Prepaid Certificate - Bremen to New York - 17 February 1883

Front Cover, Prepaid Steerage Passage Contract from 1883 Bremen to New York for German Immigrant Family.

 

Document for Purchasing Prepaid Steamship Ticket

Bringing an immigrant family from the homeland to America in 1883

Good For One Year
No. A1113
Date: 17 February 1883
Place:
Received from Carl Nutchen the sum of Seventy-Two Dollars for the passage of Bealle Nutchen & party, as one in steerage of one of the Steamers of the North German Lloyd from Bremen to New York.

Whole number of persons 5
2 Adults
2 Children between 1 & 12 Years
1 Child under 1 Year

Conditions of Steerage Passage Contract

Diese Quittung ist vom Einzahler aufzubewahren. Etwaige Rückzahlung kann nur stattfinden gegen Rücklieferung dieser Quittung und unter Abzug der üblichen Commission, nachdem der passagier in Deutschland den ihm vom Norddeutschen Lloyd, Bremen, gesandten Avisbrief nach Bremen zurückgeschickt hat. -- Falls der Käufer das Alter von Kindern falsch angibt, wird die Differenz in dem Passagebetrag in Bremen vor Abfahrt erhoben werden.

This receipt is kept by the depositor. Any redemption may take place only against return of this receipt, and after deduction of the usual commission, after the passengers in Germany has returned to it by the North German Lloyd, Bremen, Letter of Advice sent to Bremen. - If the buyer specifies the age of children wrong, the difference in the amount of passage in Bremen will be collected before departure.

The Immigrant Party

Carl Nutchen was my 3x great grandfather. They settled in Adams Massachusetts, his son Max married Alice Ford and birthed my great grandmother Edith Augusta Newton. This is the American spelling of the name Nutchen. . The names located on the back I believe to be Bealle Nutchen aged 56. I believe this to be Carl's mother. The second name I'm not to sure of... but she is 25, then it is Max age 6. the next name I do not know either but the last name is Kelisa age 3. Carl married Augusta Kelisa. The next name listed is Richard Kelisa and he was 9 months old.

Name: Max Frederick Newton-Nuchten

BIRTH APRIL 13,1877 • Nustegeisdor, Federal Republic of Germany

DEATH 27 JUL 1952 • Pittsfield, Berkshire, Massachusetts

Submitted by Alicia Alvaro
April 2011
Used by permission

Passenger Arrival Record for This Voyage

• Name: Max Nuchten
• Gender: Male
• Ethnicity/ Nationality: German
• Age: 11/12
• Birth Date: abt 1882
• Place of Origin: Germany
• Departure Port: Bremen, Germany and Southampton, England
• Destination: USA
• Arrival Date: 19 May 1883
• Arrival Port: New York, New York, USA
• Ship Name: SS Neckar

Passage Record for Carl Nuchten

• Name: Carl Nuchten
• Gender: männlich (Male)
• Departure Age: 55
• Birth Date: abt 1826
• Residence Place: Wüstegiersdorf, Schlesien
• Departure Date: 10. Jun 1881 (10 Jun 1881)
• Departure Place: Hamburg, Deutschland (Germany)
• Destination: New York
• Arrival Place: Hull (New York via Liverpool)
• Occupation: Landmann
• Ship Name: Uranus
• Captain: Kröger
• Shipping Clerk: Louis Scharlach & Co.
• Shipping Line: H. J. Perlbach & Co.
• Ship Type: Dampfschiff
• Ship Flag: Deutschland
• Accommodation: ohne Angabe
• Volume 373-7 I, VIII B 1 Band 044

Relative Cost of Passage Ticket in Today's Currency Value

In 2020, the relative values of $72.00 from 1883 ranges from $1,740.00 to $121,000.00.

A simple Purchasing Power Calculator would say the relative value is $1,920.00. This answer is obtained by multiplying $72 by the percentage increase in the CPI from 1883 to 2020.

This may not be the best answer.

The best measure of the relative value over time depends on if you are interested in comparing the cost or value of a Commodity, Income or Wealth, or a Project.

If you want to compare the value of a $72.00 Commodity in 1883 there are three choices. In 2020 the relative:

• real price of that commodity is $1,920.00
• labor value of that commodity is $13,200.00 (using the unskilled wage) or $20,600.00 (using production worker compensation)
• income value of that commodity is $19,900.00
• economic share of that commodity is $121,000.00

If you want to compare the value of a $72.00 Income or Wealth, in 1883 there are four choices. In 2020 the relative:

• real wage or real wealth value of that income or wealth is $1,920.00
• relative labor earnings of that commodity are $13,200.00 (using the unskilled wage) or $20,600.00 (using production worker compensation)
• relative income value of that income or wealth is $19,900.00
• relative output value of that income or wealth is $121,000.00

If you want to compare the value of a $72.00 Project in 1883 there are three choices. In 2020 the relative:

real cost of that project is $1,740.00

labor cost of that project is $13,200.00 (using the unskilled wage) or $20,600.00 (using production worker compensation)

relative cost of that project is $19,900.00

economy cost of that project is $121,000.00

Source: www.measuringworth.com Samuel H. Williamson, "Seven Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a U.S. Dollar Amount, 1790 to present," MeasuringWorth, 2022.