Linda, Marge, Jim, The actual films used by ancestry.com, Ellis Island and LDS are copies of films held by NARA. So, all information is the same. However, the transcriptions for indexing or soundexing are different and that's the problem. Consider this: several years ago I happened to spot a transcription of a passenger's name in the Ellis Island database: Drwngxn, Jranciszeh. Ancestry was a bit better in their transcription: Franciszek Dzwugen. Neither is correct though ancestry did get the given name correct. Back in the 1940s the Passenger Arrival Records were indexed/soundexed (depending on the time period of the manifests) by the WPA. Those certainly are not perfect. The indexes/soundexes have to be viewed at a branch of the NARA. Once the index/soundex card is found then an order is placed for a copy of the manifest itself. Then along came "Ellis Island" (the actual name of the foundation is longer) "who" decided to re-soundex the manifests up to 1924. Why did they re-invent the wheel? The real problem is that untrained people tried to read the names on these manifests. The volunteers were not necessarily (and most likely not) of the same heritage as the people on the manifests. Think how difficult it was for you to figure out your ancestor's correct given or surname and then think what it was like for a non-Pole to try to read a surname like Chrzaszcz! That can't be right! There are too many consonants and certainly too many Z's ! ;) Then along came ancestry.com who also decided the wheel needed to be invented again. Same song, different chorus but this one costs you! LDS did not index/soundex the Passenger Arrival Records. LDS has copies of NARA's indexes/soundexes but not the actual manifests. Hope that answers the questions. NARA or LDS is best, but in reality you can certainly start with Ellis Island and then go to ancestry.com (free at most public libraries). If you can't find your ancestors using Ellis Island or ancestry.com, don't give up. Try the LDS films or visit a branch of NARA. Not every branch of NARA has Passenger Arrival Records BTW. http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/passengers.html http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/nylists1820.html http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titlehitlist&columns=*%2C0%2C0&keyword=passenger+arrival+records&prekeyword=passenger+arrival+records A long time ago before the internet was invented we only had NARA and LDS and we had to go to those places for information. We couldn't even go online for basic info. Debbie Linda Johnson wrote: > What other results can be found by looking at the films as opposed to what > you see on ancestry.com or Ellis Island? Thank you. > Linda Johnson > Marge Clark wrote: Is there a difference between the microfilmed record at an NARA branch, Family History Center or viewing the film on Ancestry.com? Jim wrote: > Good Question! I always thought the films at > Ancestry.com would be the same as NARA or LDS. > Did I assume wrong? > Jim (the one in New York) > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Debbie Greenlee" <daveg@airmail.net> > To: <poland-roots@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 5:34 PM > Subject: Re: [POLAND] passenger lists > > >> It is always better to view the actual (even microfilmed) records >> yourself. >> >> I'm not sure what you meant "They are in alphabetical order according >> to the year at the History Centers?" >> >> Viewing the appropriate Passenger Arrival Record on microfilm, whether >> at a branch of NARA (National Archives Records Administration) or a >> rented film from LDS at a Family History Center can bring results you >> didn't get using ancestry.com or Ellis Island database. >> >> Debbie >> >> >> bbmay1 wrote: >>> What is your opinion of the lists of passengers arriving in the U.S.. >> They are in alphabetical order according to the year at the History >> Centers? How accurate are they? Or is it better to check the individual >> ships with their lists of the passengers that arrived on the ships? I >> hope you can follow me on this. >>

I can't agree more with Debbie. Most of the NARA New York passenger list index cards are typed and easy to read. My grandfather's name was butchered on the Ellis Island list, I can't find him in Ancestry but his NARA index card is spelled correctly. It was my first genealogy find many years ago and I felt as if I had hit the jackpot. I did hit the jackpot! Georgia -----Original Message----- From: poland-roots-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:poland-roots-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Debbie Greenlee Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2008 5:09 PM To: poland-roots@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [POLAND] passenger lists Linda, Marge, Jim, The actual films used by ancestry.com, Ellis Island and LDS are copies of films held by NARA. So, all information is the same. However, the transcriptions for indexing or soundexing are different and that's the problem. Consider this: several years ago I happened to spot a transcription of a passenger's name in the Ellis Island database: Drwngxn, Jranciszeh. Ancestry was a bit better in their transcription: Franciszek Dzwugen. Neither is correct though ancestry did get the given name correct. Back in the 1940s the Passenger Arrival Records were indexed/soundexed (depending on the time period of the manifests) by the WPA. Those certainly are not perfect. The indexes/soundexes have to be viewed at a branch of the NARA. Once the index/soundex card is found then an order is placed for a copy of the manifest itself. Then along came "Ellis Island" (the actual name of the foundation is longer) "who" decided to re-soundex the manifests up to 1924. Why did they re-invent the wheel? The real problem is that untrained people tried to read the names on these manifests. The volunteers were not necessarily (and most likely not) of the same heritage as the people on the manifests. Think how difficult it was for you to figure out your ancestor's correct given or surname and then think what it was like for a non-Pole to try to read a surname like Chrzaszcz! That can't be right! There are too many consonants and certainly too many Z's ! ;) Then along came ancestry.com who also decided the wheel needed to be invented again. Same song, different chorus but this one costs you! LDS did not index/soundex the Passenger Arrival Records. LDS has copies of NARA's indexes/soundexes but not the actual manifests. Hope that answers the questions. NARA or LDS is best, but in reality you can certainly start with Ellis Island and then go to ancestry.com (free at most public libraries). If you can't find your ancestors using Ellis Island or ancestry.com, don't give up. Try the LDS films or visit a branch of NARA. Not every branch of NARA has Passenger Arrival Records BTW. http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/passengers.html http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/nylists1820.html http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?dis play=titlehitlist&columns=*%2C0%2C0&keyword=passenger+arrival+records&prekey word=passenger+arrival+records A long time ago before the internet was invented we only had NARA and LDS and we had to go to those places for information. We couldn't even go online for basic info. Debbie Linda Johnson wrote: > What other results can be found by looking at the films as opposed to what > you see on ancestry.com or Ellis Island? Thank you. > Linda Johnson > Marge Clark wrote: Is there a difference between the microfilmed record at an NARA branch, Family History Center or viewing the film on Ancestry.com? Jim wrote: > Good Question! I always thought the films at > Ancestry.com would be the same as NARA or LDS. > Did I assume wrong? > Jim (the one in New York) > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Debbie Greenlee" <daveg@airmail.net> > To: <poland-roots@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 5:34 PM > Subject: Re: [POLAND] passenger lists > > >> It is always better to view the actual (even microfilmed) records >> yourself. >> >> I'm not sure what you meant "They are in alphabetical order according >> to the year at the History Centers?" >> >> Viewing the appropriate Passenger Arrival Record on microfilm, whether >> at a branch of NARA (National Archives Records Administration) or a >> rented film from LDS at a Family History Center can bring results you >> didn't get using ancestry.com or Ellis Island database. >> >> Debbie >> >> >> bbmay1 wrote: >>> What is your opinion of the lists of passengers arriving in the U.S.. >> They are in alphabetical order according to the year at the History >> Centers? How accurate are they? Or is it better to check the individual >> ships with their lists of the passengers that arrived on the ships? I >> hope you can follow me on this. >> ********************************* Need to contact the list manager? Write to Marie at Poland-Roots-admin@rootsweb.com ---------------------------------- Discussion of Polish food, culture, and customs are welcome on the list as long as the discussion stays pertinent to the topic of this list: researching our Polish roots. ---------------------------------- Browse the list's archives here: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index?list=poland-roots Search the list's archives here: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/search?aop=1 ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to POLAND-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message