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Archiver > NYC-ROOTS > 2000-09 > 0967806801


From: "NColeman" <>
Subject: Re: [NYC] Soundex Index To Passenger Lists
Date: Fri, 1 Sep 2000 07:13:21 -0400
References: <LOBBJGMMACHELIGPAADMAEAKKIAA.bnevens@ix.netcom.com>


Dear Barbara:
Here's a VERY good example of a name that you should prepare
to look for alternatives for right from the start. CLUSTER,
which normally would be C423, could have originally been
spelled with a "K," so I would at the very first, try that,
K423. Particularly if they were from Germany or
Northern/Eastern Europe. The given name "Carl" for instance
is, usually, originally spelled with the letter "K." The
"C" is sometimes the Americanized alpha for any name that
originally began with "K." It goes for surnames as well. I
had a client whose family name was Kalischer. I found the
family under Calisher on many occasions in American records.
So, you have to check both.

Second, say the name with a thick accent. You didn't say
what nationality this family was, but if you know, imagine
the person saying their own name. Could they have
pronounced it "Clusser?," which would be C or K 420. Or
"Custer?," which would be C or K 230. Or "Cusser?", C or K
260. This is where you may have to get creative! But,
given that the volume of arrivals for Baltimore is far less
than those of NY, this is not an all consuming task. It
should go relatively quickly.

I would definitely go back and check the Baltimore arrivals
again before moving on to anywhere else. New York records
will not be indexed for that period anyway. But, you do
have some alternatives. If not found in Baltimore records,
check Philadelphia. Also, if they were from the area I
mentioned before, check the "Germans to America" series. If
found in this series, it will tell you what ship they were
on and what port they arrived at.

These would be my top choices for a continued search.

Best regards. Nancy.
NColeman

NYC/Long Island Family History Research Services:
http://www.genealogyPro.com/ncoleman.html
County Coordinator for the Nassau GenExchange:
http://www.genexchange.org/county.cfm?state=ny&county=nassau
Irish Family History Forum - VP Membership
http://www.ifhf.org email:
----- Original Message -----
From: "Barbara Nevens" <>
To: <>
Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2000 7:58 PM
Subject: RE: [NYC] Soundex Index To Passenger Lists


> I realize that my question may be posted on the wrong
list, but Nancy did such a good job of explaining the
variables
> in names on passenger lists that I think that she or
someone else may be able to help me.
>
> Apropos of alternate names, I'm really stumped. According
to various census reports, my g-g-grandfather immigrated to
> U.S. in 1894 and his son in 1888. The family settled in
Baltimore; my gg-grandfather shows up on the 1900 Census in
> Baltimore with wife and some of the kids. My
g-grandfather was the eldest and emigrated from Russia as an
adult (and
> married). The family name was CLUSTER. I am not finding
them on the appropriate Soundex for passenger arrivals in
> Baltimore so all I can think of is that either their point
of debarkation wasn't Baltimore or they changed their
> surname to the point that I'm not using the correct
Soundex code. Anyone have any ideas as to what a
predecessor name
> to CLUSTER might have been?
>
> I have my g-grandfather's Certificate of Naturalization
but neither the Declaration nor the Petition. If I can
figure
> out which court (illegible on the certificate) I'll send
for those. In the meantime, I'm still hoping to find them
on
> an arrival list. Is New York a reasonable alternative to
Baltimore for search purposes, or is there no particular
> connection between where a person debarked and where
he/she settled?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Barbara
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Don Baratta [mailto:]
> Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2000 10:08 AM
> To:
> Subject: Re: [NYC] Soundex Index To Passenger Lists
>
>
> Hi Bill,
>
> Nancy is absolutely correct. I once spent several hours
trying to find my
> grandfather, Joseph, on the soundex for passengers to N.Y.
Got nothing and
> was really disgusted until I realized that he was coming
from Sicily and his
> name would have been Giuseppe on the ship's manifest. So,
I went back next
> day and (ta-ta) there he was.
>
> Keep on searching,
> Don Baratta
> - ---------------------------------------------------
> Click here for Free Video!!
> http://www.gohip.com/freevideo/
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NColeman <>
> To: <>
> Date: Thursday, August 31, 2000 4:35 AM
> Subject: Re: [NYC] Soundex Index To Passenger Lists
>
>
> >Dear Bill:
> >
> >The Indexes to Passenger Lists can be very difficult to
read
> >due to the size of the image. DO make sure you ask for a
> >"magnifying" reader.
> >
> >You selected the right reel, by the way.
> >
> >The logic to the Soundex system is somewhat confusing at
> >first, but it does make sense once you get the hang of
it.
> >First, when you find the beginning of your Soundex code,
you
> >will notice (as you have) that from there on forward, the
> >surnames are not alphabetized or in any order whatsoever.
> >This is done on purpose. Forget the surnames at this
point.
> >You've found the Soundex Group, now you need to find
> >"Louise."
> >
> >The next order is alphabetical by given name, not by
> >surname. Possibly with another division within that
(I'll
> >go into that later).
> >
> >On the reel you used, scroll ahead to the "L" given
names,
> >and within that, scroll ahead to Louise. Make sure you
> >start at the first "Louise." This is where you begin.
NOW
> >look for her surname, within that given name. They (the
> >surnames) will not be in alphabetical order. Go slow,
make
> >sure you look at all of them.
> >
> >If Louise is not listed under that given name, you may
have
> >to think of variations and misspellings used by the
preparer
> >of the list. Also, consider that it was misspelled or
> >misread by the indexer. Check Louis, Luis, Lois, Louisa,
> >etc.
> >
> >But, lastly, consider that "Louise" may not have been the
> >name she used. Was she from Eastern Europe? Was she
> >Yiddish? Was she from Russia or Poland? Hungary? If
so,
> >you may want to consult with someone as to what the name
> >"Louise" may translate to and try again with those
> >variations.
> >
> >The census work that you may have done should tell you
> >approximately where she was from. Begin with variations
> >from that country first and then spread out from their
> >(Prussia, for example, could mean a Polish name or a
Russian
> >name or a Yiddish name!)
> >
> >Remember, the manifests were prepared by the ship
officers,
> >not by US officials here in the US. "Louise" may have
been
> >her Americanized name once she got settled here but it
may
> >not have been the name used on her official travel papers
> >and therefore, not what will be on the manifest.
> >
> >If she wasn't married before she arrived, have you
checked
> >her marriage certificate or license for possible middle
> >names? People generally may have used only one name or a
> >nickname(s) for variety of documents, but I have found
that
> >marriage documents to be the best source for full,
complete
> >birth/baptismal names if a birth certificate itself
cannot
> >be found in this country or if they weren't born here.
> >
> >Was she a small child and could she have been travelling
> >with her parents? If she was, you may have better luck
with
> >a parent's name than with hers.
> >
> >As I mentioned before, within the given name of a Soundex
> >listing, there can be a further subdivision. I haven't
yet
> >seen this on ship indexes, but that's not to say it may
not
> >exist. I certainly am not going to claim that I've
viewed
> >every Soundex code!
> >
> >On census Soundexes, however, when you get a very common
> >name, let's say a John Murphy or a Joseph Cohen, you may
> >find a further subdivision among the "Johns" that is by
> >place of birth. Those will be alphabetical by place. In
> >other words, all the John Murphys born in Ireland will
> >appear before the John Murphys born in New York. This
can
> >be quite helpful, actually, and weed out a ton of entries
> >that may not apply.
> >
> >And, for censuses, I've even seen a few that are further
> >subdivided by county of residence. This is rare, but I
have
> >seen it. Apparently there was at least one
super-efficient
> >person arranging the cards! :)
> >
> >So, Bill, I hope this is helpful. If you don't find
Louise
> >under that name, I'd seriously consider possible
variations
> >on her name. I don't think you will find much in the way
of
> >variation on the surname as almost any spelling of
Mosheer
> >(that I can think of) will translate back to M260.
(Unless
> >it was written like Mosler or Mosleer!)
> >
> >Best regards, Nancy.
> >
> >NColeman
> >
> >NYC/Long Island Family History Research Services:
> >http://www.genealogyPro.com/ncoleman.html
> >County Coordinator for the Nassau GenExchange:
>
>http://www.genexchange.org/county.cfm?state=ny&county=nassa
u
> >Irish Family History Forum - VP Membership
> >http://www.ifhf.org email:
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Bill Murray" <>
> >To: <>
> >Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2000 2:35 AM
> >Subject: [NYC] Soundex Index To Passenger Lists
> >
> >
> >> I have started to view films of a Soundex Index to
> >Passenger Lists of
> >> vessels arriving at New York City July 1902 - December
> >1943.
> >>
> >> >From the description in the FHL catalog I had expected
> >that within a
> >> given Soundex Code I would find names arranged in
> >alphabetical order
> >> first by given name and possibly, within a given name,
> >surnames arranged
> >> in alphabetical order.
> >>
> >> However in the first films I have viewed I cannot seem
to
> >find any order
> >> within a particular soundex code.
> >>
> >> For example I tried to find an entry for Louise
Mosheer -
> >Soundex Code
> >> M260.
> >>
> >> According to the catalog there are three films for M260
in
> >this index as
> >> follows:
> >>
> >> 1379919 M255 Rosa to M260 Francesco
> >>
> >> 1379920 M260 Francesco to M260 Philippine
> >>
> >> 1379921 M260 Phoebee to M262 Josef
> >>
> >> I assumed I would find Louise (if there was an entry
for
> >her) indexed in
> >> Film 1379920 Francesco to Phillipine. However when I
> >viewed the film
> >> from end to end (but not frame by frame) there did n't
> >seem to be any
> >> particular order by given name or surname.
> >>
> >> The films are 16 mm and the viewer I used (the only one
> >available at the
> >> time ) was not the best and did not enlarge the film
> >images to the
> >> degree that some other viewers do. So it was
difficult
> >at best to read
> >> an entry and there was no way I was going to try
viewing
> >the film from
> >> end to end on that viewer.
> >>
> >> I will be going back to try and read the film on a
better
> >viewer and I
> >> want to be better prepared.
> >>
> >> Are the entries supposed to be in random order within a
> >soundex code? If
> >> not what type of order should I expect to find with in
> >each code?
> >>
> >> Bill Murray
> >>
> >>
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> >>
> >>
> >
> >
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> >
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