Hawk wrote "They came from Germany, Aboard the Thistle" because his wife of 57 years , Darlene (Grindstaff) Hawk, is an eighth generation granddaughter of Dietrich Crantzdorf (Grindstaff) from the Lower Palatinate. Writing the book was exciting for Hawk because Darlene was born in the East Tennessee area where the Grindstaff ancestors eventually settled, after their voyage in 1738 to Philadelphia aboard the Thistle. Hawk greatly benefited from interviews with Darlene's grandparents and considerable genealogical records. His research includes (1) the political-religious conditions in the Lower Palatinate of the times and its near depopulation from wars (2) the exodus down the Rhine River and the shipping crisis at Rotterdam in 1738 (3) the transatlantic delay at Plymouth Harbour (4) the most likely ship design for migrant translantic voyages--with ship image provided by courtesy of Dover Publications (5) the embarkation problems at Rotterdam which portended significant human losses at sea on the Thistle and on other sister ships making the voyage in 1738 (6) the unwelcome reception and debarkation problems of the many ships arriving in 1738 at the Port of Philadelphia-giving meaning to "Palatine Fever" (7) Governor Thomas' "Pest House" at Province Island and (8) New beginnings for the independent and the indentured.