SS Merion Second Cabin Passenger List, Philadelphia to Liverpool, 2 July 1910 – American Line

Front Cover of a Second Cabin Passenger List for the SS Merion of the American Line, Departing 2 July 1910 from Philadelphia to Queenstown (Cobh) and Liverpool, Commanded by Captain J. B. Hill. GGA Image ID # 21ad9bb8d0. Note That the Front Cover Was Folded Lengthwise and Exhibits a Center Crease.

🚢 Review & Summary — SS Merion Passenger List, 2 July 1910

Ship: SS Merion

Operator: American Line

Voyage Date: 2 July 1910

Route: Philadelphia ➡ Queenstown (Cobh) ➡ Liverpool

Class Covered: Second Cabin

Master: Captain J. B. Hill

🛳 The Ship — SS Merion

The SS Merion was a steel-hulled passenger liner launched in 1902 by John Brown & Company, Clydebank, Scotland, for the American Line. At 11,621 gross tons, she was built to handle both transatlantic service and occasional troop transport. Known for her service between Philadelphia and Liverpool, she catered to emigrants, tourists, and business travelers, with Second Cabin being a popular option for middle-class passengers.

Key features:

• Twin-screw propulsion, enabling a steady crossing speed of around 15 knots.
• Second Cabin accommodations offered private staterooms and comfortable public spaces, making it a respectable but affordable alternative to First Class.
• The Merion’s routes often saw a mix of American tourists heading to Europe, British and Irish emigrants visiting family, and professionals attending conferences or conducting business.

🌍 Historical & Social Context of the Voyage

In 1910, transatlantic travel was at a peak, with summer crossings popular among academics, clergy, doctors, and well-off middle-class families. Philadelphia was a key port for the American Line, and this voyage reflected a blend of social travel, religious missions, medical professionals, and European leisure tourism. Many passengers aboard the SS Merion’s Second Cabin would have been well-educated, civically engaged individuals—bridging the gap between luxury travel and working-class immigration.

Senior Officers and Staff

1. Commander. Captain J. B. Hill
2. Surgeon. Dr. W. J. Volatti
3. Purser, R. F. Connor
4. Stewardess, Mrs. M. McCallum
5. Stewardess, Mrs. M. Molaren

Second Cabin Passengers

1. Miss Agnes Arnold
2. Mrs. Louise Bachman
3. Miss Florence T. Bacon
4. Mr. Wm. J. Baer
5. Mrs. T. A. C. Baker
6. \liss Mary Barr
7. Miss Samantha W. Bechtel
8. Mrs. H. M. Beckwith
9. Miss Marian Bell
10. Miss Emily Blair
11. Miss E. S. Braden
12. Mr. W. Bradway
13. Mrs. W. Bradway
14. Miss Jessie Brainard
15. Mrs. Thomas Brice
16. Miss Fare Brice
17. Miss Bay Brice
18. Miss Emma F. Brodwater
19. Mr. Thomas J. Browne
20. Miss Mary A. Burrough
21. Mrs. Calvin T. Bye
22. Miss Helen Mary Bye
23. Mr. Charles NV. Cadman
24. Mr. M. William S. Cain
25. Miss Cora J. Cain
26. Miss May W. Cameron
27. Miss Ruth C. Cameron
28. Mrs. J. A. Campbell
29. Miss Isabel Campbell
30. Miss Emma H. Carroll
31. Miss LouiSe G. Caton
32. Mr. A. C. Chalmers
33. Miss Xenia Clampitt
34. Dr. W. E. Clark, M.D.
35. Miss Louise Clark
36. Miss E. B. Coleman
37. Mr. Michael Connolly
38. Mr. Charles A. Coulomb
39. Mr. Thomas Creighton
40. Dr. M. H. Cryer
41. Mrs. M. H. Crycr
42. Miss Elizabeth Cryer
43. Mr. George Davidson
44. Mr. John C. Dickson
45. Mrs. August Doemling and Infant
46. Master Emil Doemling
47. Mr. John Dougherty, Jr.
48. Miss Elizabeth M. Eckert
49. Mr. F. F. Evans
50. Mrs. F. F. Evans
51. Miss Jessie C. Evans
52. Mr. Charles H. Fahnestock
53. Mrs. Charles H. Fahnestock
54. Mrs. J. H. Farmiloe
55. Miss Kathleen M. Fassitt
56. Mrs. Charles Fatzinger
57. Miss Anna E. Forrest
58. Miss Estelle Foster
59. Miss Sarah Frances
60. Miss Elizabeth Geddes
61. Mr. John P. Gibbs
62. Miss Hannah Goodman
63. Miss Lilly I. Goodwin
64. Miss Ellen Golden
65. Miss Mary L. Govers
66. Mr. B. W. Griffith
67. Miss Helen Hare
68. Miss Ethel Hare
69. Mrs. David T. Hart
70. Miss Emma C. Harte
71. Mrs. Elizabeth M. Harry
72. Miss Ruth S. Harvey
73. Miss Gertrude F. Harvey
74. Mrs. William M. Hatch
75. Miss Helen M. Hells
76. Miss Clarabel Henderson
77. Miss Eleanora Henderson
78. Mr. Otto C. Herold
79. Mrs. E. M. A. Heth
80. Miss Eva V. Heth
81. Mrs. Howard Holden
82. Miss Maym Hoover
83. Mrs. S. D. Hoult
84. Mr. William Houston
85. Miss Eleanor C. Howell
86. Miss Helen Hubbard
87. Miss Louise E. Hujnmell
88. Miss Wilhelmine E. Hummell
89. Miss Elizabeth Hurdon
90. Mrs. Kathryn Johnson
91. Miss Stella E. Johnston
92. Miss Ruth Johnston
93. Miss Frances E. Jones
94. Miss Helen S. Jones
95. Miss Mary E. Jones
96. Miss Jennie Jones
97. Miss E. A. Jordan
98. Mrs. N. A. Kearn
99. Miss Kearn
100. Mr. F. A. Kellar
101. Mrs. F. A. Kellar
102. Miss J. S. Kelly
103. Miss C. C. Kelly
104. Mrs. S. Kersey
105. Miss Annie Kinsell
106. Mrs. Anna L. Kinsella
107. Miss C. V. Kleisz
108. Miss Victorine Koones
109. Mr. Stephen E. Kramer
110. Miss Mary J. Lafferty
111. Miss Mary Leiser
112. Mrs. Margaret J. Lester
113. Mr. George C. Leverich
114. Mrs. George C. Leverich
115. Miss Sarah E. Leverich
116. Rev. Frank H. Lewis
117. Mrs. W. F. Lloyd
118. Miss Emma Longacre
119. Miss Edith Lyle
120. Miss Annie Magarity
121. Miss Margaret T. Magee
122. Miss Katharine Malone
123. Miss Bessie T. Mattern
124. Dr. F. M. Matthews
125. Mrs. F. M. Matthews
126. Miss Martha McAlpine
127. Miss Elizabeth M. McDowell
128. Miss Mary McFadden
129. Miss Virginia M. McGaw
130. Miss Mabel E. Mearns
131. Miss Iva C. Mearns
132. Mrs. J. D. Meise
133. Master C. Logan Meise
134. Miss Jane Mellen
135. Rev. Harry D. Mitchell
136. Mrs. Harry D. Mitchell
137. Mrs. Thomas J. Moore
138. Miss Lillian C. Moore
139. Miss Florence Mortimer
140. Miss Lillian O'Conor
141. Miss Anna L. Ogden
142. Miss Courtenay Olivier
143. Mr. P. D. Parsons
144. Mr. P. D. Parsons
145. Mrs. Catherine Paul
146. Miss Elsie B. Payne
147. Miss Martha Blanche Pearson
148. Dr. Abbie J. Pennock
149. Mr. C. Perceval
150. Mrs. C. Perceval
151. Miss Bertha Perham
152. Miss May A. Post
153. Miss C. Potter
154. Miss E. M. Raiguel
155. Miss E. M. Renshaw
156. Miss Agnes I. Roberts
157. Miss A. Adele Rudolph
158. Miss Margaret M. Russell
159. Miss Beatrice Sampson
160. Miss M. M. Saunders
161. Mrs. Lewis D. Schlehner
162. Miss Emilie Schlehner
163. Miss Charlotte Schlehner
164. Miss Antionette C. Schwinghammer
165. Miss Alberta Searing
166. Miss Clara T. Searle
167. Mrs. M. L. Segfert
168. Miss B. Segfert
169. Miss Irene Sharp
170. Mr. George Q. Sheppard
171. Mrs. George Q. Sheppard
172. Mr. George B. Sheppard
173. Miss Catharine K. Sheppard
174. Miss Alice E. Sheppard
175. Mrs. Mary Skillen
176. Miss Emma Smith
177. Miss Mary Snyder
178. Miss Lydia Lee Tall
179. Miss L. May Taylor
180. Mrs. Cassius C. Thompson
181. Miss Minnie E. Thompson
182. Mr. Dale D. Thompson
183. Mrs. Edward C. Toie
184. Mr. Arthur S. Tozer
185. Mrs. Joseph Twyman
186. Miss Helen Wadland
187. Miss Vera M. Wagner
188. Miss Mary A. Wallaston
189. Mr. Moses W. Ware
190. Mrs. Moses W. Ware
191. Mr. A. P. Ware
192. Mrs. A. P. Ware
193. Miss Elizabeth Weedon
194. Miss Mary White
195. Mr. William J. Whittemore
196. Mrs. William J. Whittemore
197. Miss Irene Doris Wood
198. Miss Mabel Nelson Miss Fannie Yeates

👥 Notable Individuals on Board

🎓 Academic & Professional Figures

Dr. M. H. Cryer – A prominent Philadelphia dentist and oral surgeon, Dr. Cryer was a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Dental School and an authority on maxillofacial anatomy. His research and teaching had an enduring influence on dental surgery.

Dr. W. E. Clark, M.D. – Likely traveling for professional or academic purposes; his listing among other notable doctors suggests participation in medical conferences or advanced study in Europe.

Dr. F. M. Matthews – Physician traveling with his wife, possibly to engage in continuing medical study abroad, as was common among American doctors in the early 20th century.

Dr. Abbie J. Pennock – An uncommon female physician of the era, likely engaged in public health or private practice. Her travel could be linked to European medical lectures or women’s medical networks.

⛪ Religious Leaders

Rev. Frank H. Lewis – Clergyman whose presence indicates either attendance at a church conference or a pastoral exchange. Ministers traveling in Second Cabin often represented middle-class congregations engaged in transatlantic missionary or educational work.

Rev. Harry D. Mitchell – Traveling with his wife, Rev. Mitchell was likely involved in pastoral duties or theological study abroad, possibly connected to the Methodist or Presbyterian church networks.

💼 Socially Prominent or Wealthy Passengers

Mrs. Charles H. Fahnestock & Mr. Charles H. Fahnestock – The Fahnestock family name was associated with banking and philanthropy in Pennsylvania. Their Second Cabin booking suggests travel for leisure or cultural touring, possibly as an extended summer holiday.

Mrs. Lewis D. Schlehner & daughters Emilie Schlehner and Charlotte Schlehner – This family’s multi-generational voyage reflects a well-to-do household engaged in European cultural travel.

💪 Pioneering Women

Miss Lillian O’Conor – The O’Conor name carried social prestige in Irish-American circles. Women traveling alone in Second Cabin at the time were often educators, writers, or active in suffrage or charitable work.

Miss Cora J. Cain & Miss May W. Cameron – Both traveling together, possibly teachers or companions on an extended tour.

Back Cover Included Information for Passengers and Principal Offices in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Two Small Photographs of the Ships Interior Were Also Included. the Back Cover Has Evidence of Being Removed From a Scrapbook at Some Point With Some Parts and Skinning Losses. GGA Image ID # 21adf6d0b9

🎯 Relevance of the SS Merion’s Voyage

For teachers, students, historians, and genealogists, this passenger list offers:

Genealogical data – Names, travel companions, and social context for family history research.

Social history – Insights into the professional middle class of 1910 and their motivations for crossing the Atlantic.

Maritime history – The role of the American Line in connecting Philadelphia to European ports.

Women’s history – The presence of numerous independent female travelers at a time when solo journeys for women were notable.

📌 Final Thoughts — Why This Passenger List Matters

This 1910 SS Merion Second Cabin passenger list captures the intersection of middle-class affluence, professional ambition, and cultural curiosity that defined the Edwardian transatlantic travel experience. The mix of doctors, clergy, prominent families, and pioneering women travelers makes it a valuable historical artifact.

Its survival, complete with passenger names and images of ship interiors, offers both a personal snapshot for genealogists and a social mirror for historians studying early 20th-century mobility.