Transcript Document 7497155

IMMIGRATION RECORDS
Presented by
DeAnne Shelley
Emigration & Immigration
Emigration (Exit)
Schematic
diagram
of a
country
and its
population
centers
Migration
Immigration (Come In)
GOALS
Review
some of the background and conditions
under which immigration to the US took place.
Remind
you of some of the records on immigration
and emigration and where one finds information.
See/tell
a little about the type of data one typically
finds.
Review
sources.
some methods/protocols for searching the
CONDITIONS

Why did they come?
– Own land, religious freedom, adventure, avoid persecution, home
country deported, better life. . . etc.

How did they come?
– They came by ship.

What were conditions like?
– Often crowded, unsanitary, disease ridden, inadequate provisions
and potable water, poor ventilation, bad weather and poor
navigation.
»From one European port more than 700 of the 1,267 persons
aboard one ship died from “Ship Fever”.
» In 1818, out of 5,000 passengers who sailed from Antwerp to America,
about 1,000 died.
1820
No US laws governing
10 M 1820-1880
25 M 1880-1920
Laws passed governing E/I
Poor travel conditions
Gradual Improvement
0.65 M 1565-1820
Greed
Long travel times
Poor knowledge of food
and water preservation.
Problems with Records
Greed subverted by laws
By 1869 Steamers cut time
More time to get knowledge
preserve food and water
Records required
Not Uniform
No Repository
General Uniformity
U.S. Archives, FHL
Bars, Attics, Basements,
Museums,Scrapbooks, etc.
FHLC - Indexes
Many Collected, Published
INDEX - Filby Books
RECORDS
THREE TYPES EMPHASIZED:
–Pre-1820
»Many published sources - dedicated genealogists
»Filby indexed these
–Post-1820
»National Archives, FHL
»FHL Catalog provides indexes
–LDS Immigration Records
Mormon Immigration Index CD ($5)
Filby’s Passenger List Index Books--FHL
An excellent index of over 2,500,000
names found in more than 2,500
published sources is:
Filby, P. W. , Passenger
and Immigration Lists
Index, 18 vols.
Sets must be searched separately
SOURCES & HELPS
Research
Outlines
–Tracing Immigration Origins
–United States, p. 24-28
Ethnic
Special Books
–Germans, CD 356; Huguenots, CD 600; Irish,
CD 257; Italian, CD 353
LDS
Emigration, CD 60; Mormon
Immigration Index CD
–Foreign Emigration Records Hamburg
SOURCES & HELPS (cont.)

WEB sites,
– e.g. http://rootsweb.com
Filby
- <1820
FHLC
- Archives, U.S. Passenger Lists
–CDs for Boston and Philadelphia
–CDs 590, 354, 350, 256, 170, and regular additions
EMIGRATION/IMMIGRATION RECORDS
1820 was an Important Transition Year
Refer
to your United States Research Outline pages
24 - 28 and read these few pages. They are valuable in
getting started.
For
Pre-1820 immigration, the most convenient and
widely used reference is the FILBY Index. William
Filby has indexed over 2500 publication on books
written to document the many passenger lists which
were badly scattered in the early days. All the Filby sets
must be searched. Remember, prior to 1820 there were
no laws governing immigration, and no official records
were required. His index (alphabetical) will refer you to
a specific book where these lists were published or
discussed..
EMIGRATION/IMMIGRATION RECORDS (cont.)
For
Post-1820 immigration. there were now laws in place, and it
was required to have official passenger lists.
The
five major ports for the immigration during the post 1820
period were New York, Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia. and
New Orleans. There were about 150 ports total which were
used.
The Family History Library Catalog can be used in Locality
Search mode to search the various ports. Most have index films
and then films containing the actual passenger lists. Many of the
indexes are Soundexed.
Many
foreign ports have quite good EMIGRATION passenger
lists. Many of these are in the FHLC. e.g. the Hamburg lists are
in printed form.
USING THE FILBY INDEXES
Filby sets must be searched independently.
1. Search alphabetically for ancestor. In addition to name, find date of
immigration to help identify individual.
2. Record name, port of entry, immigration date, Filby reference number
and page number.
3. Look up reference number in front of book, and find author and title.
esperate
ock and
WILLIAM CAPPS, PLANTER
William Capps, who was to play a significant role in the development of the colony, left England
on the flagship Sea Venture with a fleet of nine ships - the largest expedition ever sent to Virginia by the
London Company. They departed Plymouth in Devonshire 1 June 1609 with a total of 500 men,
women, and children.
The ships were: The Diamond, The Falcon, The Blessing, The Unity , The Lion; The Swallow,
a catch, a boat build in the North Colony, and The Sea Venture.
The Sea Venture was the flagship, aboard were 150 persons including the following:
Admiral Sir George Somers, Sir Thomas Gates, Captain Christopher Newport, Mr. and Mrs. John
Rolfe, William Capps, Rev. and Mrs. Richard Buck, Richard Frobisher, a ship's carpenter, Thomas
Powell, Sir George's cook Elizabeth Parson, Mrs. Horton's servant William Strachey.
condition,
known
to history
as the
Time."
Their rations
had been
used to the extent
Admiral
George
Somers was
their "Starving
captain and was
a well-experienced
navigator.
His orders
contained directions for methods that would promote cleanliness for all aboard. The decks were to be
been
eatendaily
andbythey
had to resort
horsemeat
mice.
Even their
guns were
traded
swabbed
the quartermasters
withtovinegar.
In goodand
weather
the bedding
was brought
from below
to to the I
air in the shrouds in the wind and the sun. This had a deodorizing and germicidal effect, and aided in the
prevention and spread of disease. Each person received two biscuits and a can of beer each morning. As a
result of these precautions no deaths occurred among the 150 passengers en route to Jamestown.
This was in spite of the loss of the ship itself.
In the vicinity of 62 degrees West Longitude and 35 degrees North latitude a hurricane separated
the ship from the others in the group and was wrecked on a reef in what is now known as the
Bermuda Islands. This was on the 28 day of July 1609.
On the island were wild hogs that had increased many fold from a few that had been left by the
Spaniards. Many of these were butchered and used to extend their food supply.
Sir Thomas Gates and Admiral Somers directed the construction of two vessels in which to
continue their Journey. Timbers were cut from trees and many parts were salvaged from the Sea
Venture for use in this project.
After nine months the "Patience" and the "Deliverance" were completed. They set sail
reached their destination in two weeks on the 10 of Mate 1610.
They found the inhabtants of Jamestown only sixty in number and in a desperate condition,
known to history as the "Starving Time." Their rations had been used to the extent that all of the livestock
and been eaten and they had to resort to horsemeat and mice. Even their guns were traded to the Indians
for food.
Review of Em & Immigration

1. Check the FHLC for your locality

2. Check the Web

3. Check FILBY’s Index to Passenger
Lists
»
Use the index on CD, and Ancestry.com
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