🛂 1903 Danish Emigrant Inspection Card - RMS Saxonia Steerage Passenger Arrives in Boston

📌 Explore a rare 1903 immigrant inspection card from the RMS Saxonia, issued to Danish emigrant Kristian Johannes Jansen. Learn about Ellis Island-era health screenings, vaccination requirements, and Danish immigration to the U.S.

🛂 Danish Emigrant's RMS Saxonia Inspection Card - 1903: A Key Immigration Document

The 1903 Immigrant Inspection Card from the RMS Saxonia is a rare and significant historical artifact that provides insight into the immigrant experience, health regulations, and U.S. immigration policies at the turn of the 20th century. This card, issued to Danish emigrant Kristian Johannes Jansen, serves as a primary source document, illustrating the journey from Copenhagen to America via Liverpool and the meticulous screening process required for entry into the United States.

For teachers, students, genealogists, and historians, this page is a goldmine of information showcasing immigrant travel documentation, public health measures, and transatlantic voyage logistics.

Front Side of Inspection Card (Immigrants and Steerage Passengers) for Danish Emigrant Kristian Johannes Jansen of Copenhagen, Who Departed on the RMS Saxonia on 21 April 1903 From Liverpool for Boston. GGA Image ID # 15679d79ba

Contract Ticket No. 44553

Inspection Card. (Immigrants and Steerage Passengers.)

Port of Departure: Liverpool

Name of Ship: Saxonia

Date of Departure: 21 April 1903

Name of Immigrant: Kristian Johannes Jansen

Last Residence: Copenhagen

Ship's List or Manifest: Z2

No. on Ship's List or Manifest: 9

Back Side of the Immigrant Inspection Card Showing Vaccination Certification by the Ships' Surgeon and Instructions to Keep This Card to Avoid Detention at Quarantine on Railroads in the United States. GGA Image ID # 1567d31796

The Ship Taken By Kristian Johannes Jansen to Immigrate to America. RMS Ivernia and RMS Saxonia of the Cunard Line. Length: 600 FT. Breadth: 64 FT 6 IN. Tonnage: 14,058. Cunard Line Handbook, 1905. GGA Image ID # 1fbf6faf2a

📌 Why This Document Is Important

1️⃣ What Was an Immigrant Inspection Card?

✔ Proof of Health Clearance & Identity for Steerage Passengers

🔹 Immigrant Inspection Cards were issued to third-class (steerage) passengers to verify their identity, last residence, and proof of health clearance.

🔹 These cards had to be presented upon arrival in the United States to prevent quarantine detention and ensure compliance with immigration regulations.

✔ Why This Was Necessary:

🔹 Steerage passengers faced strict health inspections because they traveled in cramped, unsanitary conditions, increasing the risk of infectious disease outbreaks.

🔹 Immigrants without proper health documentation could be detained, quarantined, or even deported.

💡 For educators, this document offers an excellent case study on Ellis Island-era immigration policies and public health requirements.

2️⃣ Kristian Johannes Jansen’s Immigration Journey 🚢

📜 Details from the Inspection Card:

✔ Full Name: Kristian Johannes Jansen

✔ Age: Unknown (but likely young adult)

✔ Nationality: Danish

✔ Last Place of Residence: Copenhagen, Denmark

✔ Ship: RMS Saxonia (Cunard Line)

✔ Port of Departure: Liverpool, England

✔ Date of Departure: 21 April 1903

✔ Passenger Manifest Entry: Z2, Line 9

✔ Why This Is Interesting:

🔹 The RMS Saxonia, operated by the Cunard Line, was a premier transatlantic passenger liner.

🔹 Many Danish emigrants traveled via Liverpool, one of Europe’s largest immigrant departure ports at the time.

🔹 The contract ticket number and manifest details help genealogists connect passenger lists with family immigration records.

💡 For genealogists and family historians, this document is a crucial link in tracing Danish ancestry in the U.S.

3️⃣ Health Inspections & Vaccination Requirements 🏥

✔ Pre-Departure Medical Check in Liverpool

Before boarding the RMS Saxonia, passengers underwent health inspections at the Liverpool departure port.

These inspections ensured only healthy individuals were permitted to board transatlantic ships.

✔ Vaccination Certification on the Reverse Side

🔹 The back of the inspection card confirms Jansen’s vaccination status, signed by the ship’s surgeon.

🔹 In 1903, smallpox vaccination was mandatory for immigrants traveling to the United States.

🔹 Immigrants without vaccination proof could face quarantine or deportation.

💡 For historians, this card highlights the connection between immigration policies and public health measures.

4️⃣ The RMS Saxonia & Early 20th-Century Immigration Ships 🚢

📜 Ship Specifications (From a 1905 Cunard Line Handbook):

✔ Name: RMS Saxonia

✔ Operator: Cunard Line

✔ Length: 600 feet

✔ Breadth: 64 feet 6 inches

✔ Tonnage: 14,058 tons

✔ Why This Ship Matters:

🔹 The RMS Saxonia was a major immigrant vessel, part of Cunard’s transatlantic fleet serving emigrants from Northern Europe.

🔹 The ship was designed to accommodate large numbers of steerage passengers, reflecting the mass migration trend of the early 1900s.

🔹 It was built for the Liverpool–Boston and Liverpool–New York routes, catering to immigrants from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Germany.

💡 For maritime historians, this ship represents a key period in immigrant travel before the dominance of Ellis Island-era ocean liners.

📸 Noteworthy Images & Their Significance

📜 1. Front of the Immigrant Inspection Card (1903)

👉 Confirms Jansen’s departure details, last residence, and proof of immigration status.

📜 2. Reverse Side of the Inspection Card

👉 Shows vaccination certification, confirming compliance with U.S. immigration health laws.

📜 3. Cunard Line’s RMS Saxonia & RMS Ivernia

👉 Highlights the type of ocean liners that transported thousands of European immigrants to the United States.

🔎 How This Page Helps Teachers, Students & Genealogists

📚 For Teachers & Students:

✔ Offers a primary source document illustrating Ellis Island-era immigration procedures.

✔ Connects public health policies with immigration regulations in the early 20th century.

✔ Encourages discussion on immigrant travel conditions and steerage class experiences.

🔎 For Genealogists & Family Historians:

✔ Helps descendants of Danish immigrants connect with ancestral immigration records.

✔ Provides insight into the transatlantic journey of early 20th-century emigrants.

✔ The contract ticket number & passenger manifest entry assist in tracing family history.

📝 For Historians & Immigration Researchers:

✔ Demonstrates how medical screenings influenced immigration policies.

✔ Highlights the role of Cunard Line ships in mass migration to America.

✔ Provides a case study on Danish migration patterns to the U.S. in the early 1900s.

📖 Final Thoughts: Why This Article Matters

The 1903 Immigrant Inspection Card from the RMS Saxonia is more than just a travel document—it is a powerful testament to the experiences of European immigrants, the evolving immigration policies, and the role of public health in shaping American history.

📌 For historians, this document illustrates the strict medical screenings imposed on steerage passengers.

📌 For genealogists, it provides a direct link to family immigration records and Danish ancestry.

📌 For educators, it serves as an excellent classroom tool to discuss mass migration trends in the early 20th century.

📜 By preserving and studying these artifacts, we gain a deeper appreciation for the millions who journeyed to America, facing both hope and hardship in pursuit of a better life. 🌍🚢🛂