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From: "Mr. Harrold K. Henck jr" <>
Subject: Galveston, Texas Immigration records
Date: Tue, 15 Oct 1996 03:06:22 GMT


Subject: Galveston, Texas Immigration Records

Galveston Immigration Records are available in Galveston at the "Texas
Seaport Museum" c/o The Galveston Historical Foundation / 2016 Strand /
Galveston, TX 77550 Tel: (409) 763-1877. They have the "immigrant
database" which is compiled from various INS microfilms AND many
secondary sources such as the Chester Geue books (New Homes in a New
Land & A New Land Beckoned) and misc. other sources. Visiting the
museum in person allows one to search this database for free. If you
want them to do it, and send a print-out, you will need to send $10.00
(Last amount that I'm aware of!) A reminder, only those who "entered"
the country at Galveston will be shown. Those who "trans-shipped" -
meaning their ship stopped at another port such as New York, and/or
they changed ships in another port, will not be shown in the Galveston
database. Their "port of entry" will be the first American port they
landed in. Many ships did come straight to Galveston from Europe so
there are, in fact, many names to be found. Galveston became known as
the "Ellis Island of the Southwest" because so many of the immigrants
who settled Texas and the Southwest (OK, NM, AZ, CO, etc.) entered
through Galveston. Its "heyday" lasted from about 1845 to 1925,
although earlier and later arrivals did occur. The Rosenberg Library in
Galveston also has a good selection of genealogy materials regarding
early Galveston area settlers. Hope all this information is of help
and interest to the newsgroup! - Harrold Henck, Galveston, Texas

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