Ships Lists of German Passengers, 1727-1808

About This Collection

Images of official records of the arrival of foreign passengers at the port of Philadelphia that were required to be kept by captains of ships importing strangers into the province beginning in 1727. Originally, the captains were intended by the Provincial Council to record the names, occupations, and places of residence of all such passengers. Most of the so-called A Lists, however, give the names of adult male passengers only, though twenty-five captains also recorded the names of women, and children. Three captains gave the names of both men and women while omitting children and sixty-four captains also provided the ages of passengers, though this information was not required. The B Lists consist of the signatures required of the passengers to the oath of allegiance to the British Crown and a declaration of fidelity to the proprietor of the province. These were supposed to include the names of all adult male passengers but actually contain only the names of adult male passengers who were well enough on the day of the signing to appear at the courthouse. After 1739, the Clerk of Council signed the names of absent passengers. The C Lists contain the signatures of passengers who signed the Declaration of Fidelity and Abjuration that was required by the Act of May 10, 1729. This Act required all male passengers who were at least sixteen years of age to, within forty-eight hours after their arrival, take both an oath of allegiance that acknowledged the supremacy of the King and an oath of abjuration of the authority of the Pope. The abjuration declared impious and heretical that wicked Doctrine and Position that Princes Excommunicated or deprived by the Pope, or any Authority of the See of Rome, may be deposed or murthered (sic) by their Subjects . . . (and) that no Foreign Prince, Person, Prelate, State or Potentate hath, or ought to have, any Power, Jurisdiction, Superiority, Preeminence or Authority, Ecclesiastical or Spiritual, within the Realm of Great Britain or Dominions thereunto belonging.

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Ships Lists of German Passengers (Roll 4229)
Ships Lists of German Passengers (Roll 4230)
Ships Lists of German Passengers (Roll 4231)