Interpreting Passenger List Annotations

As I research my nephews Italian Ancestors I am fascinated to learn that many of the young men came to America first (about late 1890s) and sent for their families 2-4 years later. (Early 1900's) The place these young men arrive at is Bronx New York. All the stereotype of Hollywood Italian Young Thugs come to mind. I am fascinated to learn about the ships, the conditions of the travel, and arrival of these brothers and cousins coming to America.

But once the families arrive, These young families then migrated quite quickly across the USA through Ohio and end up in Santa Clara Valley, California. They become the orchard workers, cannery operators for which the Santa Clara Valley is so richly known for. These brothers were a BIG part of the developement and glory of the Santa Clara Valley and their story is worthy to be perserved.



But getting back to my research I am thankful for all the help genealogists are afforded in 2009. Believe me I started my research in 1970s and genealogy has changed a lot!!

I read the manifest and New York Newspapers for the arrival and condition of travel articles and was quite satisfied with my findings. Until I happened on the following resource just this week. WOW WOW I feel like a flood of information has been opened to me. I imagine in 10 or 20 years from now with all these findings and learning, I could maybe someday call myself a genealogist!!!



A Guide to Interpreting Passenger List Annotations
by Marian L. Smith
Historian, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service

with the assistance of
Elise Friedman,
Flora Gursky, and Eleanor Bien


Passenger Lists or manifests. Every genealogist and his sister wants to find one. But after years of searching, many find a document that raises as many questions as it answers. This is especially true of passenger lists dating after 1892, which are frequently found to have a variety of markings, codes, and annotations squeezed into the margins and small blank spaces above and behind information written in the list form's columns




There continues to be pitfalls, and the need to double and triple your resources. There is still a need to verify the departure list, the arrival lists, the immigration list, oath of alligence lists etc. Yet with these new decoding of annotations some of this information gives you clues as to the next place to look. But it never ends ...... never .... I just hope to give a direction for those, whom are bitten by the genealogy bug, next to pick up the work.