🛂 Early 1900s Immigration Landing Cards: Steamship Arrival Documents for the U.S. & Canada

Explore rare early 1900s immigration landing cards from the SS Corsican (Allan Line). These primary source documents provide insight into U.S. & Canadian immigration policies, passenger arrival procedures, and genealogical research.

Example of Passenger's Landing Cards from the SS Corsican of the Allan Line, dating from the early 1900s, for Canadian and US Immigration Service.

📜 Early 1900s Immigration Landing Cards: A Crucial Piece of Immigration History

This collection of early 1900s immigration landing cards provides a rare glimpse into the immigration process for passengers traveling to North America aboard transatlantic steamships. These primary source documents offer an essential resource for teachers, students, genealogists, and historians interested in understanding how immigrants were processed upon arrival in the United States and Canada.

Landing cards, such as those issued aboard the SS Corsican of the Allan Line, were an important component of immigration procedures. These cards helped track immigrants, verify their identity, and streamline the processing of passengers arriving from overseas.

For genealogists, these landing cards serve as valuable immigration records, offering insights into ancestral migration patterns. For historians, they reflect how governments regulated immigration at the turn of the century. For teachers and students, they provide a compelling visual aid to discuss the experiences of early immigrants.

Example of a Landing Card for Second Cabin Passenger John Grant on Board the SS Corsican of the Allan Line Departing from Glasgow, undated, circa Early 1900s. Primary Source Immigration Document Collection, GG Archives. GGA Image ID # 14a68c4c2e

An immigration card from the early 1900s was provided to Second Cabin passenger John Grant, who arrived via a Canadian port on the SS Corsican of the Allan Line.

Allan Line SS Corsican

Card Number 124

From Glasgow

Second Cabin

Manifest Sheet 1, Number on Sheet 6

Name: John Grant and -- members of the family.

This Card is to be presented upon arrival to the immigration authorities.

Landing Card - Canadian Port for U.S. Immigration Service - ca 1907. Primary Source Immigration Document Collection, GG Archives. GGA Image ID # 73afc9f462

This Card to be filled up and handed by Purser to each First and Second Class Passenger Destined to the United States of America

United States Immigration Service

[Ship] S.S. Corsican

Name of Passenger: Clara Gale

Manifest A Number 20

Present this Card to the U.S. Immigration Officials before landing in Quebec.

RMS Corsican (1907) of the Allan Line. Both John Grant Clara Gale Arrived in America via The Corsican. GGA Image ID # 2063c6a02e

📌 Why These Landing Cards Are Important

1️⃣ What Were Landing Cards?

✔ Landing cards were issued to passengers on transatlantic steamers and needed to be presented to immigration authorities upon arrival.

✔ They contained essential details about the traveler, such as name, travel class, manifest number, and port of entry.

✔ Different cards were used for Canadian and U.S. immigration services, reflecting each country’s unique immigration policies.

💡 For researchers and family historians, landing cards offer important details that may not always be found in ship passenger lists.

2️⃣ The Experience of John Grant & Clara Gale: A Look at Individual Passengers

📜 Example 1: John Grant’s Landing Card

📌 John Grant traveled in Second Cabin aboard the SS Corsican from Glasgow.

✔ Landing Card Details:

• Card Number: 124
• Travel Class: Second Cabin
• Ship: SS Corsican (Allan Line)
• From: Glasgow
• Manifest Sheet 1, Number on Sheet 6

✔ Why This Is Interesting:

🔹 John Grant's card confirms that he traveled with family members, which is a vital detail for genealogists researching family migration.

🔹 His travel class (Second Cabin) suggests he was not an immigrant in steerage, providing insight into the economic status of different immigrants.

📜 Example 2: Clara Gale’s U.S. Immigration Landing Card

📌 Clara Gale arrived via a Canadian port but was bound for the United States.

✔ Landing Card Details:

• Issued for U.S. Immigration Service
• Ship: SS Corsican
• Manifest: A, Number 20
• Arrival Port: Quebec

✔ Why This Is Interesting:

🔹 Clara Gale’s card reflects a common migration pattern—many immigrants arrived in Canada first before crossing into the U.S.

🔹 The United States Immigration Service used landing cards in Canadian ports, showing how immigration authorities managed transborder migration.

💡 These two examples highlight how landing cards were tailored for different national immigration policies, providing critical information for both historians and genealogists.

3️⃣ The SS Corsican: A Key Vessel in Immigration History 🚢

The RMS Corsican (1907) was operated by the Allan Line, one of the most significant steamship companies carrying immigrants to North America.

✔ The Corsican transported thousands of immigrants from the United Kingdom and Europe to ports in Canada and the U.S.

✔ Many of these immigrants settled in North America permanently, making this an important ship for genealogical research.

✔ The use of landing cards aboard the Corsican demonstrates how steamship lines collaborated with government authorities to facilitate immigration.

💡 For family historians researching ancestors who traveled on the Allan Line, records from the SS Corsican can be a valuable resource.

📸 Noteworthy Images & Their Significance

📜 1. Example of a Passenger’s Landing Card for John Grant (SS Corsican, Early 1900s)

👉 A real-life document showing how passengers were identified and processed upon arrival in North America.

📜 2. U.S. Immigration Landing Card from a Canadian Port (ca. 1907)

👉 Highlights how American immigration authorities regulated entries even at Canadian ports.

📜 3. RMS Corsican (1907) of the Allan Line

👉 A historically significant ship that carried thousands of immigrants to North America.

🔎 How This Page Helps Teachers, Students & Genealogists

📚 For Teachers & Students:

✔ Provides firsthand primary sources to illustrate early 20th-century immigration procedures.

✔ Helps explain how governments controlled the entry of immigrants into North America.

✔ Encourages students to analyze historical documents and understand their significance.

🔎 For Genealogists & Family Historians:

✔ Landing cards can provide clues about an ancestor’s migration journey, especially when passenger lists are incomplete.

✔ Documents like these confirm ports of entry, travel routes, and passenger details.

✔ The SS Corsican was a common immigration ship, making these records highly relevant to those researching Scottish, Irish, and English ancestors.

📝 For Historians & Immigration Researchers:

✔ Demonstrates the bureaucratic process of immigration control in the early 1900s.

✔ Provides insight into how steamship companies worked with government authorities to regulate immigration.

✔ Shows the role of Canadian ports in funneling immigrants into the United States, an often-overlooked aspect of immigration history.

📖 Final Thoughts: Why This Article Matters

The early 1900s landing cards featured in this article provide an important snapshot of the immigration process at the time. They serve as a bridge between ship passenger manifests and official immigration records, offering a unique look at how individuals entered North America.

💡 For historians, genealogists, and teachers, these landing cards tell the untold stories of immigrants, their journeys, and how governments managed their arrival.

📜 A remarkable piece of immigration history, these documents help bring the past to life, offering a direct connection to the experiences of early immigrants to the U.S. and Canada. 🚢🛂