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Archiver > PHILLY-ROOTS > 2011-09 > 1315520937


From: "Vincent E. Summers" <>
Subject: Re: [Phly-Rts] letter from Fannie and immigration procedures
Date: Thu, 8 Sep 2011 18:28:57 -0400
References: <mailman.519.1315465241.1682.philly-roots@rootsweb.com><1FDF7BF954CEA64F8665ECA3C097E18D3D8A874EC4@EXCLUSMBX.ad.sandiego.edu>
In-Reply-To: <1FDF7BF954CEA64F8665ECA3C097E18D3D8A874EC4@EXCLUSMBX.ad.sandiego.edu>


> Three comments.
> It does not appear that this letter was sent to Adele, as the letter says
> that "Aunt Dell" was with her on the trip.
>

My grandmother, Adele Kite STOCKHAM was named after Adele "Dell" Kite
STOCKHAM (by marriage).

It is unlikely that these people ever set foot on Ellis Island. Ellis
> Island was for steerage passengers. A steamer incoming to New York would
> pick up a pilot and customs inspector off Sandy Hook. The customs inspector
> would process the cabin class passengers while the pilot brought the ship
> through Upper New York Bay and into the Hudson River to its berth at a dock
> on the west side of Manhattan. The cabin class passengers would then be
> discharged onto the dock. One suspects from the rest of the letter that
> Fannie and Adele were cabin class passengers. Then the steerage passengers
> were loaded onto a ferry and brought back down through the harbor for
> processing at Ellis Island. If you just look at the immigration manifest,
> you get no clue about this, and the Ellis Island website lists all
> passengers arriving at the port of New York during the relevant time period,
> whether they actually went through Ellis Island or not.
>

This is interesting! I'd never heard of this before. I will save this
information...


> Like another writer, I am interested in the date of the letter. It appears
> that the Biddles were sufficiently concerned about their comfort or the
> unavailability of cars in Europe that they brought their own Packard with
> them on the transatlantic voyage (and presumably on the return).
>

I should soon have the scan and will share it with all those interested.


> Bert
> Herbert Lazerow
> Professor of Law and Director,
> Institute on Int'l & Comparative Law
> University of San Diego
> 5998 Alcala Park
> San Diego CA 92110-2492 U.S.A.
> +1(619)260-4597, fax +1(619)260-2230
>
>
> Thank you, Bert!
>
Vince

>
>
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