A reason to leave

I ponder why Franz Hillenbrand would leave this small community of farmers in the year 1847. The political and economic situation was dynamic during this period of Germany's history, with massive emigration to the United States by the intelligentsia. This upheavel became known as the German Revolution. But somehow, I fail to link this phenomenon to the village of Hosenfeld.

The most likely reason, that I was able to research, is that during the year of 1847, there was a famine in the region. No doubt the famine impacted the family hard enough for Franz to leave his occupation as a farmer and start anew in America. According to Hessische Auswanderer (Hessian Emigration), Franz Hillenbrand left with 100 gulden and his possessions.

He traveled to Bremer-haven, which is the port city and emigration gateway to America, situate in north Germany. We don't know if relatives (?) George and Gertrude Hillenbrand of Hosenfeld, who left Germany in 1837, had sent letters back home extolling the virtues of a new life. As Franz neared the port city, he could see the many sails of barques and schooners waiting to take their human cargo to a promising life abroad. Staying overnight in the locality, I wondered if deciding to leave his homeland must have played upon Franz's mind. Was he making the right decision? The future lies ahead, aboard the barque "Emigrant".