Germany and a Patent

I can't believe that my maternal grandmother's line goes back to 1500 Germany.  They all came from Germany.  A small little town close to the Belgium/France border called Birkenfeld, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany .  Johannes Pontius arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 with his mother, Rosina Catharina Hauch.  I want to take some time and map out their journey.

On the Nailer side of my mother, my aunt Joyce sent me a link to a patent that my grandfather, Oliver Nailer, owned.  He invented an improvement to the folding crib and rocking cradle.  http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=TtheAAAAEBAJ&dq=Oliver+Nailer
It's kinda neat. 

New tv show

I just watch the new PBS serious Faces of America.  That was a great show.  I can't wait to see the next one this week.  I learned so much about U.S. and World history that I didn't know.  I hope some day I find some neat stories about my family.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/facesofamerica/  The website has other resources about genealogy, videos, a blog plus alot more.

John Clifton Mckee -my grandfather

I've decided to start with my grandpa Mckee and find all the records I can on him.  Then work my way backwards until I have everyone's records.  I'm trying to locate his birth certificate but am not having any luck.  I know he was born in Illinois but I guess I'm not sure what county.  I'm guessing Clinton county.  He was born Feb. 5 1915.
I'm hoping to collect copies of documents pertaining to each relative.  Wonder how long that's going to take.  Hopefully I can get many of the copies from websites.  Except of course birth and death certificates.