Looking for relatives of Gunnar Ulrik Abildgaard Nielsen

[Lissa Pedersen]

On this link you will be able to see all churches in Denmark: http://www.slaegtogdata.dk/kilder/kirkebilleder

Lissa

[Ingrid Nielsen]

The earliest record yet - from West Coast of USA to Hawaii

Gunnar Nielsen age 17, Danish
Depart Tacoma, Washington, USA
aboard the ship Bolivia
Arrive Honolulu, Hawaii
26 DECEMBER 1925
working as a pantry boy
5 feet 8 inches, 135 pounds

Hi Jane

My brother and I have been looking at the ship manifest files that you posted. My brother is really interested in digging into these deeper, as he is also very interested in ships. Is there any further information on the actual vessels. My brother says lots of ships had the same name, and he would like to be able to isolate the exact ones.

Best,
Ingrid

[Jane C]

Hi Ingrid, I have no particular expertise in this, but let's try, and maybe someone here in the forum can help.

I know there are lists available (somewhere) of exact sailing dates of ships, so we could match them with Gunnar's sailing dates.

My assumption is that these are steamships, passenger ships. To be checked.

Let's start with the ship SS United States. Such a familiar name - it comes up again and again in Danish immigrant stories. My own paternal grandparents immigrated on this transatlantic passenger ship.

Here is my transcription of the record, from previous forum page: "A Gunner Nielsen age 17 departs Copenhagen and arrives New York 09 FEB 1926. Working as a galley boy (cook's helper). Ship's name: United States."

I would guess Gunner's ship is the same ship I am thinking of, but I'm not immediately seeing a sailing date list. It was part of the Scandinavia America Line. Link:
http://www.norwayheritage.com/p_shiplist.asp?co=scaal

Here is an account by William Elmgreen (1902-1990), a marine engineer on sister ship Frederick VIII, detailing life aboard, 1923-1925:
http://www.norwayheritage.com/articles/templates/mariners.asp?articleid=140&zoneid=7

An excerpt:
"We always docked on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River in New York Harbour, at a town called Hoboken, where the main street was Washington Street. It was about a mile long, with a Woolworth Store, lots of other shops and a picture theatre at the end. Hire cars travelled up and down the street continuously and you could get a ride for ten cents to the end or get off on the way. To get to New York, on the other side of the Hudson, you could either go by ferry to downtown New York or go by train through one of the tubes under the river and continue on the other side to Times Square in the centre of the City. New York Harbour is the greatest in the world."

Some images of the SS United States:
http://www.norwayheritage.com/gallery/gallery.asp?action=search

Photo of a third class dining saloon on the Hellig Olav, another sister ship, attached.

Passengers in first, second, and third class all had to be fed - and apparently Gunnar was one of the people tending to this important task. I think these ships did not so much provide a luxury voyage (as with our modern cruises). They were a means of basic transportation, getting people where they needed/wanted to go in the days before air flights. That said, of course first class passengers had a more luxurious experience, probably including their food and service.

To reply to this, IF you wish to do so without quoting an earlier post, look at the bottom of this post and click SVAR. 

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[Jane C]

From Wikipedia, below. This is the ship I am thinking of, because the ports and dates match Gunner's sailing:

The Scandinavian America Line was founded in 1898, when the DFDS (Det Forenede Dampskibs-Selskap - the United Steamship Company of Copenhagen) took over the steamship company Thingvalla Line. The passenger and freight service between Scandinavia and New York City was operated under the name Scandinavian America Line until 1935.[1]

One of the ships in the Scandinavian American Line was the SS United States. This ship was constructed in 1903 by A. Stephen and Sons in Glasgow. She was 10,095 tons and 500.8 feet long. Her captain was Captain Wulff. The United States made her maiden voyage on March 30, 1903; she sailed from Copenhagen to Christiana (present-day Oslo), Christiansand then on to New York by June 3, 1903. The United States left from Copenhagen on her last voyage on October 25, 1934. She was damaged by a fire on September 2, 1935 at Copenhagen and was scrapped that same year in Leghorn.

In 1935 the ship Fredrik VIII sailed the Scandinavian America Line's final voyage from New York to Copenhagen. The ship was scrapped in 1936. After that time, cargo and passenger service continued under the DFDS name


A larger faster SS United States is currently sailing, not to be confused with Gunnar's ship.

Ebay is auctioning memorabilia from the SS United States, but you'd need to look more closely to see if there are dates associated with the items. I can't tell what ship they come from. There are at least two different books for sale on Ebay, with history of the SS United States, but they look to me like they refer to the ship built in 1952. Further browsing might reveal more info/items of interest.  

[Jane C]

The link to pictures of the SS United States, which I posted above, does not take you to the right place (don't know why), but you can find the photos I intended in that website. Just browse a little.

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[Jane C]

I think maybe the Norway Heritage site sells these images. Lots more online.

Second class dining room, and a menu, from sister ships Frederik VIII and Helig Olav.

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[Jane C]

Having trouble finding the other ships. Meanwhile....more on Scandinavian American Line. Hoboken, New Jersey, USA, is part of the New York City metropolitan area.

Below, transcription of a brochure.

The Routes, Passage and Piers of the Scandinavian American Line - 1917
THE ROUTE AND PASSAGE

Scandinavian-American Line steamers sail from the company's dock, foot of 17th Street, Hoboken, N. J. (New York.) The route from New York is north of Scotland and the first port of call is Christiansand, Norway, where passengers, baggage and mail are landed. Then up the beautiful Christiania Fjord to Christiania, the capital of Norway, where sufficient time is spent to permit of short visits to see the beautiful city and its environs; and where tourists going to the North Cape to see the Midnight Sun (visible from the middle of May to the end of July) or to make the Fjord cruises, may stop over to see southern Norway before proceeding.

Steamers for North Cape sail from Bergen and Trondhjem and passengers booked to Bergen can leave the Scandinavian Line Steamer at Christiania (stopover allowed) and receive free transportation to Bergen, via the famous scenic Christiania-Bergen Highland Railway. A fast and comfortable trip to the North Cape can also he made from Stockholm via the Lapland Express (the most northern railway in the world) to Narvik, and from there by steamer. From Christiania the steamers make an overnight run to Copenhagen, Denmark, the home port.

Royal Palace, Christiania, Norway 33

TIME OF VOYAGE

The voyage occupies about 9 1/2 days, except on the steamer Frederik VIII, which occupies 8 1/2 days and offers an attractive, quick and comfortable way to travel not only to the Scandinavian countries, but to all parts of Central and Eastern Europe, as well.

The New York Pier

The Steamers sail sharp on time advertised from Scandinavian-American Line dock, foot of 17th Street, Hoboken, N. J. To reach the dock from New York, take W. 23rd Street Ferry to 14th Street in Hoboken. Entrance to dock is at 14th Street. The dock can also be reached via Barclay Street or Christopher Street Ferries, or the Hudson Tunnel from the Terminal Building, corner Fulton Street and Church Street, in New York to the Lackawanna Railroad Depot in Hoboken and front there by Washington Street car to the dock entrance.

Read more: The Routes, Passage and Piers of the Scandinavian American Line - 1917 http://www.gjenvick.com/HistoricalBrochures/Steamships-OceanLiners/ScandinavianAmericanLine/1917-Brochure/Routes-Passage-Piers.html#ixzz1oXqFfQiK

[Jane C]

I'm back and looked a little more. The Bolivia was the name of a ship of the Hamburg America Line, but the one I've found was scrapped in 1924, a year before Gunner sailed on "the Bolivia." I wonder if this steamship line built a new ship and gave it that name. This line also docked at Hoboken, New Jersey.

The Nordamerika is another ship I thought might be with Hamburg America Line, and yes they had a ship of that name - but again, the one I found online was scrapped, long before Gunnar sailed. Again, perhaps there is another Hamburg America Line ship of that name that came later, and I just haven't found it.

The Hamburg America Line lost many many ships and rebuilt many times.

Another possible lead - and I'm really reaching here - is the fact that the nearest town of size to Gunnar in Denmark is Nakskov, a port town. A man Hans Niels Andersen, from Nakskov, founded a shipping company (passsenger and freight lines) called the East Asiatic Company. I suppose Gunnar could have had a connection to help get a job with this company - after all he was very young when he began sailing. A long shot - I'm really reaching with this one.  
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Asiatic_Company

???


Maybe some kind soul in the forum who knows more about shipping and passenger lines can help....

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[Jane C]

Link to a better photo of Sandby sogn kirke (Sandby parish church), which I forgot to post earlier:

http://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fil:Sandby_Kirke.jpg

Beautiful! Apparently the pulpit is an amazing example of Danish woodcarving.

[Lissa Pedersen]

Hi,

I have used this site earlier: http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/

Lissa

[Jane C]

Thanks Lissa. It looks like the records are incomplete and end in 1922....?

Anyway, I didn't find Gunnar's ship on this site.

A possibililty - the website owner will search and scan a particular vessel in a particular month on request. In return, asks that the requester volunteer help with transcription of all ships for that month, so that more records can go online.

[Lissa Pedersen]

I have an Australian friend. He is taking part in transcribing ships' list. I have given him the link to this thread - hopefully he might be able to find something?

Lissa

[Jane C]

Cool!  8)

Lissa to the rescue again.

I'm sure Ingrid and her brother will be very glad! And I hope something comes of this.

[Jane C]

Here's a decent lead on the ship named Blair, but I don't see shipping dates/ports online to see if it's indeed Gunnar's ship.

http://www.multilingualarchive.com/ma/enwiki/en/American_Export-Isbrandtsen_Lines

Isbrandtsen Co. was a Danish-based company. It merged with another company in 1964 to acquire the name shown in the link. See also A. P. Møller and the Møller-Mærsk Line. (Maersk is a Fortune 500 company today.) 

There's no particular reason Gunnar should need to work for a Scandinavian shipping company, but the ship name Blair does come up.

[Jane C]

SS United States
1926 brochure

in the collection of Björn Larsson
His home page:
http://www.timetableimages.com/maritime/index.htm

Sailings December 1925-December 1926 (issued October 1, 1925) for:
Frederik VIII, United States, Hellig Olav, Oscar II

Recall we have Gunnar on the United States four times at least:
arrives New York 09 FEB 1926
" 24 MARCH 1926
" 04 AUG 1926
" 10 FEB 1927

Bruce writes, "If you are interested in receiving scans of any of the brochures please let me know."

Bruce's site features his collection  of maritime memorabilia - it does not cover all ships and sailings.

It seems highly likely this is indeed Gunnar's shipping employer in 1926.


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[Ingrid Nielsen]

Wow Jane, this is amazing. My brother and I are so grateful for all the time you have spent researching this for us. My brother is particularly interested in the ships, as I mentioned. For me, it is the church in particular that has caught my attention and I am very keen to go there now to see it for myself. Thankyou so much for all this (and for the tip on how to reply!) 

[Jane C]

How nice to get this gracious note from you Ingrid. I'm glad you are pleased! I thought the forum members made some amazing contributions, didn't you?

I hope you do visit your father's birthplace and home church - so beautiful!

Hugs   

[Ingrid Nielsen]

Absolutely Jane! My brother and I have been quite humbled by the generosity shown to us. I have now had some contact with a cousin who has told me that my father spent a few years in the late 1940s in Bandholm. He owned a hotel there. So that is also on my list of places to go to. Altogether the last week has been an amazing one, that's for sure 

[Lissa Pedersen]

Hi Ingrid,

Did you get the name of the hotel?

Lissa

[Ingrid Nielsen]

Hi Lissa,

No, but my brother thinks it is only a small place. He has seen one Hotel on Google Earth...

i

[Jane C]

04 AUG 1926 arrive New York
Port of departure: Copenhagen (July 23)
Gunnar Nielsen age 17
Cabin boy
aboard the ship United States

Hi again Ingrid (and hi Lissa), That is so exciting about the hotel! I just can't wait for you to be able to go there. Lissa, were you thinking you might be able to find more information about the hotel....?

Also a note about ships. On this ship's manifest I'm citing is the name of the shipping line - bottom left. Scandinavian American line! (See previous page for the image.) I didn't know shipping lines are included on the manifests and didn't see this before. Thus the specific SS United States that I talked about is indeed the right ship, proof positive!  

I can't go to the other ships' manifests today to look at the whole manifest but maybe someone else can.

Again, congrats on the info about the hotel!!!