Passenger lists for Philadelphia between 1855 - 1857

[diana2646]

Hi,  Can anyone tell me where I can access passenger lists from probably Liverpool to Philadelphia for the years 1855 to 1857 please.  I am looking for a needle in a haystack as I have a Julia and Jane 'Whitney' on the 1860 U.S.A. census for Henderson County, Illinois.  Julia is 22 and Jane age 6.  I found (Elida) Jane's obit and it said that she came to the U.S.A. age 2, so that would make it around 1856.  Their name on the census was given as Whitney, but I am not sure that it was their correct name.  They were living with my relative James Whitney (age given as 38) but in May of 1860, James married Mary Lee, so Julia was not his wife.  I am wondering if their name was given as Whitney for appearances sake, but I am not sure.

If anyone can point me in the direction of passenger lists for these years, I am happy to search through to see if I can find a Julia around 16 years and a Jane (could have been Eliza Jane) age 2 years.

I hope this post makes sense and would appreciate any help.

Thanks, Diana

[Erato]

Some Philadelphia passengers during these years at FamilySearch:

https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list#page=1&region=UNITED_STATES

[diana2646]

Thank you - I will have a look see.

[Lisa in California]

Have you been able to find either women on the 1900 census?  The 1900 census (and later ones) usually shows the year of immigration; it might help confirm the exact year of arrival.

After a quick look, I don't see any arrival c1856 for a Juli*, born c1838, England.

[diana2646]

Hi Lisa, Thank you for your interest. 

To answer your question as best as I can, Julia is on the 1860 census as Julia Whitney, age 22 and I think she is still on the 1865 State census, although it only gives ages of people, but then she disappears after that.  Also, it doesn't give relationship on the 1860 census.  Jane however, age 6 in 1860 stays with James Whitney and is in later censuses, referred to as his daughter.  Her name seems to become Elida, so I am wondering if she was originally Eliza Jane and the Eliza has become Elida.

Elida Whitney married Elias Wren on 20th May 1888.  I have found her down as Lida Wren, on the 1900 census for Chariton, Lucas County, Iowa and it gives her birthdate as June 1853.  I have, courtesy of a gentleman who is in charge of the 'Find a Grave' for Chariton, got Elida's death certificate, and on it, it states father - unknown.  I have also found her on the 1910 census and it says that she came to the U.S. in 1856, although in her obituary, it says that she was only 2 years old when she came to America, so I suppose it could have been 1855.  Elida passed away in 1914.

I am thinking that Julia and Jane could have possibly been a relative of James and perhaps not called Whitney.  If they were mother and daughter, Julia would have been very young when she had Jane, also very young to travel on their own.  Perhaps Julia's parents sent her away because she had had an illigitimate child.  There are so many different possibilities here, that it will be a miracle if we get to the bottom of it!

Best wishes Diana

[Lisa in California]

Hi Diana:

Thank you for the story.  It is quite interesting.

I am on my way to work, but I dropped in for a moment to read your posting.  At this time, I have one suggestion:
It sounds like you have located her grave.  Have you tried writing to the cemetery office, to ask for any burial information about her?  I had a brickwall ancestor that I knew was "born in England".  I contacted the cemetery office in Canada and they gave me all of his information (dates of burial for those in his plot and his town of birth in England (he passed away in 1922)!  Perhaps if you are lucky, her place of birth may be noted?

I will check back here tonight.  Sorry I can't be of more help at the moment.  Lisa

[diana2646]

Hi Lisa,  Thanks for telling me about the Cemetery Office.  No need to apologise - you have been a big help already!

I have been a bit busy today, but will see if I can find out the address in Chariton of the Cemetery office tomorrow and either write or email them.  Do you think that there will be any more information than is on the death cert?  It does say place of birth - England, but I don't think that is correct, as James Whitney was born in Monmouthshire, Wales, and on one of the censuses, it says Elida was born in Wales - England.  It seems that if they embarked on the ship from England, they seem to put that on the censuses.

Best wishes Diana

[Lisa in California]

I spent many, many years looking for my brickwall ancestor.  His (Ontario, Canada) death certificate stated he was born in "England" and we had other documents that stated he was born in England, never was an exact location given however.  I contacted the cemetery office and indicated that he was my ancestor (giving proof of the relationship) and when they wrote back, they gave full details, including his town of birth!  A family member apparently had included the information.

If you write to the cemetery office, I would suggest letting them know of your connection to the deceased and advise the reason for wanting to know the place of birth.

Lisa 

[diana2646]

Hi Lisa,  Thank you for your advice and help.  I will certainly contact the Cemetery Office and do as you ask - you never know!

I have just had an email this morning, from Henderson County Court Clerk's office.  I emailed them to ask if James filled in an Application for Marriage form, when he married his wife Mary Lee, in Henderson County, Illinois in 1860.  I discovered that they can contain a lot of information.  However, they have said that they don't have that form, only the marriage record, which they say that they will send me free of charge, which is very kind of them to do.  I just have to fill in a form, which I think is to prove that I am a relative.  I don't know if it will give me the information I am looking for, but if not, it will be nice to have it anyway.

I will let you know the outcome.  Thanks for your help Lisa, it is very much appreciated.

Best wishes Diana