JOSEF WALLNER
Josef Wallner and his sister Johanna Wallner immigrated to the US aboard the ship S.S. Friesland from Antwerp Belgium, arriving in New York City NY on 7 October 1891. Josef is listed as age 18, citizen of German, arriving for a "protracted stay". Johanna's age was 19. On the same ship was J. Dollack, whose identity and relationship, if any, to Henry Dollack, Johanna’s future husband, is unknown. Josef and Johanna were processed in the Barge Office in New York. The ship's record also indicates that aboard the S. S. Friesland were Fanny Zoeller, age 32, servant, destination NY, with 1 piece of luggage; Jeanette Zoeller, age 31; and Joseph Zoeller, age 4. The ship's record indicates the Zoellers were all to be permanent settlers, and that their native country was "NY". Francesca (Fanny) and Jeannette were Josef and Johanna's Aunts, the sisters of their mother, Elisabeth Brunner.
What the Wallners' immigration experience would have been like at the Barge Office.
How "Little Germanys" helped ease their way.
Josef Wallner's name is inscribed on the American Immigrant Wall of Honor at Ellis Island on Panel 647. Additional biographical information on his place of origin (Pastetten, Bavaria, Germany), Year of Entry (7 October 1891), Port of Entry (New York), and Name of Ship (S.S. Friesland) has been added to the database at Ellis Island which will be kept forever as a permanent part of Josef Wallner's record and as a time capsule for his descendants.
The S.S. Friesland was a 7116 gross ton vessel built by J & G Thomson, Glasgow in 1889 for the Red Star Line. Her details were: Length 437 feet x beam 51.2 ft, clipper stem, one funnel, four masts, steel construction, single screw and a speed of 15 knots. There was accommodations for 226 first class, 102 second class, and 600 third class passengers. The S.S. Friesland sailed under the Belgian flag. Launched on 15 August 1889, she sailed from Antwerp to New York on her maiden voyage on 7 December 1889. She commenced her last voyage on this service on 10 January 1903 and was then transferred to the American Line under the US flag. She was refitted to carry 300 second class and 600 third class passengers and put onto the Liverpool-Philadelphia service, commencing 25 March 1903. She made her last voyage on this run in May 1911 and was then sold to an Italian company who removed two of her masts and renamed her "La Plata". She was scrapped in 1912. (Merchants Fleets in Profile, Vol. 4 Hamburg America Line by Duncan Haws.)
LUDWIG WALLNER
Ludwig (Louis) Wallner, age 18, listed as "smith", steerage class, 1 pc of luggage, arrived 8 June 1892 in New York from Antwerp Belgium aboard the S.S. Westernland, to join his brother Josef and sister Johanna who arrived in the US eight months earlier. Ludwig was processed at the new immigration facility that had opened 5 months earlier: Ellis Island. Ellis Island information records Ludwig Wallner as Ludwig "Wollner".
Take a mini virtual tour of Ellis Island. (Off-site)
The immigration experience at Ellis Island. (Off-site)
The "Westernland" of 1888 was built by Laird Bros. at Birkenhead in 1883 and was actually built in a drydock as opposed to a slipway and was floated out on completion on 4 August 1883. She had a straight stem, two funnels, four masts, single screw and a speed of 14 knots. She was 5736 gross tons, length 440 feet x beam 47.2 feet and had accomodations for 80 first class, 60 second class, and 1200 third class passengers. She sailed under the Belgian flag on her maiden voyage from Antwerp to New York on 3 November 1883 and stayed on this service until 1901 when she was transferred to the American Line and altered to carry 170 second class and 1200 third class passengers. She sailed on her first trip under the US flag from Liverpool to Philadelphia in May 1901. In 1906 she resumed servicse for Red Star Line's Antwerp-NY service for three round voyages and then went back to the American Line and made her last trip for them from Liverpool-Philadelphia in September 1908. She was scrapped in 1912. (Merchants Fleets in Profile, Vol. 4 Hamburg America Line by Duncan Haws.)
OTTO WALLNER
Otto Wallner immigrated to the United States, arriving in New York City on 25 January 1895. aboard the ship Lahn, from Bremen. The Ellis Island information records him as Otto "Mallner". Otto Wallner was 17 years old at the time of his arrival, joining his sister Johanna, and brothers Josef and Ludwig who were already living in the United States.
The Lahn was built for North German Lloyd in 1887 by Fairfield shipbuilding and engineering Company, Glasgow, Scotland. The Lahn sailed under the German flag and was 5.681 gross tons, 464 (bp) feet long, and 49 feet wide. Steam triple expansion engine, single screw. Service speed was 18.5 knots. It accomodated 1030 passengers (224 first class, 106 second class, 700 third class). The Lahn was Bremerhaven-New York service. It was sold to the Russian Navy in 1904 and renamed Russ, and scrapped in 1927. (Ellis Island Records)
PHILLIP KOEHLER & BARBARA (HOFFELDER) KOEHLER
Phillip and Barbara immigrated to the US from Hamburg, aboard the ship "Westphalia", arriving in New York City NY on 15 January 1872. On the Westphalia's ship's record, Phillip Koehler's occupation is listed as a farmer. Arriving with Phillip and Barbara was Barbara's brother, Peter Hoffelder, age 20, laborer. They were processed at Castle Garden in New York.
What the Koehler's immigration experience would have been like at Castle Garden.
(Photo is of the Westphalia after the refit in 1878.)
The "Westphalia" of 1872 was built in 1868 by Caird & Co., Greenock for the Hamburg America Line. She was a 3158 gross ton ship, length 339.9 feet x beam 40 feet, one funnel, two masts, iron construction, single screw and a speed of 12 knots. There was accommodations for 90 first class, 130 second class and 520 third class passengers. Launched on 24 June 1868, she sailed from Hamburg on her maiden voyage to Southampton and New York on 16 September 1868. She commenced her last voyage from Hamburg to Havre and New York on 28 April 1875 before being laid up. In 1878 she was rebuilt with two funnels and compound engines, and on 30 July 1879 she resumed the Hamburg-Havre-New York service. She started her last voyage to New York on 19 December 1886 and in 1887 was sold to the British company, H.F. Swan of Newcastle who re-engined her and renamed her "Atlantica". In 1888 she went to Gazzo & Schiafino of Italy and was renamed "Provincia di Soa Paulo". In 1890 she was resold to La Veloce of Italy and was renamed "Mentana" and was further renamed "Sud America" later in 1890. She was finally scrapped in Genoa in 1901. (North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P. Bonsor, Vol. 1, p. 390) (Merchants Fleets in Profile, Vol. 4 Hamburg America Line by Duncan Haws.)
MATHIAS PREUSS & CHRISTINA (OTTO) PREUSS
Mathias and Christina immigrated to the US from the port of Bremen, aboard the ship "Main" (Mein), arriving in New York City, New York on 27 March 1880. At that time Mathias was age 63, and Christina was 56. Their children Marie, age 20, Augusta, age 18, Bertha, age 16, Mathilde, age 14, and Albert, age 9 accompanied their parents to America on this voyage. Mathias and Christina's older children Anna, Heinrich, and Carolina and Anna Suzanne apparently did not come to the US in the company of their parents. Although these older children all turn up in Albany, to date no ship record can be located. It is presumed that they all immigrated earlier, and their parents and younger siblings joined them in Albany NY in late March 1880.
Bon Voyage! Thanks For Stopping by!
