COMPLEXION DESIGNATION

[jmagarac]

Hi. New here. My Grandparents immigrated to the United States from Croatia. In looking at the Passenger List (Ellis Island) from his passage, I've noted that all passengers from Croatia were given a complexion of "goa" Not sure if that is what the recorders handwriting letters/writing are. I can NOW recognize what their "fair", "brown" and "black" writing says. Passengers on the same ship from Belgium were given the complexion designation of fair. Just wondering if anyone can figure out what that "goa" (gov) is - or was meant to be.

[Karen McDonald]

Hi,

Welcome! 

I just noticed that nobody has replied as yet. Let's hope some of the experts see this, now that the thread has been given a bump. 

Do you have a larger snippet of the document, in order to compare the letters? I am not convinced about it being an "a" on the end, particularly when you look at the endings of "Croatia".

I am tempted to think that it is (?)oor. The only logical word would be "poor", but the "p" is definitely a bit weird.

If you can find a word beginning with "p" somewhere in the rest of the document, it would be a big help.

Let's hope we can clear this up for you!

Best regards,
Karen

[Ruskie]

The first letter looks like the g of grey (eye colour) but I can’t make sense of the word. I don’t think it ends in an a either ….. looks a bit like goov or goor, which makes no sense.

Is there any kind of description of abbreviations accompanying the passenger list?

[josey]

It doesn't end in 'r' either... compare end of 'fair'; crikey what a mystery.

Does it begin with 'ge'?

[Lisa in California]

I found a passenger list from March 12 1910.  The writing is very similar to the above image.

The first passenger line has what appears to be “goor”.  However, the words on the lines below that one is “good”.

Looking at the image, I found the word Island.  The d in island looks very similar to the “r” in “goor”.

So, I believe the words are “good”.

[Disclaimer:     it’s past 2:00 am and I just cannot form coherent sentences.  My apologies.  Good night.  Lisa]

Added: the passenger list I was viewing was for the ship Campania, which sailed to New York.

PS. Welcome to RootsChat. 

[Davedrave]

I suppose it could be “good”, but it doesn’t seem to make much sense, unless to distinguish a complexion from a spotty or pock-marked one. Maybe the term was used instead of “clear” or “smooth”?

[Lisa in California]

Image with what I believe is the word Island (found in “whether going to join” column, second line down):
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9T3-573V-R?i=564&cc=1368704
Added: in the same whether going to join column is the word friend which, near the bottom of the page, looks like frienr or something similar.

Image with “goor” and “good”:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9T3-573X-F?i=568&cc=1368704

But, maybe I’m incorrect.  It’s not like it hasn’t happened before. 

[Girl Guide]

A dictionary definition of complexion:-

the natural colour, texture, and appearance of a person's skin, especially of the face.
"a smooth, pale complexion"

I would take the word as being 'good' but hasn't been written very well.  Was everyone's complexion on that list stated as being 'goa' i.e. good?  Or were any described otherwise, e.g. scarred?

[josey]

I think Lisa has cracked it. It may have been a way of distinguishing from, say, pock marked.