Coming to America
George Fredrich Hellbusch , born 31 DEC 1871 in Wiefelstede, Oldenburg Germany (Son of Heinrich born 21 DEC 1829) came to America in 1886. He arrived in Baltimore June 2, 1886.
According to a recording of George Hellbusch, it took 3 days to "land in Columbus" from Baltimore by train. He traveled with 3 other relatives as recorded on the passenger list.
We do know that George Fredrich Hellbusch came before his father immigrated to America which was in 1887. It is believed that George came because of Johann Heinrich's urging.
See the ship passenger records below for George Hellbusch
Eilerd Hellbusch (Born 17 MAY 1869 Died 20 DEC 1927) was the son of Herman and came with Grandpa George and Eilerd's sister Anna. Eilerd's Americanized name was Eilert and he was the first Postmaster at Oldenbusch. (See article later).
The fourth relative was listed as Frederick.Hellbusch (Born 10 MAY 1872 and Died 29 JAN 1943 at Gilead, NE/ He was the second to the youngest son of Herman (25 JUN 1833).
The ship they traveled on was the SS Weser with the following information:
WESER (2)
The SS"Weser" was built in 1867 by Caird and Co.of Greenock, Scotland for Norddeutscher Lloyd (North German Lloyd). She was an iron built ship of 2870 gross tons, length 325ft x beam 40ft, clipper stem, one funnel, two masts, single screw and a speed of 11 knots. There was accommodation for 60-1st, 120-2nd, and 700-3rd class passengers. She was launched on 19/3/1867 and left Bremen on her maiden voyage to Southampton and New York on 1/6/1867. In 1881 she was fitted with compound engines by her builders and on 13/6/1895 she sailed on her last trip to New York and Baltimore and was then transferred to the Bremen - S.America service for two round voyages. She was scrapped in 1896.[North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.2, p.544-5] Upper deck referred mainly to 1st class passengers. Steerage or 3rd class lived in the bowels of the ship where conditions were fairly primitive. A good description of passenger conditions is given in a book called Port Out, Starboard Home by Anna Sproule ISBN 0 7137 852255 X. It deals with P&O vessels but is typical of the time. [Posted to the Emigration-Ships Mailing List by Ted Finch - 17 August 1997]
Weser-1867-North German Lloyd. Built by Caird & Company, Greenock, Scotland. Tonnage: 2,871. Dimensions: 351 feet by 40 feet. Single screw, 11 1/2 knots. Inverted engines. Two masts and one funnel. Iron hull. Launched, March 19, 1867. Maiden voyage: Bremen (Germany)- Southampton (United Kingdom)- New York (United States). Re-engined with compounds in 1881. Speed increased to 13 1/2 knots. Scrapped in 1896. Running mates: America, Deutschland, Hansa, Hermann and Union. (From Passenger Ships of the World Past & Present, by Eugene W. Smith) - [Posted to The ShipsList by Aaron Hill - 8 June 1998]
The steamship WESER was built for Norddeutscher Lloyd (the second of four vessels of this name owned by the company) by Caird & Co, Greenock (vessel #137), and launched on 19 March 1867. 2,870 tons; 99,05 x 12,19 meters/325 x 40 feet (length x breadth); clipper bow, 1 funnel, 2 masts; iron construction, screw propulsion (tandem low-pressure single-expansion engine, 800-1,500 horsepower), service speed 11 knots; accommodation for 60 passengers in 1st class, 120 in 2nd class, and 700 in steerage; crew of 74 to 105. 1 June 1867, maiden voyage, Bremen-Southampton-New York. 1881, compound engines by Caird & Co; 1,300 horsepower, with reduced coal consumption. 13 June 1895, last voyage, Bremen-New York-Baltimore. 3 August 1895, first of two voyages, Bremen-South America. June 1896, sold to Italy for scrapping; delivery voyage as SERAVALLE (Italian flag); August 1896, scrapped at Genoa [Edwin Drechsel, Norddeutscher Lloyd Bremen, 1857-1970; History, Fleet, Ship Mails, vol. 1 (Vancouver: Cordillera Pub. Co., c1994), p. 39, no. 17 (photograph); Noel Reginald Pixell Bonsor, North Atlantic Seaway; An Illustrated History of the Passenger Services Linking the Old World with the New (2nd ed.; Jersey, Channel Islands: Brookside Publications), vol. 2 (1978), p. 545]. Photograph in Clas Broder Hansen, Passenger liners from Germany, 1816-1990, translated from the German by Edward Force (West Chester, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Pub., c1991), p. 31. - [Posted to the Emigration-Ships Mailing List by Michael Palmer - 10 June 1998]
WESER (5)
The steamship WESER was built for Norddeutscher Lloyd (the second of four vessels of this name owned by the company) by Caird & Co, Greenock (vessel #137), and launched on 19 March 1867. 2,870 tons; 99,05 x 12,19 meters/325 x 40 feet (length x breadth); clipper bow, 1 funnel, 2 masts; iron construction, screw propulsion (tandem low-pressure single-expansion engine, 800-1,500 horsepower), service speed 11 knots; accommodation for 60 passengers in 1st class, 120 in 2nd class, and 700 in steerage; crew of 74 to 105. 1 June 1867, maiden voyage, Bremen-Southampton-New York. 1881, compound engines by Caird & Co; 1,300 horsepower, with reduced coal consumption. 13 June 1895, last voyage, Bremen-New York-Baltimore. 3 August 1895, first of two voyages, Bremen-South America. June 1896, sold to Italy for scrapping; delivery voyage as SERAVALLE (Italian flag); August 1896, scrapped at Genoa [Edwin Drechsel, Norddeutscher Lloyd Bremen, 1857-1970; History, Fleet, Ship Mails, vol. 1 (Vancouver: Cordillera Pub. Co., c1994), p. 39, no. 17 (photograph); Noel Reginald Pixell Bonsor, North Atlantic Seaway; An Illustrated History of the Passenger Services Linking the Old World with the New (2nd ed.; Jersey, Channel Islands: Brookside Publications), vol. 2 (1978), p. 545]. Photograph in Clas Broder Hansen, Passenger liners from Germany, 1816-1990, translated from the German by Edward Force (West Chester, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Pub., c1991), p. 31. - [Posted to the Emigration-Ships Mailing List by Michael Palmer - 3 August 1998]
Grandpa George talks about this suicide on the recording. The man was sitting next to him and all at once he was gone. As you can see by the passenger list below, they all traveled in the "steerage" area. This was by no means first class travel. Be sure to listen to the recording!
