One of the goals of any genealogist is to track the ancestors across the pond to the United States. There are several websites with passenger lists to help. Sometimes it is very hard to identify one’s ancestors due to name spellings and name changes. Very seldom is the port of departure known which makes the search difficult.
In the Gabel family I believe I have correctly identified my husband's great grandparents on their arrival in the United States, on 10 June 1907. The passengers were Heinrich (Heinrich Phillip) Gebel, age 41, Mary, (Katherina Margaret) age 39, Philip, (Heinrich August) age 5, Catherine, (Molly) age 3 and Anna, 11 months. Anna’s name has a line drawn through it. The ship, SS Arconia left Libau (Libau, the German name for Liepāja, Latvia) on 20 May 1907. Heinrich Phillip stated that they were going to his brother’s; Henry Gebel at 925 S. W, in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Crowding in from Europe --- Ten Steamers Bring 2,003 Cabin and 7,323 Steerage Passengers
The Russian East Asiatic line's steamship, Arconia, arrived last evening from Libau and Rotterdam. She brought five cabin and 1,124 steerage passengers and some general cargo. She will dock at Beard's stores, but there is a long list of ship ahead of her before her passenger can be landed. Ten passenger steamers arrived yesterday and Saturday:.......(newspaper clipping from The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) 10 June 1907, page 7, Column 3.
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Main Office; Corner of Washington and Johnson Streets., Brooklyn. Telephone call (for main office and all Brooklyn branches), No. 6200 Main
(Newspapers.com) viewed 24 April 2017
On 13 May 1907, the passenger ship, SS Noskwa set sail from Libau and arrived in New York on 31 May 1907. On board was August Gebel, age 26, his wife Catherina, age 23 and Anna, 11 months, and a line was drawn through her name. They were going to Heinrich Gebel, 925 S. W., Lincoln, Nebraska.
Heinrich Phillip & August are both going to their brother, Heinrich or Henry Gebel at the same address in Lincoln, Nebraska. Research has proven that Phillip & August are brothers. And they had a brother Henry.
But Anna?? Who is she? And why is her name crossed out on the passenger list? Research at Ellis Island indicated she was never on a ship. What happened to her in Lativa? Was Anna sick at first sailing and her uncle agreed to take her 7 days later? Did she pass away in Latvia? Is there a grave? Is there a death record?
Many questions but doubtful if the answers to Anna will ever be discovered.
