Passenger Lists: San Francisco 1800s


Barque Selma

Arrive San Francisco

October 6, 1849
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.

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.

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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Sources: As noted on entries and through research centers including National Archives, San Bruno, California; CDNC: California Digital Newspaper Collection; San Francisco Main Library History Collection; and Maritime Museums and Collections in Australia, China, Denmark, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Wales, Norway, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, etc.

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