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 |