🛂 1912 SS President Grant Immigrant Inspection Card – A Rare Glimpse Into Ellis Island Immigration Processing

📌 Discover a rare 1912 immigrant inspection card from the SS President Grant, issued to Austrian passenger Anna Grimko before arriving at Ellis Island. Learn about early U.S. immigration procedures, medical screenings, and steerage travel aboard the Hamburg-America Line.

A fine example of an Immigrants and Steerage Passengers' Inspection Card issued on 24 April 1912 by the Hamburg America Line for an Austrian Immigrant on board the SS President Grant that departed from Hamburg, Germany, arriving in New York on 7 May 1912. She Passed American Ellis Island Inspectors on 8 May 1912.

🛂 SS President Grant Immigrant Inspection Card – 1912: A Snapshot of the Immigrant Experience

🌍 A Vital Document for Early 20th-Century Immigrants

The SS President Grant immigrant inspection card, issued on 24 April 1912, is an exceptional historical document that offers a firsthand look at the immigration process for steerage passengers. This inspection card, issued by the Hamburg-America Line, belonged to Austrian immigrant Anna Grimko and served as proof of passing immigration medical and legal checks.

For teachers, students, genealogists, and historians, this artifact is an invaluable primary source, shedding light on the procedures faced by immigrants arriving in America, the significance of transatlantic steamship lines, and the challenges faced by steerage passengers at Ellis Island.

Front of Immigrant Inspection Card from the SS President Grant of the Hamburg-American Line, 24 April 1912. GGA Image ID # 1fb593f1fb

Inspection Card Information

Hamburg-Amerika Linie
Inspection Card
(Immigrants and Steerage Passengers)

🔹 Port of Departure: Hamburg

🔹 Date of Departure: 24 April 1912

🔹 Name of Ship: President Grant

🔹 Name of Immigrant: Anna Grimko (note 1)

🔹 Last Residence: Austria

🔹 Inspected and Passed at: U.S. Consulate General - Hamburg - Passed (Seal)

🔹 Passed at Quarantine, Port of [New York], May 8 1912

🔹 Ships List or Manifest No. 21 on Ships List or Manifest 8 (Page 21, Line 8)

🔹 Berth No. ____

Steamship Inspection 12 Days (Crossed out by ship's surgeon on daily inspection)

Reverse Side of Immigrant Inspection Card from the SS President Grant of the Hamburg-American Line, 24 April 1912. "Keep this Card to Avoid Detention at Quarantine and on Railroads in the United States." Message Repeated in German, French, Dutch, Italian, Czech, and Slavic. Vaccinated (Signature or Stamp) President Grant on Right Side. GGA Image ID # 1fb5decba6

Note 1: Archives patron, V. Kralicek, corrected the transcribed name and the languages the phrase (Keep this card...) was translated into. (27 September 2011). Name found on Manifest as Grimmer.

Third-Class Dining Room on the SS President Grant of the Hamburg-American Line, 1907. Photo by Byron Company, New York. GGA Image ID # 222019d736

The SS President Grant of the Hamburg-American Line, Designed Especially for North European Steerage Trade. The “President Grant” Is a Combination Freight and Passenger Ship Purchased and Fitted for the Hamburg-New York Emigrant Trade. This 616 Ft. Long Steamer, With a Gross Tonnage of About 17,540, Can Carry 324 First-Class Passengers, 125 Second Class, 1,000 Third Class, and 2,320 Fourth Class (Steerage) on the Middle and Lower Decks. Its Enormous Steerage Capacity Directly Results From the Significant Westward Movement of Emigrants. The Vessel Can, at Will, Fill a Large Part of Its Space With Low-Class Passengers or With Freight, at Times Having a Capacity of Something Like 15,000 Tons of Cargo, Albeit at Some Sacrifice of a Full Passenger List. The Ship’s Trade Route From Hamburg to New York Was Crucial to the Emigrant Trade. The Railroad Gazette, 14 February 1908. GGA Image ID # 22203ec00e

📜 Key Facts from the Inspection Card:

✔ Port of Departure: Hamburg, Germany

✔ Date of Departure: 24 April 1912

✔ Ship Name: SS President Grant

✔ Passenger: Anna Grimko (Austrian immigrant)

✔ Last Residence: Austria

✔ Medical & Immigration Inspections Passed:

🔹 Hamburg (Pre-departure, U.S. Consulate General)

🔹 Ellis Island, New York (8 May 1912)

✔ Manifest Information: Page 21, Line 8

✔ Languages on Reverse Side: German, French, Dutch, Italian, Czech, and Slavic

This immigration record is a crucial resource for genealogists researching European ancestors who emigrated through Hamburg, one of the largest ports for Central and Eastern European migration.

📌 Why This Document Matters

1️⃣ The Role of Inspection Cards in U.S. Immigration Processing

✔ What Was an Inspection Card?

🔹 These cards were issued by steamship companies and certified that the immigrant had passed medical and legal inspections before departure.

🔹 Upon arrival, it ensured that passengers were correctly identified on the ship’s manifest, reducing confusion during Ellis Island processing.

🔹 Without a properly completed inspection card, immigrants risked being detained at Ellis Island for further health or legal inspections.

✔ Why Was It Important?

🔹 Quarantine regulations in 1912 were strict due to concerns over infectious diseases like tuberculosis, smallpox, and trachoma.

🔹 Immigrants who failed medical or legal inspections at Ellis Island could be deported.

🔹 The inspection card helped immigration officials quickly verify an immigrant’s status, ensuring efficient processing.

💡 For educators, this card is an excellent primary source demonstrating the bureaucratic steps immigrants had to complete before entering America.

2️⃣ The Journey of Anna Grimko – A Typical Immigrant Story

📜 Details from the Inspection Card: ✔ Name: Anna Grimko

✔ Nationality: Austrian

✔ Ship: SS President Grant (Hamburg-America Line)

✔ Departure: 24 April 1912, Hamburg

✔ Arrival: 7 May 1912, New York

✔ Ellis Island Inspection: 8 May 1912

✔ Manifest Entry: Page 21, Line 8

✔ Why This Is Interesting

🔹 Ellis Island handled thousands of arrivals daily, and Anna Grimko’s inspection card provides a tangible link to one of those many stories.

🔹 She likely traveled in steerage, enduring difficult conditions to reach America.

🔹 Her documentation helped ensure she was properly processed and not detained at quarantine or immigration checkpoints.

💡 For genealogists, inspection cards like this provide direct connections to an ancestor’s journey, departure port, and immigration records.

3️⃣ What Made the SS President Grant Unique? 🚢

📜 Ship Specifications (Built in 1907 by Harland & Wolff, Belfast, for the Hamburg-America Line): ✔ Operator: Hamburg-America Line

✔ Tonnage: 17,540 tons

✔ Length: 616 feet

✔ Beam: 65 feet

✔ Passenger Capacity:

• 324 First-Class
• 125 Second-Class
• 1,000 Third-Class
• 2,320 Fourth-Class (Steerage)

✔ Cargo Capacity:

• Up to 15,000 tons

✔ Why This Ship Matters

🔹 Designed specifically for North European immigration, the SS President Grant had one of the largest steerage capacities of any ship of its time.

🔹 The combination of cargo and passenger transport made it a crucial vessel for transatlantic migration.

🔹 The ship primarily carried immigrants from Germany, Austria-Hungary, Poland, and Russia to New York.

💡 For maritime historians, the SS President Grant represents an era of mass European migration, where large, mixed-use steamships played a vital role in transatlantic travel.

📸 Noteworthy Images & Their Significance

📜 1. Front of the SS President Grant Immigrant Inspection Card (1912)

👉 A rare example of a Hamburg-America Line inspection card, proving an immigrant had passed necessary medical and legal checks before arrival.

📜 2. Reverse Side of the Inspection Card

👉 Features vaccination certification and multilingual instructions advising immigrants to keep the card to avoid quarantine delays.

📜 3. Third-Class Dining Room on the SS President Grant (1907)

👉 Provides insight into the accommodations of immigrants who traveled in steerage.

📜 4. SS President Grant - A Ship Designed for Mass Immigration

👉 Demonstrates how the Hamburg-America Line built ships specifically for the increasing demand for immigrant transportation.

🔎 How This Page Helps Teachers, Students & Genealogists

📚 For Teachers & Students:

✔ Provides a primary source artifact illustrating Ellis Island immigration procedures.

✔ Highlights public health regulations and medical screenings for steerage passengers.

✔ Demonstrates the challenges faced by immigrants before and after their journey.

🔎 For Genealogists & Family Historians:

✔ Confirms ancestral details, such as last residence, ship name, and departure date.

✔ Connects immigrants to passenger manifests, making it easier to track family history.

✔ Helps reconstruct the migration journey of Austrian, German, Polish, and Russian immigrants.

📝 For Historians & Immigration Researchers:

✔ Explores how early 20th-century immigration was managed.

✔ Examines the role of major ocean liners in facilitating mass migration.

✔ Provides insight into how shipping lines and government agencies collaborated on immigrant processing.

📖 Final Thoughts: Why This Article Matters

The 1912 SS President Grant immigrant inspection card is a rare and valuable document that sheds light on early 20th-century immigration. It reveals:

📌 How immigrants were medically screened and processed before and after arriving in America.

📌 The importance of documentation in ensuring smooth entry into the U.S.

📌 The role of major ocean liners in facilitating mass migration from Europe to America.

For historians, genealogists, and educators, this inspection card is a tangible connection to the past, offering a deeper understanding of how millions of people embarked on their journey to a new life in America. 🌍🚢🛂