ's phone book is listing PIKNER.
http://phone.quick.cz

http://www.kdejsme.cz/prijmeni/Pikner/hustota/

http://feefhs.org/links/czech.html

http://christoph.stoepel.net/geogen/en/Default.aspx

Have you checked into Leo BACA's 9 volumes of Bohemians to America? There is also something like Germans to America.
Any other family surname associated with PICKNER?

I have heard of Baca's books, but do not have access to them. Pikner maybe, I have also a dozen or so alternate spellings I have checked. The links you provide are excellent, but my access to Czech volumes and the language is very limited as well. Thanks very much for the information. Pickner was married to a Anna R. MARCUS as far as I can tell.

You're welcome dband131

www.slovnik.cz
www.translate.google.com

www.genealogienetz.de/reg
https://www.facebook.com/CzechoslovakiaGenealogy?ref=hl
http://czechgenealogy.blogspot.com/
http://www.archives.com/genealogy/family-heritage-czech.html
http://www.wwjohnston.net/famhist/czech-research.htm
www.nacr.cz
www.genea.cz
http://genforum.com
www.surnamenavigator.org

Any children born to the couple in the "the land" that you can follow up with a church baptismal record? No naturalization record on either of the ancestor?

No naturalization I could find for either. But then, I have only online sources. The couple have varying amounts of children when arriving in America depending on where you look.
According to census: Anna & Emma (1855-1856), Joseph (1857), Francis (1859) and Wesner (1861). I have cross-checked with FamilySearch but I think the Mormons do not have a lot of Czech records.
According to the Kosmos 1867 manifest Frantz (1864~) Caroline & Wesner (1866), Anna & Emma (1857). Thanks for the additional links!

Darrel