Post-Revolutionary Arrivals at the Port of Philadelphia

Post-Revolutionary Arrivals at the Port of Philadelphia M OST genealogists, searchmg for the arrival of German ancestors in Pennsylvania, are familiar with the ship lists of eighteenth century immigrants first published in one volume by Rupp in the nineteenth century,' and the more correct twentieth century translation of those lists by the Reverend William John Hinke, published in three volumes as Pennsylvania German Pioneers.' They are, or ought to be familiar also with the lists relating to Pennsylvania 3 in the bibliographical study published by the New York Public Library, first compiled by Harold Lancour, and revised and enlarged in 1963 by Richard J. Wolfe under the title, A Bibliography of ship Passenger Lists, 1538- 1825, Being a Guide to Published Lists of Early Immigrants to North America. Such a wealth of data, available for German migrants to Pennsylvania as revealed in these lists, is lacking for emigrants who were subjects of the British Crown during the colonial period. The few lists of such persons noted in the Lancour Bibliography refer primarily to the seventeenth century emigrants who were Pennsylvania's first settlers.' They were kept only briefly by direction of the Province's founder, William Penn, who had hoped thereby to have a record of those first corners. After the Revolution no attempt was made in Pennsylvania to note the arrival of foreign emigrants, and it was not until the beginning of the nineteenth century that any official ship passenger lists, under an Act of Conge:ss, were required. Such lists as have survived for Philadelphia — as well as other American ports — are in the National Archives in Washington.' 0 The earliest printing of these ship lists was in T be Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania. ... (Harrisburg, 1840), familiarly known as the Colonial Records, in Volumes m and IV, under the editorship of Samuel IFiarard. 1. Daniel Rupp included those early ones and the rmt of the extant lists I, his volume A Collection of Thirty Thousand Names of German, Swiss, Dutch, French and other Immigrants in Pennsylvania from 1727 to 1776, which fmst appeared in 1856, mod then in later editions, the most recent of which appeared in 1965. .Published in Norristown, Pa., in 1934, under the auspices of the Pennsylvania German Society, and reprinted in two volumes in 1966. See pages 45-62. Lists 116-192. Specifically, Lists 117-127. For later lists of servants and apprentices bound before Mayor James Hamilton, many of whom were subjects of the British Crown, see Lists 165, 166, 184, 185. For references to these, see Meredith B. Colket, Jr. and Frank E. Bndgers, Guide to Genealogical Records in the National Archives (Washington, D.C., 1964), 22-38. 179 180 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine However, unofficial lists of foreign arrivals occasionally appeared in Philadelphia newspapers following the Revolution. Usually the names on these lists were appended to an expression of thanks for their safe arrival to the captain of the vessel on which the passengers had sailed. Mtween 1785 and 1790 there were more than a score of such notices printed. They varied in detail, and not always included all the passengers of a particular ship. They serve, however, as a useful source of information for searchers interested in late eighteenth century immigrants, most of whom were subjects of the British Crown who had embarked from Irish ports. The earliest such list noted appeared in the Pennsylvania Packet and Daily Advertiser for 6 December 1785: To Captain JAMES RAMAGE of the Ship Ann of and from Londonderry, We the passengers, who came on board the ship Ann from Londonderry to Philadelphia, having happily arrived, request you will accept of our most grateful acknowledgments for the generous and humane treatment experienced by us during our passage. Plenty of provisions were laid in, and amply served out. Nothing was wanting on your part that could in the least contribute to our comfort and happiness. Your office, as commander of the ship, was uniformly discharged, with propriety and unremitting attention, which gained our approbation, won our esteem, and commanded our respect. Philadelphia, Dec. 2, 1785. Hugh Morrison John Baird James Tnieland John Campbell Matthew Watson William M'Junkin John Ducanny David Brown Robert Ramsey William Humphreys William Orr Thomas Gilmour, frx Robert Gray, junior Wallis Crawford George Ellis John Beveard James Brown George Fitzsimons Joseph Ramage Daniel M'Mahan William Mean William Johnston Daniel Grahros Wm. Morrison, junior John Brown Joseph Leaney John Stevenson William Irvine John Atkinson James Montgomery Thomas Hewitt John Gipson Stuart Richey Daniel Christy The passengers on an earlier ship would have arrived well before the Ann had not tragedy struck just before it entered Delaware Bay. The first notice of this event appeared in the Packet 12 September 1785: A most melancholy catastrophe occurred an Thursday the 1st instant, near the Capes of Delaware. The ship Faithful Steward, captain M'Casland, from Londonderry, bound to this port, with 240 passengers on board, standing into the Bay, unfortunatelY ran on a shoal to the southward of Cape Henlopen, about 150 yards from dry land. The captain, and some others, got ashore, but the surge being very violent, the boats were unable to return to the ship, which lay till the next day. and then beat to pieces. 181 Post-Revolutionary Arrivals Painful as it is to tell the dismal story, we are nevertheless obliged to mention, that of the 240 passengers, about sixty only were saved, by laying hold of pieces of the vessel, &c. and driving to the shore; the rest perished with the ship, in sight of the miserable survivors, who were the unhappy witnesses of this truly lamentable and disastrous shipwreck, which is still more afflicting, as the passengers consisted chiefly of families, who had previously defrayed every expense of the voyage, with a design of settling in this country. About the same time a French brig from Ostend, also bound to this port, foundered in sight of the above ship, but the crew taking to their boat, were saved. We have not learned her name, or any other particulars. Three months later on 4 January 1786, the names of the survivors of the Faithful Steward were listed in the Pennsylvania Packet: For the information and satisfaction of the relations and friends of the passengers who were on board the ship Faithful Stewart [sic], capt. Con. M'Causland from Londonderry, bound to this place, with 249 people on board, when he was cast away in September last, near the Capes of Delaware. The Subscribers think it necessary to give a list of the passengers, which is as correct as they have been able to make it out; some others may also have been saved of which they have not yet had any account. Ship's Crew Capt. Con. M'Causland Mr. Standfleld, 1st mate Mr. Given, 2nd do. Mr. Lin, boatswain John Brown, sailor Wm. Dalrample, do. Robert Kelly, do. Samuel Irwin John Quigly Pat. Mourn Edward M'Caffry Pelick Hudson Owen Phillips Cabin Passengers John O'Neill Thomas Blair John York Thomas Calhoun James Dougherty John M'Calister Samuel Heburn Gustavus Calhoun Robert Laurence James Marshall Samuel Moore Sarah Campbell Arthur Higginbottom George Munro James Smyth John M'Illheney Neill M'Kinon James Aspill Mary Burns Rebecca M'Intire James Stunkard Thos. Baskin James Beaty Thomas Moore Charles M'Williams Andrew Watt Robert Dinmore John M'Nab Sarah M'Kinon Thomas Ranolles James M'Intire, senior John Scott James Lee Margaret Kincade James Devin Alexander Moore Samuel Wright James Watt Wm. M'Clintock John Brocket John Aspill John M'Mullen James M'Intire, junior John Spires Mary Lee Donor wDougle The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine 182 Mary Maginniss John Shaw James Vint Matthew Caldwell Matthew M'Manes John Davis Hugh M'Clean Simon Ellist George Richforcl Is/ Jonisr M. blzsarrT JAMES CAMPBELL Wruusid AmAsox Nesbitt, Campbell and Allison presumably were the owners of the sh;pwrecked vessel. Similar lisn will appear in subsequent issues of this Magazine. The New Guide to the City Archives er HE Philadelphia City Archives will shortly publish a complete descriptive catalogue of its present holdings which consist of 16,000 cubic feet of records arranged in 1350 records series dating from 1682 to the present. Each record series is described in detail and the entire contents of the catalogue are indexed in a computerized subject index. A unique feature of the catalogue is the loose leaf binder format which permits the catalogue to be kept current by insertion of additional and replacement pages to be issued at appropriate intervals. The issuance of this comprehensive guide to the archival holdinss of the City and County of Philadelphia, superseding the short prelimmary Guide published in 1957, will be heartily welcomed by the many genealogists and researchers who have had constant recourse over the years to the records of this area of the Delaware Valley. The price of the catalogue is $10.00. Interested persons or institutions should send their orders to the City Archives, Room 790, City Hall, Philadelphia, 19107. Please do not enclose a remittance as you will be billed later.