Ellis Island Passenger Lists - 1917

Passenger lists for 1917 represent the souvenir list provided to the passengers of each cabin class (and other classes). Many of these souvenir passenger lists have disappeared over the years. Our collection primarily covers North American and European ports and ports in Australia and South Africa.

Our collection contains samples of passenger lists produced and printed by the steamship lines. These lists are often used to illustrate family history books for immigrants from this period.

Coveted by collectors and genealogists, souvenir passenger lists often offered beautiful graphical covers and information not found in official manifests because they focused on the journey rather than the destination.

Passenger Lists By Year Continued

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• 1916
• 1917
• 1918
»

Please help us make our passenger list collection more complete. We would appreciate a digital copy if you have an 1917 souvenir passenger list. Please email us at history@ggarchives.com.

Recap and Summary of the Ellis Island Passenger Lists - 1917

The Ellis Island Passenger Lists for 1917 offer a rare glimpse into ocean travel during the most critical year of World War I. By this time, the war had reached a turning point, and transatlantic travel was increasingly dangerous due to German unrestricted submarine warfare. Many of the great ocean liners that once carried thousands of passengers across the Atlantic had been requisitioned for wartime service, either as troop transports or hospital ships.

In April 1917, the United States officially entered the war, further altering the landscape of ocean travel. Passenger ships now sailed under constant threat of attack, and convoy systems were introduced to protect Allied vessels from German U-boats. This year saw a sharp decline in civilian voyages, with only a handful of neutral and military-allied liners continuing transatlantic service.

 

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Notable Highlights from the 1917 Passenger Lists

1. SS Espagne (CGT French Line) – 11 February 1917

• Route: New York to Bordeaux
• Class of Passengers: First and Second Class
• Commander: Captain Laurent
• Significance:
  • This voyage took place two weeks before Germany officially resumed unrestricted submarine warfare (February 1, 1917), a policy that would eventually lead to the U.S. entering the war.
  • The French Line (CGT) continued operating despite the war, primarily transporting passengers and supplies between France and the U.S.

 

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2. RMS Orduña (Cunard Line) – 17 March 1917

• Route: Liverpool to New York
• Class of Passengers: Saloon and Second Cabin
• Commander: Thomas McComb Taylor
• Significance:
  • Less than a month before the U.S. entered the war, this voyage took place under high-risk conditions due to ongoing U-boat attacks.
  • The Orduña had already survived a near-miss torpedo attack in 1915 while carrying American passengers, an event that contributed to growing anti-German sentiment in the U.S.
  • By late 1917, the Cunard Line had lost several ships to German submarines, and the Orduña itself was later repurposed as a troopship.

 

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3. SS Chicago (CGT French Line) – 23 July 1917

• Route: New York to Bordeaux
• Class of Passengers: Cabin
• Commander: Captain Bourdeaux
• Significance:
  • By mid-1917, civilian travel to France was extremely limited, as most ships were being used for war-related transport.
  • The Chicago's voyage was likely essential for carrying diplomats, military personnel, and Red Cross workers to France, which had become a major battleground.
  • As the U.S. ramped up troop deployments, ships like the SS Chicago played a role in maintaining supply lines between America and Europe.

 

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4. SS St. Louis (American Line) – 31 October 1917

• Route: Liverpool to New York
• Class of Passengers: First and Second Class
• Commander: Captain H. Hartley
• Significance:
  • By late 1917, the American Line was heavily involved in war transport, with most of its vessels carrying U.S. troops and supplies.
  • The SS St. Louis was one of the last remaining passenger ships under civilian operation, though it was later converted for military use.
  • This voyage likely carried war refugees, diplomats, and American military personnel returning from Europe.

 

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5. RMS Baltic (White Star Line) – 22 December 1917

• Route: Liverpool to New York
• Class of Passengers: First and Second Class
• Commander: Captain W. Finch
• Significance:
  • The Baltic was one of the few White Star Line ships still making civilian voyages in late 1917, as many others had been requisitioned for the war.
  • This ship was part of wartime convoys, traveling in groups for protection against German U-boat attacks.
  • Later in 1918, the RMS Baltic would play a role in transporting American troops to Europe, highlighting how quickly civilian liners were integrated into military efforts.

 

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Key Historical Events That Affected Ocean Travel in 1917

1. The U.S. Declares War on Germany (April 6, 1917)

• Following repeated U-boat attacks on American and Allied ships (including the Lusitania sinking in 1915 and Germany's resumed unrestricted submarine warfare in early 1917), the United States officially entered World War I.
• This led to a sharp decline in civilian transatlantic travel, as most ocean liners were converted into troopships or hospital ships.

 

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2. The Expansion of the Convoy System (Mid-1917)

• To counter the U-boat threat, the British Royal Navy introduced the convoy system, grouping ships together with military escorts.
• Passenger ships, including the RMS Baltic and SS St. Louis, began traveling in convoys for protection.
• The system helped reduce losses, but passenger travel was still extremely risky, as even convoyed ships were occasionally torpedoed.

 

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3. The German U-Boat Campaign Intensifies

• Unrestricted submarine warfare reached its peak in 1917, leading to the highest number of ships sunk during the war.
• This made civilian travel nearly impossible, except for a few essential diplomatic and refugee voyages.
• Many passenger liners, including several from the French Line (CGT) and Cunard, had to be reinforced with defensive measures, such as camouflage paint and deck guns.

 

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Conclusion – 1917: The End of Civilian Transatlantic Travel

• By the end of 1917, most major passenger ships had been taken over for military use, with only a few still operating for essential civilian travel.
• Ships that did make transatlantic voyages faced the constant danger of U-boat attacks, leading to dramatic changes in ocean liner operations.
• The implementation of the convoy system helped protect ships, but transatlantic voyages were now dominated by troop movements, wartime supply shipments, and diplomatic missions.
• By 1918, civilian passenger travel was almost nonexistent, and Ellis Island saw far fewer immigrant arrivals than in previous years.

The 1917 passenger lists provide a rare look at one of the last years of civilian ocean liner travel before it was almost completely absorbed into the war effort.