Passage Contracts & Tickets (1900s) – Transatlantic Migration Records & Historic Travel Documents

📌 Explore original passage contracts and tickets from the early 1900s, documenting immigrant journeys aboard steamships like White Star, Cunard, and Hamburg America Line. A valuable resource for genealogists, historians, and maritime enthusiasts tracing ancestry, migration patterns, and transatlantic travel. 🚢📜

All Passage Contracts and Tickets For the 1900s Available at the GG Archives. These unique contracts represent primary source documents of the voyage of many immigrants. Our collection includes a variety of types and classes and provides an invaluable account of the cost of passage.

🛳 Passage Contracts and Tickets – 1900s: A Rare Glimpse into Transatlantic Travel

📜 Overview: A Historic Collection of Passage Contracts and Tickets

This curated index of passage contracts and tickets from the early 1900s provides a valuable primary source collection for teachers, students, genealogists, and historians. These documents represent firsthand records of ocean travel during a period of mass migration, showcasing the experiences of immigrants, settlers, and colonial travelers.

RMS Celtic (1902) – A Swedish Immigrant’s Journey to America via Steerage Class

A Journey of Hope and Determination This original Third Class/Steerage Passage Contract, issued on 14 November 1902, documents the immigration of Ester Hilma Maria Magnuson from Gothenburg, Sweden, to New York City aboard the White Star Line's RMS Celtic.

This document is a first-hand source reflecting the complex logistics of transatlantic travel, migration policies, and passenger experiences at the turn of the 20th century. It serves as an essential link in tracing Swedish ancestry, connecting departure records, ship manifests, and immigration files. It provides insight into the European exodus to America, offering a look at economic conditions, passage costs, and the role of steamship lines. It sheds light on the operation of the White Star Line, the feeder ship system, and third-class travel conditions aboard the mighty Celtic.

RMS Saxonia (1903) – A Danish Immigrant’s Journey from Frederikshavn to America

This original steerage passage contract, issued on 21 April 1903, documents the transatlantic journey of Danish immigrant Kristian Johannes Janson Sogen, traveling from Frederikshavn, Denmark, to West Branch, Pennsylvania, via Liverpool and Boston aboard the Cunard Line’s RMS Saxonia. This contract is a historical artifact that helps explain Danish immigration, transatlantic migration routes, and the economic realities of the early 20th century.

It provides critical details—departure city, intended U.S. destination, fare cost, and name variations—useful for tracing ancestry and immigration records. It offers a rare glimpse into passenger agreements, the logistics of steerage travel, and the financial burden of immigration. This contract provides insight into the role of the RMS Saxonia in the wave of Scandinavian migration to America.

SS Columbia (1903): Irish Immigrants’ Prepaid Passage from Londonderry to America

This prepaid third-class passage certificate, issued on 8 June 1903, documents the emigration of the Langan family—Robert, Margaret, and their infant son, Robert John—from Derry (Londonderry), Ireland, to Rochester, Pennsylvania, via New York aboard the Anchor Line’s SS Columbia.

This certificate illustrates the economic and logistical challenges of transatlantic migration. It provides insight into the immigrant experience, detailing how passage was often prepaid by family members in the U.S. who wanted to reunite with loved ones.

This document links directly to Ellis Island records and provides crucial family details, including original spellings, ages, and places of origin.

The Anchor Line played a major role in Irish, Scottish, and Eastern European migration to America, making this document a valuable artifact in studying immigration trends.

The SS Columbia was a well-known immigrant ship, and this certificate provides a direct connection to one of its transatlantic crossings.

SS Hamburg (1904): Jewish Immigrant Family’s Journey from Russia to America

A Harrowing Voyage for the Breitmann Family

This third-class/steerage passage contract, issued on 6 July 1904, represents the emigration of the Breitmann family—Sloma, Riwa, and their four young children—from Hamburg, Germany, to New York aboard the Hamburg America Line’s SS Hamburg. It provides a rare glimpse into the immigrant experience for a Jewish-Russian family fleeing persecution and seeking a new life in America.

This contract showcases the complexity and risks of immigrant journeys in the early 20th century, as families left behind everything to travel in steerage conditions for a chance at a better life. It identifies six members of the Breitmann family, confirming ages, names, and places of origin, which is vital for tracing Jewish immigration records.

The Hamburg America Line was one of the most prominent transatlantic shipping lines, ferrying millions of Eastern European Jews, Germans, and other immigrants to the U.S. This document highlights the role of German ports in facilitating Jewish migration. The SS Hamburg was a significant immigrant steamship, and this contract provides direct insight into how families booked their journey.

SS Arundel Castle (1904): British Settlers’ Journey to South Africa on the Union-Castle Line

This passage contract, issued on 8 October 1904, documents the journey of Wm. G. Parker and Herbert Kerr aboard the RMS Arundel Castle, a Union-Castle Line steamship traveling from Southampton, England, to Cape Town, South Africa. This contract provides a valuable historical record of British migration to South Africa during the height of British imperial expansion.

This contract illustrates British migration patterns, the role of Union-Castle Line in colonial transportation, and the logistical aspects of long-distance ocean travel in the early 20th century. This document provides specific names, ages, and details of passengers traveling to South Africa in 1904, making it a valuable resource for family historians. The contract highlights the importance of British-controlled shipping lines, which were essential for the movement of officials, settlers, and laborers across the empire. The Union-Castle Line was a key player in British maritime trade, operating regular mail and passenger services between England and South Africa.

RMS Ivernia (1905): Scandinavian Migration to America – A Historic Passage Contract

A Steerage Ticket to the American Midwest This passage contract, issued on 11 March 1905, records the journey of Jens Julius Skafte, a 44-year-old Norwegian farmer, traveling from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Albert Lea, Minnesota, USA via Liverpool and Boston aboard the RMS Ivernia of the Cunard Steamship Company. This document provides a detailed glimpse into Scandinavian immigration to America in the early 20th century, showcasing the transatlantic migration routes, ticket costs, and contract conditions of the time.

This contract is an excellent primary source illustrating European migration patterns to America, the role of steamship companies in mass migration, and economic factors influencing immigration. This document is a vital record for tracing Scandinavian ancestry, pinpointing departure locations, ship names, and final destinations in America. Provides insights into the transportation infrastructure supporting immigration, including contracts, ticketing systems, and travel conditions for Scandinavian migrants. The RMS Ivernia, a well-known Cunard liner, was part of the migration boom, ferrying thousands of European immigrants to the U.S.

RMS Walmer Castle (1906): British Emigration to South Africa – A Historic Passage Contract

This steerage passage contract, issued on 12 November 1906, documents the voyage of Walter Bayley, a 27-year-old British emigrant, traveling from Southampton, England, to Natal, South Africa, aboard the RMS Walmer Castle of the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company. The document is an important primary source for studying British emigration to South Africa, revealing travel conditions, fare structures, and passenger rights under the Merchant Shipping Act of 1894.

This Contract provides insight into British migration to South Africa, including economic incentives, colonial expansion, and passenger conditions on long-haul voyages. It is an invaluable ancestral record confirming departure location, passenger identity, and destination, aiding those tracing British-South African family histories. It sheds light on South African-bound British emigrants, illustrating the role of steamship lines in imperial migration, and features the RMS Walmer Castle, a Union-Castle liner crucial to British-South African maritime travel, detailing passenger contracts and voyage conditions.

SS Laurentian (1907): An Irish-American’s Transatlantic Voyage – A Rare Passage Contract

This third-class passage contract, dated 20 July 1907, documents Mary McGovern's eastward journey from Boston to Londonderry, Ireland, aboard the SS Laurentian of the Allan Line. This ticket represents an agent’s record of the sale, detailing the cost of passage, agent commissions, and financial transactions between the ticketing agency and the Allan Line. This document reveals the intricate business of ocean travel, providing details not just about passengers, but also ticketing practices, pricing structures, and agent involvement in migration logistics.

SS Garka (1907): A British Colonial Voyage from Cape Town to England – A Rare Passage Contract

This third-class passage contract, dated 16 September 1907, records the travel of F. R. Peverall aboard the SS Garka of the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company, departing from Cape Town, South Africa, to England. The document provides a detailed look into early 20th-century maritime travel, outlining ticket pricing, terms and conditions, passenger rights, and luggage policies.

SS President Lincoln (1907): A Prepaid Voyage from Germany to America – A Rare Immigration Document

This prepaid passage contract, dated 20 November 1907, records the steerage travel of Heinrich Weise, his wife Anna, and their young son Richard aboard the Hamburg America Line’s SS President Lincoln. The family’s journey from Schippenbeil, Germany (modern-day Poland) to Ellsworth, Minnesota, via Cuxhaven and New York, represents a common immigration path for German families seeking a better life in the U.S.

A real-world immigration case study from the early 1900s. It validates ancestral migration records, linking to Ellis Island and U.S. Census records. It examines German migration patterns and prepaid ticket systems and details a significant immigrant steamship in the Hamburg America Line fleet.

📌 Why is this collection significant?

✔️ Firsthand documentation of immigrant voyages—revealing real names, departure cities, and destinations.

✔️ Offers insight into ticketing systems, pricing, and travel conditions for steerage, second class, and colonial passages.

✔️ Links directly to immigration records, ship manifests, and historical migration patterns.

✔️ Explores the roles of major steamship lines like White Star, Cunard, Hamburg America, and Union-Castle Line.

✔️ Ancestry research goldmine—these documents help trace family histories and migration routes.

🚢 Each document provides a direct connection to history—tracing the voyages of real people, some escaping persecution, others seeking new opportunities.

🌍 Who Would Find This Collection Valuable?

📖 Teachers & Students – An immersive way to study transatlantic migration, maritime history, and the immigrant experience.

🧬 Genealogists – Essential records for tracing ancestors, confirming migration paths, and identifying passenger details.

📜 Historians – Insights into early 20th-century immigration, steamship operations, and colonial expansion.

🛳 Maritime Enthusiasts – A detailed look at historic ocean liners and the evolution of long-distance passenger travel.

📜 Highlights of the Collection

Each passage contract offers unique insights into migration, ticketing, and transatlantic travel. Here are some of the most intriguing cases:

🚢 RMS Celtic (1902): A Swedish Immigrant’s Steerage Journey to America

🔹 Passenger: Ester Hilma Maria Magnuson

🔹 Route: Gothenburg, Sweden → New York

🔹 Why It’s Important:

✔️ Documents Swedish migration to America, linking to Ellis Island and U.S. census records.

✔️ Illustrates the hardships of steerage-class travel.

✔️ Reflects the role of White Star Line in the mass migration of Europeans.

🚢 RMS Saxonia (1903): A Danish Immigrant’s Journey to Pennsylvania

🔹 Passenger: Kristian Johannes Janson Sogen

🔹 Route: Frederikshavn, Denmark → Liverpool → Boston → West Branch, PA

🔹 Why It’s Important:

✔️ Explores Scandinavian migration to America, providing a rare look into ticketing practices.

✔️ Demonstrates how immigrants relied on rail connections after arriving in the U.S.

✔️ Cunard Line’s role in transatlantic movement is highlighted.

🚢 SS Columbia (1903): Irish Immigrants’ Prepaid Passage

🔹 Passengers: The Langan family—Robert, Margaret, and infant Robert John

🔹 Route: Londonderry → New York → Pennsylvania

🔹 Why It’s Important:

✔️ Illustrates how prepaid passage worked—many families had their tickets paid for by relatives in America.

✔️ A critical document for Irish immigration research.

✔️ Shows the significance of the Anchor Line in Irish migration.

🚢 SS Hamburg (1904): A Jewish-Russian Family’s Escape from Persecution

🔹 Passengers: The Breitmann family—Sloma, Riwa, and four children

🔹 Route: Hamburg → New York

🔹 Why It’s Important:

✔️ A powerful case of Jewish migration due to persecution.

✔️ Provides family details, making it a crucial genealogical resource.

✔️ Highlights the role of Hamburg America Line in transporting Jewish refugees.

🚢 SS Arundel Castle (1904): British Settlers’ Passage to South Africa

🔹 Passengers: Wm. G. Parker & Herbert Kerr

🔹 Route: Southampton → Cape Town

🔹 Why It’s Important:

✔️ Documents British imperial expansion and migration to South Africa.

✔️ Offers insights into the colonial transportation network of the Union-Castle Line.

✔️ A rare look at non-U.S. migration patterns.

🚢 RMS Ivernia (1905): A Norwegian Farmer’s Journey to Minnesota

🔹 Passenger: Jens Julius Skafte

🔹 Route: Copenhagen → Liverpool → Boston → Albert Lea, Minnesota

🔹 Why It’s Important:

✔️ A firsthand record of Scandinavian settlement in the Midwest.

✔️ Provides evidence of chain migration, where families moved in stages.

✔️ Illustrates economic conditions that prompted migration.

🚢 RMS Walmer Castle (1906): British Emigration to South Africa

🔹 Passenger: Walter Bayley

🔹 Route: Southampton → Natal, South Africa

🔹 Why It’s Important:

✔️ Details British migration patterns within the empire.

✔️ Examines the influence of the Merchant Shipping Act of 1894.

✔️ Explores labor migration within British-controlled territories.

🚢 SS Laurentian (1907): An Irish-American’s Return to Ireland

🔹 Passenger: Mary McGovern

🔹 Route: Boston → Londonderry

🔹 Why It’s Important:

✔️ Documents the return journey of an Irish-American immigrant.

✔️ Explores ticketing systems and agent commissions.

✔️ A valuable genealogical resource for those tracing Irish ancestry.

🚢 SS President Lincoln (1907): A Prepaid German Family’s Voyage to America

🔹 Passengers: Heinrich Weise, wife Anna, and son Richard

🔹 Route: Schippenbeil, Germany → Cuxhaven → New York → Minnesota

🔹 Why It’s Important:

✔️ Shows how prepaid tickets facilitated family reunification.

✔️ Highlights German migration patterns and settlement in the U.S. Midwest.

✔️ Examines the role of Hamburg America Line in transatlantic migration.

💰 Cost of Passage: Then vs. Now

💰 Early 1900s Ticket Prices: Varied from $25 (steerage) to $50+ (second-class).

💰 2020 Equivalent: Ranging from $800 to $3,000, based on modern inflation calculations.

📌 Did You Know?

✔️ Ticket costs varied based on class, route, and departure location.

✔️ Prepaid tickets were a common way for immigrants to afford their voyage.

✔️ Ticket prices also included meals and basic amenities.

🖼 Noteworthy Images in the Collection

🖼 📜 Original Passage Contracts – A rare collection of real immigration documents from the 1900s.

🖼 🚢 Historic Steamship Images – Featuring ships like the RMS Celtic, SS Columbia, and SS President Lincoln.

🖼 📄 Passenger Lists & Arrival Records – Connecting these contracts to Ellis Island and census documents.