Barque Selma
Captain Orrin Sellew
From New York via Cape Horn
Passage:
Once news of California's Gold Rush reached the East Coast, groups of men began forming Mining Companies to help defray the great expenses of reaching the gold fields, and with the hope of having more success by banding together. The groups chartered or purchased a ship, many of which were extremely small, and sailed from their homes to the fields of gold. It was a long, difficult journey, and some members left their ship on ports enroute, other groups disbanded by the time they reached San Francisco due to the extreme tensions on board during their five and six month journeys in cramped quarters. And some were penniless by the time they reached the Pacific because of underestimating the cost of such a journey.
The 407 ton barque Selma was one of the Mining Company Ships. She was built in 1839 in Bridgeport, Connecticut and left New York on April 11, 1849 with 93 passengers and 14 crew. She arrived in San Francisco on October 6, 1849, after 177 days at sea around the Horn, via Rio de Janeiro and Valparaiso.
Cargo: Not listed.
Passengers:
The original document containing the following passenger list of the Selma (also referred to in papers as the Selman) , bound from New York for San Francisco is headed: "Report of Passengers on board Barque Selman, Orrin Sellew, Master From New York April 11th 1849 For San Francisco" It was owned in 1934 by Leslie N. Hale of Newington, Conn., grandson of Lorin G. Hale of East Hartford, Conn., one of the passengers of this ship.
Passengers:
Names Age Residence Occupation Butler, R.M. 45 New Hartford, Conn. Farmer Hayes, Henry E. 18 New Hartford, Conn. Farmer Bolles, Edward J. 29 Hartford, Conn. Tailor Brown, Samuel W. 47 Hartford, Conn. Physician Chaffee, Hesekiah 19 Hartford, Conn. Clerk Chaffee, S. Goodwin 33 Hartford, Conn. Clerk Dean, Henry 20 Hartford, Conn. Clerk Goodwin, Wm. A. 33 Hartford, Conn. Jeweller Grow, John Jr. 20 Hartford, Conn. Marble Cutter Hastings, B.B. 40 Hartford, Conn. Jeweller Kellogg, Reubin 38 Hartford, Conn. Mariner Moore, Merrick 17 Hartford, Conn. Farmer Pratt, Edward 25 Hartford, Conn. Farmer Sage, Henry R. 26 Hartford, Conn. Bookkeeper Sexton, Geo. K. 22 Hartford, Conn. Clerk Sexton, Wm. O. 30 Hartford, Conn. Clerk Smith, Julius P. 20 Hartford, Conn. Clerk Spencer, James 31 Hartford, Conn. Jeweller Sweetser, Henry P. 32 Hartford, Conn. Merchant Whittamore, A.S. 22 Hartford, Conn. Clerk Brown, Harvey G. 25 Newington, Conn. Farmer Gladding, LaFayette 19 Newington, Conn. Farmer Judd, Norton E. 19 Newington, Conn. Farmer Kelley, Francis 25 Newington, Conn. Farmer Kirkham, John S. 23 Newington, Conn. Farmer Rockwell, Robert R. 22 Newington, Conn. Wheelwright Sheppard, George 23 Newington, Conn. Farmer Green, Powell 40 Bloomfield, Conn. Stone Cutter Hubbard, Henry 29 Bloomfield, Conn. Carpenter and Joiner Humason, Charles A. 21 Bloomfield, Conn. Farmer Mitchell, Alfred G. 24 West Hartford, Conn. Farmer Mitchell, Charles E. 22 West Hartford, Conn. Farmer Ederton, Stiles 25 Windsor, Conn. Farmer Fox, E.H. 27 Windsor, Conn. Shoe Maker Hatherway, Duane G. 27 Windsor, Conn. Manufacturer Phelps, Henry A. 26 Windsor, Conn. Farmer Kinney, George 29 Norwich, Conn. Book Keeper Barricklor, John A. 22 New York City Clerk Nelson, Joseph B. 19 New York City Clerk Safford, John 23 Canterbury, Conn. Machinist Safford, Geo. W. 25 Canterbury, Conn. Machinist Brown, Albert 19 Colchester, Conn. Wheelwright Cutler, Alexander 21 Colchester, Conn. Farmer Fitch, A.G. 36 Colchester, Conn. Blacksmith Lord, Wm. B. 30 Colchester, Conn. Wheelwright Payne, Geo. R. 23 Colchester, Conn. Mariner Ransom, A.C. 30 Colchester, Conn. Farmer Smith, James H. 19 Colchester, Conn. Farmer Waterous, R.D. 22 Colchester, Conn. Shoe Maker Higley, T. Baxter 24 Collinsville, Conn. Farmer Ford, James M. 22 Rome, Mass (New York?) Farmer Sanford, Edward 25 New Britain, Conn. Farmer Heath, John 34 Groton, Conn. Sash and Blind Maker Morgan, Henry E. 24 Groton, Conn. Brittania Worker Hale, Lorin G. 27 East Hartford, Conn. Carpenter and Joiner Turner, Norton L. 35 East Hartford, Conn. Tool Maker Carver, Charles M. 24 Hebron, Conn. Carpenter and Joiner Gardner, H.B. 22 Hebron, Conn. Farmer Johnson, J.M. 20 Hebron, Conn. Farmer Elderkin, E.D. 22 Clinton, Conn. Tinner Abbott, Edwin H. 19 Hampton, Conn. Carpenter Culver, C.C. 28 Wethersfield, Conn. Blacksmith Griswold, W. 40 Wethersfield, Conn. Comb Maker Willman, C.C. 25 Killingworth, Conn. Machinist Maples, J. Jr. 23 Bosrah, Conn. Mason Virguson, S. 22 Bosrah, Conn. Farmer Morton, C. 21 South Coventry, Conn. Machinist Hutchans 28 Granby, Conn. Blacksmith Claude, H. Gross 19 Goshua, Conn. (Might be Goshen) Currier Johnson, Martin 41 Winsted, Conn. Blacksmith Coe, M.L. 26 Simsbury, Conn. Physician Brown, John 40 Tariffville, Conn. Tailor Chapman, H.D. 23 East Haddam, Conn. Stone Cutter Richmond, C.C. 24 East Haddam, Conn. Shoe Dealer
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