Format of Retrieved Ellis Island Records

Below is an actual record, containing information retrieved from the Ellis Island Database (EIDB). It was created using the (new format) search feature of the form entitled "Searching the Ellis Island Database in One Step" provided on the JewishGen web site . This search form is a tool which enables you to enter pertinent information that will be used in the search. A formatted request is then submitted to the Ellis Island search engine.The search engine obtains the results and a web page is created that displays the results. On the search form, the user can select the number of retrieved entries to be displayed on each page, in increments of 25 (max. 100). When there is more than one page, links are provided at the bottom of the created page to facilitate navigation between pages. I have set the maximum page size for this site to 50. All of the pages gathered to this site have been created using the "One Step" (new format) search feature. I would hereby like to acknowledge the work and generosity of the developers of the JewishGen web site in creating this excellent search tool and sharing its capabilities with others, free of charge.

Since one of the purposes of this site is to keep the initial search of the records within the pages of this site, some minor changes had to be made to the format of the pages of the actual retrieved records. The inter-page links have been re-programmed so that all navigation between retrieved pages stays within this site. A new link has been provided, at appropriate locations, to allow users to return to the alphabetic listing page. Visible columns have also been added to make the display of the pages more readable and the size of the table was adjusted to retain uniformity when moving from page to page. The format of the pages on this site will be as shown below.

Although the content of some of the columns is self-explanatory, and fairly detailed information is available when links are accessed on the Ellis Island web site, a brief commentary on the columns of the retrieved record may be helpful for first time users.

Column 1: This is a number indicating the position of the retrieved entry.

Column 2 - Name: This is the surname and given names as recorded in the original manuscript and/or as deciphered and transcribed by volunteers.Be aware that some of these manifests may be very hard to read, so it is likely there are some spelling errors. Please note as well, that although the entries were retrieved using single or combined letters of the alphabet, the retrieved records are not displayed in "true" alphabetical order. For example, a search for names beginning with BA will return all names beginning with those two letters, however a name such as Barrett may very well appear at the head of the list before names such as Babcock or Bailey. Unfortunately, I have no control over this situation since the retrieved record is created in this fashion.

Column 3 - Residence: This was the last place of residence at which the person supposedly lived prior to their voyage.Quite often this column is left blank and there are many partial or incorrect spellings. The port name of St. John's appears quite often as the last residence, even though for many, it was not their regular place of residence. This was probably due to the fact that the format of some manifests list only the port of departure, i.e. St. John's. In some cases, the individual may have stayed in St. John's while awaiting passage, or he or she felt it was better to give a place name that was familiar to immigration.

Column 4 - Arrived: This is the year of arrival. The exact Date of Arrival is given in records accessed in columns 6 to 9. An entry was recorded each time an individual passed through immigration, so you may find multiple records for individuals such as crew members, etc.

Column 5 - Age: This is the individual's age at the time of arrival. Some of the original manifests ask for the Age in Yrs. and Mos, but most entries only have the Yrs.completed.

Columns 6 to 9 provide links to the Ellis Island web site so you can view additional information about an individual. Some of the steps and navigation may seem a little daunting at first, but it may be well worth your while to master working inside this site. The first time you visit the site, you will be asked to register, before you can SIGN-IN. There are several ways that you can register, but initially I would suggest registering under the heading "NEW TO AFIHC AND THE FOUNDATION". As stated on their site, this registration level is free and quick. Once you have selected a User Name and Password, all subsequent Sign-Ins can be made using your selected combination. Remember to select a User Name and Password that you will remember. Once you have signed into the site, you don't have to Sign Out until you are finished all sessions.

Column 6 - View Passenger Record: This link takes you to a page which displays information about this selected individual. It shows Name, Ethnicity, (last) Place of Residence, (full) Date of Arrival, Age at Arrival, Gender, Marital Status, Ship of Travel, and Port of Departure.

Column 7 - View Text Manifest: This link takes you to a text copy of page of the manifest containing the entry for the selected individual. Although it shows much of the same information that you may already have about the individual, it gives one additional piece of information that may be very important to you later if you view the original manuscript. In front of the Name column, in the Text Manifest, is a number. This is the "No. on List" associated with the actual line numbers on the original manifest. Always record this number; it may serve as an index, in the event that the name information on the scanned manifest is eligible. In the Text Manifest pages, you can also use the navigation features of the page to look at all of the passengers listed for that voyage.

Column 8 - View Scanned Manifest: This link takes you to a scanned image of the original voyage manifest. If all work well, you will be presented with the page of the manifest which contains the name of your selected individual. The page initially displays a "thumbnail" image of the manifest, but a large scale image can be obtained by double clicking (left) on the reduced image or clicking on the magnifying glass (browser dependent). The enlarged image can then be opened full screen and "panned" to view the details of the image. There were several versions and vintages of manifest pages. For example, in the post 1906 era, the manifest information , for immigrants, is recorded over two pages. The column headings for 1908 manifest pages are as shown here. Unfortunately, often there are errors with the association of links to the correct manifest pages. It is not unusual to end up on the incorrect page of the manifest. Sometimes this is not too serious, since it is only a matter of using the page navigation to move to the "previous" or "next" page. (It appears some manifests may have been scanned backwards??) For more complicated searches for lost manifest pages, you can to refer to the Missing Manifests section of the "Searching the Ellis Island Database in One Step" form for detailed instructions.

Column 9 - View Ship Image: This link should take you to a photo of the passenger ship or liner. However, many of these links indicate NO IMAGE AVAILABLE. Some information about the ships (The Red Cross Line) on the St. John's to New York run can be viewed at Newfoundland Passenger Ships.

This page was last updated: Sunday, September 09, 2018 at 04:25:21 AM, MDT