Crew Lists
pmikkelsen	According to my (Norwegian) grandfather's Naturalization papers, he immigrated to the US aboard the SS Umbria on 9 March 1903. This ship sailed from Liverpool to NY harbor. I have looked at all available pages of the passenger manifest at the Ellis Island website, but he is not there. I can only assume he was a member of the crew. I would like to verify this. However, the crew lists for this ship are housed in The Public Record Office in Kew (England). The cost to obtain a copy of these records is prohibitive for me (10 pounds just to get an estimate). LDS has some of these records, but not the one I need. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Borge	What was his name, where and when was he born? Børge Solem
pmikkelsen	Hello Børge! My grandfather was baptized August Olai Adolf Andersen -- but on all of his U.S. documents he is called Adolf Anderson. I suspect he used Adolf as his first name, even in Norway -- but I can't be completely sure. He was born 6 April 1884 in Bergen. One additional note -- his Declaration of Intent to become a US citizen (sworn on 7 March 1905) states that the SS Umbria arrived on 13 March 1903. But the passenger manifest shows the arrival date as 9 March. In 1904, the SS Umbria did arrive on 13 March. So, I am wondering if the year may be off. This is one reason I would like to confirm this information. I would greatly appreciate any assistance or advice... Edited by - pmikkelsen on 20/05/2002 22:41:34
pmikkelsen	Hello again Børge Do you think you might have a way to check on this information? I would greatly appreciate any advice or assistance. Just wondering...
Borge	Do you know as a fact that he was a sailor? I can't find him in the online emigration records for Bergen. Found him in the babtisms in Bergen record: http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=arkivverket/doep1816&variabel=0&postnr=61379&fulle=true&spraak=e This might be him on a crew list from the 1900 census: http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=arkivverket/ft1900/s0landet&variabel=0&postnr=21508&fulle=true&spraak=F Børge Solem
pmikkelsen	Hello again, Børge Yes, I know he was a sailor. I am relatively certain that he traveled to the U.S. as the member of a ship's crew. I would like to verify that he served on the SS Umbria in March 1903, as he stated in his naturalization papers... but I cannot afford to order the crew list from the Public Record Office in Kew (England). I was hoping there was some other way to verify this. Do you have any ideas? Regarding his career in Norway, I found two records in the 1900 Census (Ship's List) that I believe may be him: 21060 18; August Anderss., m, ug, Koksmat, f. 1884 Bergen, bosted Bergen, ship name-Erling Jarl 21508 11; Adolf Anders., m, ug, Dæksgut, f. 1884 Bergen, bosted Bergen,ship name-Firda (THIS IS THE ONE YOU FOUND) Actually, I think the second one is more likely. As I said, he used "Adolf" as his given name in most records I found. But I have no way to confirm either of these. I have written to the Statsarkivet i Bergen a couple of times. The archivist told me he could not find a record of him in the Seaman's Rolls. Although I think he was looking for "August" not "Adolf". I just know he must be there somewhere... In my last email to the Statsarkivet (4 days ago), I asked if he was listed in the Sjøfartsannotasjonruller, which I just learned about on your website. If he was in a ship's crew in 1900, he would have been only 16 y.o. I have not received any response. Maybe they are sick of hearing from me! It's very frustrating. His older brother, Andreas Johan Adolf Andersen was found in the Bergen Seaman's rolls. It makes sense to me that they both would have sailed from Bergen, where their mother and sister lived. But maybe Adolf/August went to another city. It's a big question mark... If he did sail to America on the SS Umbria, he would have had to sail to England from Norway on another ship... presumably from Bergen. I was told that crew members were not listed in the Emigration files on the Digitalarkivet. Do you know if that is correct? I will be very grateful for any advice or information. Patti ps-- The baptism record you found is definitely him. Edited by - pmikkelsen on 24/05/2002 19:26:40
Borge	Surely the Adolf Andersens found in the 1900 census lists must be in the Bergen rolls, as they are both registered as born and living in Bergen. I am quite sure that the roll must have some information about his/teir service (on a foreign ship) and of his emigration (or jumping of ship). I have read that some sailors would jump ship, and because this was considered an illegal way of entering the US, they would come up with some other info for their Naturalization. That might explain why the dates and year he gave of his arrival does not match actual arrivals for the given ship. (This is just a speculation) Børge Solem
pmikkelsen	Børge -- I agree with you -- that there should be some record. But the archivist at the Statsarkivet i Bergen has told me there is nothing. I don't know if he looked only for August Andersen. That is why I wrote to him on Monday... to make sure he also checked for Adolf Andersen. Maybe he thinks there is no point to check because he has looked for my grandfather already, and that is why he has not responded. I don't know what else I can do. An American researcher told me that at the time of my grandfather's immigration, the US Government did not require proof of landing, so often people lied about when they arrived, so they could meet the residency requirement. All I really know for sure is that he was living in Brooklyn, New York in March of 1905 -- when he signed his Declaration of Intent to become a US Citizen. It is exactly for this reason that I wanted to see the crew list for the SS Umbria (March 1903)... to see if he was really on it or not. Since the arrival date he used matches the date for the SS Umbria, one year later in 1904, I thought perhaps he just altered the year and left all the other information the same. But, as you said, that is just speculation. Or maybe it's all true. I would just like to know, one way or another! I appreciate any advice. I'm running out of ideas! Helsing, Patti
pmikkelsen	Børge Do you know -- are the Seaman's rolls and Sjøfarsannotasjonruller in the Statsarkivet i Bergen open to the public? If I could find someone in Bergen who was willing to look for my grandfather there, could they? I have never gotten a reply from the archivist for my most resent query. I don't know what else to do... Patti
Borge	Yes, as far as I know they are available at the reading room. If I had lived close to Bergen I sure would have checked for you, I hope you can find someone who will do it. Børge Solem
pmikkelsen	Thank you Børge I know of a couple people who may be willing... But can you tell me what are the specific names of these files? If you don't know, is there a place I can look this up? Helsing, Patti
Borge	Patti I am not sure exactly, as I asked the Statsarkiv in Bergen to send me a copy of the pages in the catalogue specifying the files, but they sent me an article about the material instead. I am sure they have a pretty detailed catalogue at the reading room, and they might send you a copy of the pages containing the sailors register if you ask (or you get an article, which was actually very good). Børge Solem