aellis wrote: > > I do not know what port my Grandfather, John Biever/Biewer left from > near Borg, Prussia, however, he came through the Port of Detroit in June > 1873. He was on his way to Wisconsin. Since Detroit is on the Great > Lakes and borders Canada, I assume he came down the St. Lawrence River. > Was there a special reason why they came through Great Lake Ports. Alice Alice, Since the St. Lawrence Seaway wasn't built until the 1950s, it was not possible for trans-Atlantic ships to travel to Detroit in 1873. Usually passengers who took the water route to the Midwest disembarked in New York, took a steamer up the Hudson River to near Albany, then took the Erie Canal across New York to Buffalo. There they caught a Great Lakes steamer, which typically stopped in Detroit, Milwaukee, and Chicago. This was the typical route in the 1850s, however by the 1870s trains were a better and more frequent option for most immigrants. Hope this helps, Kathy Lenerz

Kathy Lenerz [email protected] Kathy, Thanks for your insight. I would like to pose one more related question. An ancestor of mine settled in Jefferson County WI in 1847. He stated in his first papers (citizenship) that he entered the US in "Buffalo, NY". One cousin suggests he must have actually disembarked in NY and taken the Erie Canal westward, as your typical route suggests. I have my doubts! I wonder if he might have immigrated via Canada (Port of Montreal?) then entered US at Buffalo. Since I haven't found any sources for "Buffalo immigration" this remains a mute point! Would someone who actually arrived in New York then traveled through Buffalo declare that he first entered US at that port? I would appreciate any insight! Thanks, Joe Schmitt (CA) aellis wrote: "I do not know what port my Grandfather, John Biever/Biewer left from near Borg, Prussia, however, he came through the Port of Detroit in June 1873. He was on his way to Wisconsin. Since Detroit is on the Great Lakes and borders Canada, I assume he came down the St. Lawrence River. Was there a special reason why they came through Great Lake Ports. Alice" Alice, Since the St. Lawrence Seaway wasn't built until the 1950s, it was not possible for trans-Atlantic ships to travel to Detroit in 1873. Usually passengers who took the water route to the Midwest disembarked in New York, took a steamer up the Hudson River to near Albany, then took the Erie Canal across New York to Buffalo. There they caught a Great Lakes steamer, which typically stopped in Detroit, Milwaukee, and Chicago. This was the typical route in the 1850s, however by the 1870s trains were a better and more frequent option for most immigrants. Hope this helps, Kathy Lenerz

Joe Schmitt wrote: > Kathy, Thanks for your insight. I would like to pose one more related > question. An ancestor of mine settled in Jefferson County WI in 1847. He > stated in his first papers (citizenship) that he entered the US in "Buffalo, > NY". One cousin suggests he must have actually disembarked in NY and taken > the Erie Canal westward, as your typical route suggests. I have my doubts! > I wonder if he might have immigrated via Canada (Port of Montreal?) then > entered US at Buffalo. Joe, I have heard of Buffalo being reported as an entry point before, but I can't remember when or for whom. Your suggestion of Montreal as a disembarkation port sounds plausible. I know that a lot from the British Isles went that route, but I don't know about those from the Trier area. Kathy

Hi Joe: My Schmitt ancestors came to Fond du Lac County, WI from Germany in August 1847 and say they came through "Port of Buffalo". I haven't found them in NY port records nor have I found them in any exit ports in Germany or France. Hope to try a Belgium port record sometime, if one is available. The Canadian port entry thought has been discussed on the list I see. So perhaps the Erie Canal transit route is what was used. I do know my Schmitt family came from Malborn, near Trier. Joanne (in CA) Joanne A. Smith Mello [email protected] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joe Schmitt" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2002 8:02 AM Subject: Re: [TRIER-ROOTS-L] German Ports > Kathy Lenerz [email protected] > > > Kathy, Thanks for your insight. I would like to pose one more related > question. An ancestor of mine settled in Jefferson County WI in 1847. He > stated in his first papers (citizenship) that he entered the US in "Buffalo, > NY". One cousin suggests he must have actually disembarked in NY and taken > the Erie Canal westward, as your typical route suggests. I have my doubts! > I wonder if he might have immigrated via Canada (Port of Montreal?) then > entered US at Buffalo. Since I haven't found any sources for "Buffalo > immigration" this remains a mute point! Would someone who actually arrived > in New York then traveled through Buffalo declare that he first entered US > at that port? I would appreciate any insight! Thanks, Joe Schmitt (CA) > > > aellis wrote: > > "I do not know what port my Grandfather, John Biever/Biewer left from near > Borg, Prussia, however, he came through the Port of Detroit in June 1873. > He was on his way to Wisconsin. Since Detroit is on the Great Lakes and > borders Canada, I assume he came down the St. Lawrence River. Was there a > special reason why they came through Great Lake Ports. > Alice" > > Alice, > Since the St. Lawrence Seaway wasn't built until the 1950s, it was not > possible for trans-Atlantic ships to travel to Detroit in 1873. Usually > passengers who took the water route to the Midwest disembarked in New York, > took a steamer up the Hudson River to near Albany, then took the Erie Canal > across New York to Buffalo. There they caught a Great Lakes steamer, which > typically stopped in Detroit, Milwaukee, and Chicago. This was the typical > route in the 1850s, however by the 1870s trains were a better and more > frequent option for most immigrants. > Hope this helps, > Kathy Lenerz > > ______________________________