Compiled
by Jonathan Webb Deiss, Washington, DC, May 2001
with assistance by Hazel S. Webb of St. Louis, Missouri and Rebecca Tipton of
Kansas City, Missouri who provided copies and transcripts of documents
originally distributed as family-reunion packets in the mid-1960’s. Updated 2002.
--
The Thomas and Marion Pennie Family of Kinrosshire,
Scotland emigrated to the United States aboard the Ship Statira Morse, leaving
Glasgow, Scotland in April 1853 and landing in New York, 6 June 1853 [1]. They came upon the suggestion and advice of
Marion Pennie’s brother (so far unnamed) and son, Daniel; both of whom had
emigrated in the previous years. It is
likely that Daniel Pennie came in 1850 or 1851. The true reasoning behind the
move is unclear, but one possible suggestion is offered by Isabel Scott Pennie
Webb :
In regards to reason for coming to America, My Mother thought maybe she could find her lost father whose name was Duncan Drummond. Guess that is Scotch enough name for anyone. Be that as it may, she also had a son and brother in America. Her father seemed to be haunted by the wish to go to America, but his wife (my grandmother) would say, “Oh, no, Duncan, that is too far away.” Well he said, “I’m going, and Mary (my mother) says she will go with me.” Sure enough, one fine day somewhere in the late twenties or early thirties he came up missing. When next we heard from him he was in New York.
Time
passed on and his little girl Mary married and when her eldest son became of
age he too embarked for America. He and
his father were together when the cholera swept over their community. Many victims were dying and those who were able
were fleeing to the Catskill Mountains.
Among them my grandfather, who at last became persuaded by his son to
go, as the son told him it was impossible for him to accompany him. And that is the last ever seen or heard of
my grandfather
When my brother Dan became a man, he also embarked
for the Land of the Free, and in due time his father’s family also crossed
over, and that is where your grandmother shone another time. We embarked on a ship named Statiry (sic)
Morse, queer name, wasn’t it? We sailed
six long weeks before setting foot on dry lad.
Encountered some storms whose mountain sized waves tossed us about. Had divers experiences, some rather funny,
others not so funny. The funny
ones I like to remember as I’m known for my sense of humor.
Up on deck I appropriated a quiet corner all mine own, where I could unmolested gaze and wonder at the sea and sky. Now sea sickness they tell me is a fearful sickness, and I guess by what I’m going to tell, ye will see for yourself.. One time I was walking with the Captain who had me by the hand. We came to a halt in front of a lady who had a very white face and whose head rested on a nice looking man’s shoulder. The Captain said to her, “Oh, Lady, ye are very sick, can’t we do something for you? Can’t your husband go ---“ She interrupted by suddenly lifting her head, and glancing at her companion said, “Oh, that’s not my husband, I don’t know whose husband it is,” and down went her head again on his shoulder. Now ye see a nice lady must be very sick to do a thing like that. Also the man must have been very sick to do a thing like that with such endurance. But I must hasten on so there will be time and space for a word about your other antediluvian ancestors.
Well, I said in due time we landed in New York,
where my Mother met her brother but they did not recognize each other. Also, my brother met us and he had a place
for us further west. [2]
A thorough search of records at the National Archives revealed a certain record of the ship’s landing in The Port of New York, New York City, New York on 6 June 1853 [3]. The Statira Morse is not an unknown vessel; an article in the New York Herald, 26 October 1853 lists the Statira Morse as arriving in New York from Glasgow with 201 passengers aboard, noting that 2 passengers died of cholera. According to the Magellan database, the Statira Morse was sailing as early as 1850, Captained by James Morse. The ship made a trip to London from Ireland, England and Hungary 25 November 1850 (no info on crew of cargo). [4]
6 June 1853, Ship Statira Morse, Glasgow, Chn: “,
19, Cab: “ (check mark), 321 4466 [5]
“I, A. G. Lawton, do hereby solemnly, sincerely and
truly swear that the following list of manifest of passengers subscribed with
my name, and now delivered to me by the collector… …of all passengers received on board the Ship Statira Morse,
whereof I am master from Glasgow.
Sworn to this 6 June 1853
List or manifest of all passengers taken on board
the Ship Statira Morse, whereof Lawton is Master from Glasgow, burthen 581
tons.
No., Names, Age, Sex, Occupation, County (from),
Country (to)
1, James Howie, 30, male, Quarryman, Scotland,
United States
--
11, Isabella Scott, 50, female, spinster, Scotland,
United States
--
59, Th Penny, 50, male, Mason, Scotland, United
States
60, Mrs Mary do, age 46, female, wife, Scotland,
United States
61, Joan do, 20, female, spinster, Scotland, United
States
62, Janet do, 19, female, spinster, Scotland, United
States
63, Peter do, 12, male, child, Scotland, United
States
64, Isabella do, 10, female, child, Scotland, United
States
65, John do, 5, male, child, Scotland, United States
--
Considering the odd name of the ship, Statira Morse, it seemed easy enough to track down its origins, but the task has been challenging. Recently some evidence has come forth that indicates that the ship was constructed in Maine. On a tip, I performed a preliminary search of census records for the town of Phippsburg and uncovered a record of a woman named Statira and a large Morse family residing there. Although inconclusive, it is persuasive evidence that the ship was constructed by the Morse family and named for Statira, who in the 1850 Census transcript is married to Eli Perry.
244/283, Richard Morse, 69, Male, White, Farmer,
2500, Maine
244/283, Jane Morse, 69, Female, White, na, na,
Maine
244/283, John G. Morse, 29, Male, White, Ship
Carpenter, na, Maine
244/283, Huldah Brown, 41, Female, White, na, na,
Maine
244/283, Marcia Perry, 24, Female, White, na, na,
Maine
244/284, Eli Perry, 37, Male, White, Mariner, na,
Maine
244/284, Statira Perry, 32, Female, White, na, na,
Maine
244/284, Caroline N. Perry, 5, Female, White, na,
na, Maine, in school
Sources :
[1] M237 Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New
York 1820-1891 Roll 127 June 4-17, 1853. National Archives and Records
Administration, Washington, DC. Viewed April 2001.
[2] Letter written by Isabel Scott
Webb – at age 84 years. Roseburg, Oregon, 15 July 1928.
[3] M237 Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New
York 1820-1891 Roll 127 June 4-17, 1853. National Archives and Records
Administration, Washington, DC. Viewed April 2001.
[4] Ship date obtained online
(http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/newyork1853.html) and Magellan – The Ships
Navigator (http://208.249.158.172/magellan/)
[5] M-1066 7 Registers of Vessels Arriving at New
York from Foreign Ports, 1789-1919; Jan 1 1849 – Apr 30, 1855. Loc
10-75-4. National Archives and Records
Administration, Washington, DC. Viewed April 2001.
[6] M237 Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New
York 1820-1891 Roll 127 June 4-17, 1853. National Archives and Records
Administration, Washington, DC. Viewed April 2001.
[7] 1850 Federal Census of the United States. National Archives and Records
Administration, Washington, DC.
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