My grandfather arrived in San Francisco in 1909 on the ship ‘Nebraskan’. I believe he worked for his passage and think the ship may have sailed from New York. Could you please direct me to a source where I can find out about how long this trip took? Finding information for the years between 1907-1909 seems to be non-existent and I’m trying to follow my grandfathers immigration to California by way working on steamers from England to Africa to New York and finally California. Your help is most appreciated.
Thank you, Denise Cortelyou
Editor’s Note: Most of the site research focuses on shipping during the 1800s, specifically passengers arriving in San Francisco. However, a many newspaper articles include the Nebraskan, including her time from New York around the Horn. A few are included below. More on the freighter are now on the main site: The Freighter Nebraskan. Interesting to note that the Nebraskan was one of the first freighters through the Panama Canal.
Additional information can be found in research sites listed on this page: Resources. The National Archives has original manifests, and Lloyds of London insures ships so either should have additional information.
October 12, 1902
The freighter Nebraskan, Captain Delano, arrived yesterday, 65 days from New York and two days from San Diego. She brought a large cargo and reports as uneventful passage.
June 2, 1903, Los Angeles Herald
Pilot Returns Home
SAN FRANCISCO, June 1.—Captain G. Wallace, the pilot who was taken to sea on the steamer Sonoma because of the rough weather outside the Golden Gate, returned from Honolulu today on the steamer Nebraskan.
July 7, 1903, San Francisco Call
Nebraskan Meets Heavy Weather
The American-Hawaiian Steamship Company’s Nebraskan, which arrived yesterday from Honolulu, encountered heavy weather throughout the voyage. Her cargo consisted of 42,446 bags of sugar, 213 tons of scrap iron and 44 tons of general merchandise.
March 28, 1904, Los Angeles Herald
BURNED OIL ON TRIP AROUND HORN
Successful Test of the Nebraskan
NEW YORK, March 27.—The American-Hawaiian line steamer Nebraskan arrived today from San Francisco and San Diego, with a large cargo of wine, etc. The Nebraskan is fitted with an equipment to burn oil as fuel. She left San Francisco January 23 and used the oil continuously and successfully throughout the voyage, enabling her to steam direct to New York without making the usual stops at coal ports. The Nebraskan left San Francisco with two tons of coal on board.
June 12, 1904, Los Angeles Herald
OIL BURNING STEAMER MAKES TRIP AROUND HORN
SAN FRANCISCO, June 11.—Nine thousand six hundred and thirty-four barrels of oil were consumed as fuel in bringing the freight steamer Nebraskan to port from New York. The trip occupied fifty-two days and ten hours. The oil burning appliances were never out of order. This is looked upon as remarkable, in view of the fact that the voyage of the Nebraskan is tho longest ever dependent wholly upon oil for fuel.
October 30, 1904, San Francisco Call
The Nebraskan Safe.
In the accounts of the great water front fire in Brooklyn Thursday, October 28. it was announced that the American-Hawaiian steamships American, Arizonian and Nebraskan were among the vessels destroyed. A later dispatch reports that the American and Arizonian had escaped the flames, but no mention was made of the Nebraskan. It is now known, however, that that splendid ship sailed from New York for San Francisco October 1 5 and is far down the Atlantic by this time.
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Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an really long comment but after I clicked
submit my comment didn’t appear. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all
that over again. Anyway, just wanted to say excellent blog!