Immigration in 1853

Knowing that many of my Graf relatives arrived in New York on June 1, 1853, I decided to check some newspaper accounts of immigrant arrivals.  I found this article in the New York Daily Times, 01 June 1853.  In just three days about 9,000 immigrants (some of the numbers below are difficult to read, as is the total)  poured into New York's harbor on 31 different ships!

I was curious about the cost of passage between Europe and the United States and found this advertisement, again in the New York Daily Times 03 June 1853.  The lowest fare listed at $60 (second cabin) in 1853 would be equivalent to $1,825 in 2016.

Valentine and Barbara Graf and their family, Peter Graf and his family aboard the Charles Hill arriving in New York harbor on June 1, 1853.

The arrival of the Charles Hill is noted in the June 1, 1853 New York Daily Times.  It was a voyage of 40 days and brought 342 passengers.

From 1848 to 1854, approximately 773,000 Germans emigrated to America.  The Duchy of Nassau had the highest per capita emigration rate in the 1800s.  (German Interest Group - Wisconsin Newsletter, 14, 4 February 2007).  Other interesting facts about German emigration can be found on this site: German Genealoger.

Today's route from Rockenhausen to Le Havre would take about seven hours.

Read more about the Port of Le Havre in Kathy Gosz's very informative account on her blog HERE.