Arrival: New York Harbor Date: May 24, 1869 John Atkinson / 22 / M / Miner / England / United States William Atkinson / 22 / M / Laborer / Emglamd / United States
Source Citation
Year: 1869; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: M237, 1820-1897; Microfilm Roll: Roll 311; Line: 25; List Number: 533
Source Information
Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
Original data:
Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897. Microfilm Publication M237, 675 rolls. NAI: 6256867. Records of the U.S. Customs Service, Record Group 36. National Archives at Washington, D.C.
Esther Atkinson-Babb, William's daughter, states that they came to America with some horses to be sold. Ships like this often carried animals in the hold and passengers above deck.
The husband of one of the cousins, I have lost his name, claimed that the boys came to America as crew on a cattle boat and jum[ed ship in New York. I believe that he had mixed his stories. John may have been working on a cattle boat in 1861 carrying cattle from the offshore islands to be sold in England. It is likely that he decided that this was not the life for him and jumped ship in England and returned home to work with his father.
This could explain why he appears to have been traveling as William's twin and with a fake occupation. He might have been afraid that someone could still be looking for him for jumping ship.
After selling the horses, they went on to Illinois where John found work. Then William returned to England with the money for the horses.
Ship Java
Arrival: New York Harbor Date: March 30, 1870 William Atkinson / 22 / M / Laborer / England / United States
Source Citation
Year: 1869; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: M237, 1820-1897; Microfilm Roll: Roll 311; Line: 25; List Number: 533
Source Information
Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
Original data:
Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897. Microfilm Publication M237, 675 rolls. NAI: 6256867. Records of the U.S. Customs Service, Record Group 36. National Archives at Washington, D.C.
William returns to America.
Esther Atkinson-Babb states that she did not know why they chose Lee County, Illinois. A quick check of census records shows quite a few Atkinson's living in Lee County during the 1860's, 70's, and 80's. Although, Esther does not mention any of them in her memoirs, it is quite possible that one of them may have been related and exchanged letters with the family. At least one family, headed by a Russell Atkinson, returned to England before 1880 and Esther may never have known about them.
Ship Europa (transcribed as Curopa)
Arrival: New York Harbor Date: July 4, 1872 John Atkinson /65 / M / Farm Lab / England / U.S. / Steerage Margaret Atkinson /50 / F / None / England / U.S. / Steerage Sarah Atkinson /31 / F / None / England / U.S. / Steerage James Atkinson /19/ M / Carpenter / England / U.S. / Steerage Margaret Atkinson /16 / F / None / England / U.S. / Steerage Joseph Atkinson /11 / M / None / England / U.S. / Steerage George Atkinson /9 / M / None / England / U.S. / Steerage Robert Atkinson /7 / M / None / England / U.S. / Steerage
Source CitationYear: 1872; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: M237, 1820-1897; Microfilm Roll: Roll 352; Line: 4; List Number: 85
Source InformationAncestry.com. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897. Microfilm Publication M237, 675 rolls. NAI: 6256867. Records of the U.S. Customs Service, Record Group 36. National Archives at Washington, D.C. Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957. Microfilm Publication T715, 8892 rolls. NAI: 300346. Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service; National Archives at Washington, D.C.
Esther Atkinson-Babb appears to have gotten her stories mixed up. William arrived the second time to Lee County in April 1870 and could have very well been caught in a snow storm with only twenty-five cents in his pocket. However, the family arrived in July 1872 -- much too late for snow.