Author Topic: Huntingdon to Kansas in the 1880s  (Read 751 times)

Offline Gillg

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Huntingdon to Kansas in the 1880s
« on: Thursday 30 July 20 12:03 BST (UK) »
Trying to work out how long the journey from a Huntingdonshire village to Liberty County, Kansas, would have taken in the 1880s.  I guess the journey would firstly have taken the travellers to London and from there to Liverpool.  The crossing via Ireland to Ellis Island was the next stage, followed by a train journey from New York to Kansas.  I'm not including stopovers or time spent in between the various parts of the journey, but there must have been several.  I'm still amazed that my 71-year old relative would have undertaken such a journey in those days.  Any suggestions?
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

FAIREY/FAIRY/FAREY/FEARY, LAWSON, CHURCH, BENSON, HALSTEAD from Easton, Ellington, Eynesbury, Gt Catworth, Huntingdon, Spaldwick, Hunts;  Burnley, Lancs;  New Zealand, Australia & US.

HURST, BOLTON,  BUTTERWORTH, ADAMSON, WILD, MCIVOR from Milnrow, Newhey, Oldham & Rochdale, Lancs., Scotland.

Offline aghadowey

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Re: Huntingdon to Kansas in the 1880s
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 30 July 20 12:19 BST (UK) »
Have you identified all the stages or just making assumptions as to most likely route? Ellis Island didn't open until 1892- the earlier clearing station was at Castle Garden.

Not all ships stopped in Ireland. A journey from Liverpool to a Canadian port is also a possibility. And why go to London when they could have gone to say Birmingham then Liverpool.
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Offline Gillg

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Re: Huntingdon to Kansas in the 1880s
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 30 July 20 12:37 BST (UK) »
Aghadowey
Yes, I am making some assumptions and am till searching for records, but I do have ship's passenger records which indicate that the journey was made from Liverpool to NY via Ireland.  As to the train journey within the US, I think they may have had to go from NY to Chicago and then taken the famous Rock Island Line (Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska or Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific line - its name kept changing).  Am thinking that they would have travelled to Liverpool via London because other family members were living in London at that time and could have offered accommodation to break the journey.  A lot of conjecture in my current thinking, I know, but still trying to work it out.
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

FAIREY/FAIRY/FAREY/FEARY, LAWSON, CHURCH, BENSON, HALSTEAD from Easton, Ellington, Eynesbury, Gt Catworth, Huntingdon, Spaldwick, Hunts;  Burnley, Lancs;  New Zealand, Australia & US.

HURST, BOLTON,  BUTTERWORTH, ADAMSON, WILD, MCIVOR from Milnrow, Newhey, Oldham & Rochdale, Lancs., Scotland.

Offline Redroger

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Re: Huntingdon to Kansas in the 1880s
« Reply #3 on: Friday 31 July 20 12:55 BST (UK) »
Birmingham would be a diversion too. Huntingdon to Manchester via GNR through journey, then Manchester to Liverpool etc.
But is not Huntingdon Kings Cross (GNR) then Waterloo to Southampton (LSWR) a possibility?
Or Huntingdon - Birmingham via Peterborough then BIRMINGHAM to Bristol possible too?
Ayres Brignell Cornwell Harvey Shipp  Stimpson Stubbings (all Cambs) Baumber Baxter Burton Ethards Proctor Stanton (all Lincs) Luffman (all counties)


Offline aghadowey

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Re: Huntingdon to Kansas in the 1880s
« Reply #4 on: Friday 31 July 20 15:28 BST (UK) »
... I do have ship's passenger records which indicate that the journey was made from Liverpool to NY via Ireland.  ...
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Offline Redroger

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Re: Huntingdon to Kansas in the 1880s
« Reply #5 on: Friday 31 July 20 16:02 BST (UK) »
GNR route to Manchester then to Liverpool 4-5 hours.
Ayres Brignell Cornwell Harvey Shipp  Stimpson Stubbings (all Cambs) Baumber Baxter Burton Ethards Proctor Stanton (all Lincs) Luffman (all counties)

Offline Erato

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Re: Huntingdon to Kansas in the 1880s
« Reply #6 on: Friday 31 July 20 16:11 BST (UK) »
The transatlantic crossing would have taken about a week.

https://transportgeography.org/?page_id=2135
Wiltshire:  Banks, Taylor
Somerset:  Duddridge, Richards, Barnard, Pillinger
Gloucestershire:  Barnard, Marsh, Crossman
Bristol:  Banks, Duddridge, Barnard
Down:  Ennis, McGee
Wicklow:  Chapman, Pepper
Wigtownshire:  Logan, Conning
Wisconsin:  Ennis, Chapman, Logan, Ware
Maine:  Ware, Mitchell, Tarr, Davis

Offline Gillg

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Re: Huntingdon to Kansas in the 1880s
« Reply #7 on: Friday 31 July 20 16:50 BST (UK) »
Interesting and helpful suggestions - thanks very much, all. :) 

I'm still thinking that they would have travelled via London, if only to bid farewell to a daughter living there, as they didn't intend to return to England.  They has gone to join other family members in Kansas and settle there with them.
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

FAIREY/FAIRY/FAREY/FEARY, LAWSON, CHURCH, BENSON, HALSTEAD from Easton, Ellington, Eynesbury, Gt Catworth, Huntingdon, Spaldwick, Hunts;  Burnley, Lancs;  New Zealand, Australia & US.

HURST, BOLTON,  BUTTERWORTH, ADAMSON, WILD, MCIVOR from Milnrow, Newhey, Oldham & Rochdale, Lancs., Scotland.

Offline andrewalston

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Re: Huntingdon to Kansas in the 1880s
« Reply #8 on: Sunday 09 August 20 20:39 BST (UK) »
If they did go via London, then the section within the capital would have been the slowest part of the UK journey. It still is.

I would expect an overnight stay in London. If they completed the trip inside the day they would only have time to wave in the general direction of their daughter.

Also bear in mind that they would have quite a bit of luggage in tow.

I think it would be more likely that their daughter would make a trip back to Huntingdon to say goodbye.
Looking at ALSTON in south Ribble area, ALSTEAD and DONBAVAND/DUNBABIN etc. everywhere, HOWCROFT and MARSH in Bolton and Westhoughton, PICKERING in the Whitehaven area.

Census information is Crown Copyright. See www.nationalarchives.gov.uk for details.