Bark Christiane, Madame Tofte & Christian Tofte

The Christiane was built in 1848. She was owned by Christian Tofte. Her tonnage was 155 Norwegian Commercial lasts. This ship made a number of voyages with emigrants from Norway to America. The first time she sailed with emigrants from Norway was in 1849. She departed from Drammen June 9, and arrived at New York Aug 8. Master was Capt Chr. Tofte. The agents were H. Ellingsen in Drammen, and Joh. H. Andresen in Christiania. In 1850 she departed from Drammen, carrying 150 passenger for New York, where she arrived on July 15th. Master was Capt. Chr. A. Tofte. Agent: O. C. Dahl in Hønefoss. In 1851 she departed from Drammen again, this time with 173 passengers, they arrived at New York July 11th. Master was Capt. Tofte. Agent: H. Ellingsen in Drammen.

We also have a voyage account from 1851, written around 1910 by a passenger who was 11 on the voyage. The owner of the manuscript, Janice Uggen Johnson, has granted us permission to present the account on the site.

In 1852 the Christiane departed from Drammen on May 13th with 165 passengers for Quebec to where she arrived on July 3rd. She was mastered by Capt. C. A. Tofte. Agent: H. Ellingsen in Drammen. Capt. Christian Tofte was personally enrolling passengers at Hønefoss Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th of February 1852. In 1853 she departed from Drammen, and arrived at Quebec on June 26. Master was Capt, Tofte. Because the National Archives of Canada [NAC] did not start the archiving of passenger lists before 1865, and the Norwegian emigration records did not start before 1867, there is no surviving passenger lists for these voyages in any of those archives. Timeline to records.

In 1854 she did not sail with emigrants from Norway, but with Irish emigrants from Cork to Quebec. This year mastered by Capt. W. Bülow. Capt. Tofte mastered the Balder from Drammen to Quebec this year. For the next years, in 1855, 1856 and 1857, the Christiane was mastered by Capt Bülow and sailed between England Alexandria and Constantiopel. Capt Tofte sailed the ship from England to Drammen in 1857.

The following years the Christiane was mastered by Capt. N. Fredriksen, and was back in the emigration trade. In 1858 she departed from Christiania May 13, and arrived at Quebec June 17. No surviving passenger list, see above. In 1859 she departed Christiania Apr. 30, and arrived at Quebec June 20. Master was Capt. Fredriksen. No surviving passenger list, see above. The Christiane was announced to sail with emigrants in 1860, but no record of such voyage this year has been found. In 1861 she departed from Christiania Apr. 15, and arrived at Quebec June 2. Master was Capt. Fredriksen. No surviving passenger list, see above. In 1862 she departed from Christiania Apr. 15, and arrived at Quebec July 1. Master was Capt. Fredriksen. No surviving passenger list, see above.

This 1858 newspaper announcement for the ship Christiane and the Helvetia, shows that the owner C. Tofte intended to let her sail with emigrants also in 1859. More information would be provided by the agents; broker Kloed or merchant H. Henriksen in Christiania, by the owner C. Tofte in Drammen or by Dahl in Hønefoss. The fee would be low.