A Legacy Worth Remembering

James L. Meng

Author · Historian · Storyteller

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Breathing life into forgotten family stories — from the basements of Germany to the heartland of America.

Explore His Books → Meet the Author
James L. Meng in U.S. Air Force uniform, standing beside a jet aircraft during his service with the Missouri Air National Guard

James during his service with the
Missouri Air National Guard

James L. Meng

Author & Historian

Retired Arbitrator MOANG Veteran Granite City, IL
James L. Meng (third from left) with colleagues at a professional event during his career as a labor relations arbitrator

James (third from left) with colleagues
during his arbitration career

Meet the Author

James L. Meng

James L. Meng is not a traditional genealogist — and he says that with a great deal of pride. A retired labor relations arbitrator born in the mid-American steel town of Granite City, Illinois, James grew up with a uniquely interesting youth.

After college, he served in the Missouri Air National Guard, where he was awarded the prestigious Airman’s Medal for Valor. He went on to earn his Master’s degree, marry his lovely wife, Beverly, and raise a beautiful family of two children and four grandchildren.

Like many of us, James’s journey began by accident. While cleaning out his basement, he stumbled upon several inherited boxes packed with old family pictures and documents. Instead of letting them collect dust, he made the fortunate decision to breathe life into those papers and share the stories with the world — both for the born and the unborn.

“As a nation of immigrants, we should not let their contributions be forgotten.”
James L. Meng in Air Force uniform
🎍 Military Honor

Airman’s Medal for Valor

Missouri Air National Guard — awarded for an act of valor above and beyond the call of duty.

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His Book

A Legacy Preserved in Print

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The Meng (1630) and Shamhart (1147) Family History and Genealogy in Deutschland and America — book cover
Published by Page and Pixel

The Meng (1630) and Shamhart (1147)
Family History and Genealogy

in Deutschland and America

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This landmark work is the product of years of meticulous research and a deep love of family. Tracing the Shamhart line to 1147 and the Meng line to 1630, James L. Meng brings to life ordinary people who faced extraordinary challenges — from the old world of Germany to the heartland of modern America.

More than a genealogical record, this book is a human story. It captures the resilience, sacrifice, and spirit of immigrant families who built new lives from nothing, and ensures that their contributions will never be forgotten.

1147 Shamhart Origins
Germany
1630 Meng Origins
Deutschland
Today A Living
Legacy
  • Centuries of genealogical records spanning two continents
  • The personalities, struggles, and triumphs behind the dates
  • A blueprint for preserving your own family’s history
  • A tribute to the immigrant spirit that shaped America
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The Stories

More Than Dates on a Page

Most history books give you dates, marriages, and statistical timelines. This book gives you their lives.

The Immigrant Journey

Follow the powerful transition from Germany to a newly adopted home in America, exploring the resilience it took to build a life from scratch.

Real People, Real Lives

Move past the “born on, married on” dates to discover the actual personalities, struggles, and triumphs of our ancestors.

Your Blueprint Too

This painstaking effort serves as brilliant inspiration for how you can discover, record, and preserve your own family’s history for generations to come.

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Why It Matters

A Living Tribute

Preserve the Past.
Inspire the Future.

— James L. Meng

1147 Shamhart family origins traced in Germany
1630 Meng family line established in Deutschland
2011 James discovers the boxes in his basement
Today A living tribute shared with the world

Don’t let the contributions of those who came before us be forgotten.

Explore the Book →
The Meng (1630) and Shamhart (1147) Family History and Genealogy in Deutschland and America — book cover

Available Now on Amazon

Take This Story
Home.

in Deutschland and America

Centuries of heritage — from 12th-century Germany to the American heartland — preserved in a single landmark volume. A meaningful gift for anyone who believes that the stories of those who came before us deserve to be remembered.

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