Passengers arriving at the Port of San Francisco


SS Moses Taylor ~ SS America

Arrive New York

November 20, 1862
Arrive New York from Nicaragua with passengers from San Francisco by the Moses Taylor

February 4, 1864 Steamer America, Captain Morton, cleared I. K. Roberts, San Francisco for Panama.

Arrive San Francisco

March 9, 1864
SS America
Thomas A. Morton, Commander
16 days from Panama; Passengers and freight to I. K. Roberts

March 10, 1864, Daily Alta California, San Francisco

The Opposition steamer America, from Panama, arrived on the morning of the 9th. The following are her memoranda, her passenger list having been published some days since.

Memoranda.

February 10th, on the down trip, overtook and passed the steamer St. Louis one day north of Acapulco. On the up trip, since leaving Acapulco, experienced severe northwesterly gales; was detained fourteen hours at Monterey for fuel.

The SS America arrived from San Francisco, on March 30, 1864 with 450 passengers, after experiencing bad coal and a leaky boiler enroute. The Captain also reported the deaths of Stewart Kennedy, a fireman, and L. Rowell, a passenger. These problems had cause them a delay of several days.

March 11, 1864, California Farmer and Journal of Useful Sciences.

Complimentary Vote of Thanks of the Passengers on board the Steamship America.

Complimentary from Panama Passengers.

March 14, 1864.
Cleared/Sailed
. Steamer America, Morton, Panama. I. K. Roberts

April 9, 1864
SS America
Thomas A. Morton, Commander
From San Francisco to Panama to connect with the Illinois for New York

Passage

Passengers from the SS Illinois, who left New York on March 14, 1864, were among those who boarded the SS America at Panama for the voyage North.

Departure of the SS America for Panama March 10, 1864 Ad.

Among the 786 passengers on the SS Illinois with through passage to California and the Pacific Northwest via the SS America were a group of 11 factory girls from Lowell, Massachusetts, referred to as "Mercer's Maids." One Asa Mercer had invited ladies to go West, specifically Seattle, where jobs and men were abundant. The ladies paid $250 each for the trip. After reaching San Francisco on the America, they sailed for Puget Sound and were welcomed by the residents of Seattle.

(For a second try in 1866, Mercer sought funds first, from the legislature, overeager investors, and equally overeager bachelors to whom he promised suitable wives. He spoke of returning with 700 belles, but finances were again dicey and he lured fewer than a tenth that many; thirteen of this group left the ship in San Francisco.)

Passengers

(Partial List)

Annie May Adams (Mercer Maid: Age 16, from Lowell, Mass.)
Antoinette Josephine Baker (Mercer Maid: Age 25, from Lowell, Mass.)
Sarah Cheney (Mercer Maid: Age 22, from Lowell, Mass.)
Aurelia Coffin (Mercer Maid: Age 20, from Lowell, Mass.)
Sara Jane Gallagher (Mercer Maid: Age 19, from Lowell, Mass.)
Ann Murphy (Mercer Maid: Age 24, from Lowell, Mass.)
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Ordway (Mercer Maid: Age 35, from Lowell, Mass.)
Daniel Pearson (Father to Josie and Georgianna, from Lowell, Mass.)
Josephine (Josie) Pearson (Mercer Maid: Age 19, from Lowell, Mass.)
Georgianna (Georgia) Pearson (Mercer Maid: Age 15, from Lowell, Mass.)
Catherine Stickney (Mercer Maid: Age 28, from Pepperell, Massachusetts)
Katherin Stevens (Mercer Maid: Age 21, from Pepperell, Massachusetts)
Rodolphus Stevens (Father to Katherin Stevens)

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Sources: As noted on entries and through research centers including National Archives, San Bruno, California; CDNC: California Digital Newspaper Collection; San Francisco Main Library History Collection; and Maritime Museums and Collections in Australia, China, Denmark, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Wales, Norway, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, etc.

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