Immigrant Ships
Transcribers Guild

Ship American Congress

I, S W Mathes Master of the American Congress do solemnly, sincerely and truly Swear that the following List or Manifest, subscribed by me, and now delivered by Me to the Collector of the Customs of the Collection District of New York,is a full and perfect list of all the passengers taken on board of the said Ship at London from which port said Ship has now arrived; and that on said list is truly designated the age, the sex, and the occupation of each of said passengers, the part of the vessel occupied by each during the passage, the country to which each belongs, and also the country of which it is intended by each to become an inhabitant; and that said List or Manifest truly sets forth the number of said passengers who have died on said voyage, and the names and ages of those who died.

So help me God.
(Signed) S W Mathes

Sworn to this 14 Sept 1858
Before me (Signed) JWhite DC

List or Manifest OF ALL THE PASSENGERS taken on board the Ship American Congress whereof Samuel Witt Mathes is Master, from London burthen 863 tons.

Columns represent: Name, Age, Sex, Occupation, The country to which they severally belong, The country to which they intend to become inhabitants, Died on the Voyage, and Part of the Vessel occupied by each passenger during the voyage. The Destination for all passengers was U.S.A./United States, no deaths were recorded on the voyage, and the Space Occupied for all passengers was "Between decks/Passenger Deck"; these columns have been omitted from the transcription.

  1  William Watness     35y   Male    Merchant      England
  2  Louisa Watness      24y   Female  Wife          England
  3  Henrietta Watness    5y   Female  Daughter      England
  4  William Watness      3y   Male    Son           England
  5  John Watness         2y   Male    Son           England
  6  Mary Ann Trafford   21y   Female  Servant       England
  7  Catherine Connor    35y   Female  Wife          United States
  8* John Connor          6y   Male    Son            
  9* Margaret Connor      ?y   Female  Daughter       
 10* Gab???id Herwinn    24y   Male    Farmer        Germany
 11* James Fl??ty        19y   Male    Painter       England
 12  George Evans        20y   Male    Butcher       United States
 13  John Buss           24y   Male    Butcher       United States
 14  Frederick Rippy     31y   Male    Tailor        United States
 15  Ellen Cording       22y   Female  Servant       Ireland
 16  Mary Lynch          24y   Female  Servant       Ireland
 17  Mary Warington      15y   Female  Servant       Ireland
 18* William Ra?ci?h     25y   Male    Baker         Germany
 19  John Bernard        31y   Male    Tailor        France
 20  Mary Ann Bernard    30y   Female  Wife          England
 21  Alfa Bernard         3y   Female  Daughter      England
 22  Felix Jolly         23y   Male    Tailor        France
 23  Mary Jolly          20y   Female  Wife          England
 24* ?dans Cavellia      29y   Male    Tailor        France
 25  Adam Leitner        48y   Male    Nailer        Germany
 26  Margantha Leitner   13y   Female  Daughter      Germany
 27  Friedrick Fridingen 29y   Male    Miller        Germany
 28* Phillip Wallra??t   2?y   Male    Farmer        Germany
 29* Masich Wallra??t    54y   Female  Mo?ther       Germany
 30* Barba? Manhorft     63y   Female  Wife          Germany
 31* He???netta Schmitt  48y   Female  Wife          Germany
 32  Frederick Schmitt   22y   Male    Son           Germany
 33  Charlott Schmitt    19y   Female  Daughter      Germany
 34  Adam Schmitt        15y   Male    Son           Germany
 35  Carl Schmitt        15y   Male    Son           Germany
 36  Heinrick Schmitt    11y   Male    Son           Germany
 37  George Coontack     23y   Male    Farmer        Germany
 38* George B???tock     30y   Male    Farmer        Germany
 39* Peter B???tock      16y   Male    Farmer        Germany
 40* Gottfried Ruff      3?y   Male    Tailor        Germany
 41* Sebastian Eysse??   33y   Male    Weaver        Germany
 42  Christian Strawn    36y   Male    Farmer        Germany
 43  Caroline Strawn     56y   Female  Wife          Germany
 44  Andrew Strawn       15y   Male    Son           Germany
 45  Carl Strawn         22y   Male    Son           Germany
 46  Johannes Strawn     22y   Male    Son           Germany
 47  T Schaeffer         26y   Male    Farmer        U.S.A.
 48* Peter R??lings      39y   Male    Farmer        U.S.A.
 49  Randolph Mulhouse   28y   Male    Cabinet Maker U.S.A.
 50  Berna?d Mayer       27y   Male    Clerk         France
 51  Elizabeth Fowers    35y   Female  Wife          U.S.A.
 52  John Fowers         11y   Male    Son           U.S.A.


Transcriber's Notes:

*  An asterisk indicates an error on the part of the original recorder, not the
   transcriber, or is used to call your attention to additional information in the
   Transcriber's Notes below.

?  The use of a ? indicates a word or letters that could not be read due to quality
   of the original document.

^  The use of a ^ indicates that the letter/letters following are superscripted.

The transcription preserves the original spelling.

The handwriting of this manifest was poor; additional research should be undertaken 
to confirm findings.

The manifest scribe did not number the passengers; the numbers have been added by 
the transcriber.

All ditto marks on the original manifest have been replaced with the actual words 
indicated.

The manifest scribe used vertical lines probably to indicate continuation/duplication 
of the last written word(s).

 8-9  Country of Origin and Destination omitted.
 9  Age partially faded, illegible, could be 6y.
10  Center letters of first name illegible.
11  3rd and 4th letters of surname illegible.
18  3rd and 6th letters of surname not clear, 3rd letter could be 'r' or 'v',
    6th letter could be 'a' or 'c'; Rarciah, Rarcich, Ravciah, or Ravcich.
24  1st letter of first name is faded, illegible.
28  2nd number of Age illegible.
28-29  7th and 8th letters of surname illegible.
30  Last letter of first name illegible.
31  3-5th letters of first name illegible.
38-39  2-4th letters of surname illegible.
40  2nd number of Age faded, illegible.
41  Ending of surname faded, illegible.
48  2nd and 3rd letters of surname illegible.

National Archives and Records Administration, Film M237, Reel 187, List 871.

Get all your genealogy books and CDs at one convenient location:
Genealogical Publishing Company

---

World Vital Records - An Affordable Option