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Ancestry Daily News
10/1/2003 - Archive
From Jans to August: Passenger Lists from the Nineteenth Century
This week we continue our ongoing look at nineteenth century passenger lists
by comparing the actual record with the index from which it was located and
with other records on the immigrant after his settlement in the United States.
We will first look at a pair of German siblings and then a young Belgian family.
Jans Janssen
Jans was discussed in an earlier column, Before
and After 'Germans to America.' I thought I had found an entry for him
and his sister in this reference, but needed to check additional records in
the United States and obtain the actual copy of the manifest before concluding
I had the "right" guy.
Jans' entry in the 1920 Census (Federal Census for Illinois, Hancock County,
Bear Creek Township, Sheet 5B, entry for John J. Johnson) indicates an immigration
date of 1883. Jans' obituary and the Janssen Family History, privately
published in 1983, also provide this same year of immigration. It is likely
the compiler of the family history obtained the immigration year from the obituary,
but it is not likely the obituary information originated with the census. So
I don't really have three sources that give this date--only two. Despite the
consistencies, I'm always a little hesitant to accept years of immigration given
forty years after the fact as beyond reproach (however, I have noted that the
year of the event is more likely to be remembered correctly than the exact date).
These years also tend to be more accurate if the individual immigrated as an
adult and if the information is being given relatively close to the time when
the immigration actually took place. Concerns aside, at least the years of immigration
agree.
A closer read of John's obituary indicates that he and sister Feke arrived together.
Additional research on Feke may locate a record where she provides a date of
immigration as well.
According to the 1920 Census (Federal Census for Illinois, Hancock County, Harmony
Twp., Sheet IB, entry for family of John Herberts [sic]), Jans' sister Feke
Janssen Harberts immigrated in 1883. While additional census work needs to be
done, this year was consistent with Jans' own census entries and the story that
Jans and Feke immigrated together. The conclusion from records located in the
area of final settlement is that Jans and Feke came to the United States together
in 1883.
What Is Missing?
A copy of the manifest, that's what. Simply locating the reference in Germans
to America is not sufficient. If I am really convinced I have the right
entry, I need to see the manifest. The reference in Germans to America
that I am hoping is the right one was to a Jans Janssen and a Teke (not Feke)
Janssen.
The Real Deal
The actual manifest entry for "Teke" certainly looks like "Teke."
Their ages are clearly 26 for Jans and 20 for Teke. Unfortunately other than
Jans' occupation of farmer, no other significant details are provided on the
manifest. However, based upon information in the United States and Jans and
Feke's known ages from church records in Germany, it seems very likely that
this is the correct couple on the manifest. The minor variant in Feke's name
could easily be explained by sloppy handwriting. The names on the entire manifest
page were read in an attempt to get a better fix on the handwriting style of
the clerk.
Easier to Understand Transcription Problems
When one reads the manifest for the Janssens, a greater appreciation is had
of the difficulties involved in creating secondary sources from such records.
Readers who wish to view the actual manifest entries may do so here: www.rootdig.com/janssenimmigration/
The Mortiers
I was fortunate enough to locate a reference to another family member on the
Immigrant Ship Transcriber's site (www.immigrantships.net
). The entry indicated that August, Sophie, and Mary Mortier arrived on 13 May
1880 on board the SS State of Georgia.
The data on the Immigrant Ship Transcriber's site is uploaded by volunteers
and is not exhaustive. While this site is an excellent reference, researchers
should not conclude their ancestor is not on a manifest simply because she is
not listed on this site. This site, like many others, is a finding aid in progress.
It is not presently complete. And this site, just like Germans to America, is
not the original source. However, I'm really glad it exists because it saved
me hours in locating this couple.
Are They the Right Mortiers?
I think so, but I need to do more Mortier work to be certain. The surname Mortier
is decidedly less common than Janssen, but just because the surname is unusual
does not mean I have a guaranteed match. A further analysis of the records is
in order.
My reading of the actual manifest of the SS State of Georgia agrees with the
transcription on the Immigrant Ship Transcriber's site. (Source: list number
542, Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York 1820-1897, National Archives
microfilm publication number M237, roll 426). That rendering is:
August Mortier, aged 24
Mary Mortier, aged 28
Sophie, aged 7 months
Based upon their date of immigration, they should be listed in the 1880 census.
And, sure enough, they are.
August appears in the 1880 census for the city of Moline, Illinois, taken on
June 25 of 1880. The family is enumerated as:
August, aged 24
Louise, aged 25
Sophie, aged 3
Slightly different information from the passenger list, but not significantly
so. The census ages for the Mortier family agree with other records except that
August and Sophie have not actually turned 24 and 3 as of the census date (both
were less than one month from their birth date, however).
Family Sources?
Based upon family sources and the dates and places of birth of their children,
the Mortiers were known to have immigrated between the 1877 birth of Sophie
in Belgium and the date of their enumeration in the 1880 census. The only variation
on the manifest is the first name of mother. Her age discrepancy is not a concern
either--the three-year variation is minor and could easily be explained by a
misread "5" or "8" when a clerk was making a clean copy
of a record. I think I've got the right family on the 1880 manifest for the
SS State of Georgia.
Readers who wish to learn more about locating actual manifests once references
have been obtained can read the previous article Before
and After 'Germans to America', or they can visit the National
Archives and Records Administration Website.
Before searching passenger lists, I like to do as much of the following as
possible:
--- Find the individual in all extant census records.
--- Search for naturalization records and declarations of intent.
--- Obtain an obituary if possible.
--- Search county histories and other historical materials for any published
biographies of the individual, his children, children-in-law, or grandchildren.
--- Obtain a death certificate.
--- Obtain the individual's marriage record.
--- Determine church records are available.
There are other possible sources, but these will get one off to a good start.
Copyright 2003, MyFamily.com. Michael John Neill is the Course I Coordinator
at the Genealogical Institute of Mid America (GIMA) held annually in Springfield,
Illinois, and is also on the faculty of Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg,
Illinois. Michael is the Web columnist for the FGS FORUM and is on the editorial
board of the Illinois State Genealogical Society Quarterly. He conducts
seminars and lectures on a wide variety of genealogical and computer topics
and contributes to several genealogical publications, including Ancestry
and Genealogical Computing. You can email him at: mailto:mjnrootdig@myfamily.com
or visit his website at: www.rootdig.com/,
but he regrets that he is unable to assist with personal research.
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