I'm new to the UKR-SIG, but have been connected with the LITVAKSig for quite
some time now.

I've been going through my research lately due to the coming Conference and
went into the Ellis Island database once again in hopes of finding updated
info. or something that I hadn't seen before.

I noted that my grandmother's (paternal) family, Stellman, was travelling
with an elderly woman (with the surname of Speinkeb, or maybe Tpeinkeb or
Fpeinkeb), whom I was certain was related to them in some way (>from what
was then Elisawetgrad/ present day Kirovograd).

Now that I actually saw the Ship's manifest, I have confirmed that she is
related. Although she had a different surname, she is related and the
discrepency in surname could have a number of explainations. In any case,
this woman's name was totally crossed out with a very dark pen with no
writing next to it and with no "deported"stamp next to name. Is it safe to
assume that she died during the voyage? (we're talking July of 1906 here)
And if so, does anyone know what was done with those who died during the
course of the voyage to America? Can anyone recommend a book that goes into
detail of such voyages, besides "Where they Once Walked"?

I appreciate hearing >from any of you privately.

Ellen Wallace-Boermeester, Netanya, Israel

this woman's name was totally crossed out with a very dark pen with no
writing next to it and with no "deported"stamp next to name. Is it safe to
assume that she died during the voyage? (we're talking July of 1906 here)
And if so, does anyone know what was done with those who died during the
course of the voyage to America?

John Colletta, in "They Came in Ships" (p. 36) states:

"Many Customs Passenger Lists included a separate column for
recording births and deaths that occurred while the vessel was
traveling to North America. On lists that did not have such a
column, the information was added at the end of the list as the
events occurred."

So you could look at the end of the manifest to see if there is a list
of passengers who died during the voyage, and if this woman's
name appears there.

It seems more likely to me, however, that her name being crossed
out indicates that she never boarded the ship. I have an example in
my wife's family where the name of her aunt appears in a manifest
but is crossed out. Her name appears a second time in the
manifest for the same ship on its next voyage to America. It
seems that she missed the first voyage for some reason.


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