Society at Sea: The SS Marquette’s First-Class Passenger List, 15 September 1900

Front Cover of a SS Marquette First Class Passenger List of the Atlantic Transport Line, Departing 15 September 1900 from New York to London, Commanded by Captain Thomas F. Gates. | GGA Image ID # 15b95fb408

🚢 Review & Summary — SS Marquette Passenger List (15 September 1900)

Voyage Overview

On 15 September 1900, the SS Marquette of the Atlantic Transport Line departed New York bound for London, commanded by Captain Thomas F. Gates. This First-Class Passenger List provides an intimate glimpse into the elite transatlantic travel community at the turn of the 20th century—wealthy families, socialites, industrialists, and notable personalities bound for business, leisure, and cultural exchange.

Key Ship Details

• Launched: 1897
• Operator: Atlantic Transport Line (American-owned, British-operated)
• Typical Route: London ↔ New York
• Specialization: First-class (saloon) passengers only—no second- or steerage-class accommodation.
• Notable Features: Luxurious saloons, staterooms with private baths (a rarity in the period), smoking rooms, and promenade decks designed for wealthy clientele.
• Design Heritage: Sister ship to the Minnetonka and Minneapolis, representing the A.T.L.’s golden era before the First World War.

Route & Navigation

This voyage followed the well-established northern steamship route, crossing the Atlantic in approximately 6–7 days. With the Marquette’s emphasis on comfort over sheer speed, passengers could expect refined dining, social events, and perhaps even onboard concerts during the crossing.

Catalog Card: SS Marquette Passenger List – 15 September 1900

Senior Officers and Staff

1. Capt. Thomas F. Gates

List of Passengers, Part 1 (Mr. T. Bradford-Mrs. K. Michie)

1. Mr. T. Bradford
2. Mrs. Bradford and child
3. Mr. J. M, Browning
4. Mr. M. S. Browning
5. Mr. John Browning
6. Mr. R. Clarke
7. Miss Minnie Colver
8. Mr. G. R. Cottrell
9. Miss Josephine Cromby
10. Miss Mary L. Craig
11. Mr. R. Colt
12. Miss C. Cowan
13. Mr. W. de la Devereaux
14. Mr. Archibald J. Dunn
15. Mr. Edgar W. Earle
16. Mrs. J. H. Erlund
17. Mrs. Robt. N. Fairbanks
18. Miss Beatrice Fairbanks
19. Mast. Sydney Fairbanks
20. Mr. Wm. Hawkins
21. Miss Mary C. Hyde
22. Mr. F. Keeling
23. Mrs. Keeling
24. Mr. Randall Kernan
25. Miss Miriam M. Kimball
26. Mr. Benj. Kimball
27. Mr. Harry P. Knight
28. Miss Theresa Kormann
29. Miss Mamie Kormann
30. Miss Edith Mason
31. Mrs. Helen Merlin
32. Mrs. K. Michie

List of Passengers, Part 2 (Miss Ada Michie-Mr. Archibald C. V. Wells)

1. Miss Ada Michie
2. Miss May Michie
3. Mr. W. R. Norman
4. Mrs, Norman
5. Mr. E. W. Nutter
6. Miss Francis E. Oakley
7. Mr. Alfred J. Oxenham
8. Mr. George W. Pierce
9. Mrs. Pierce
10. Mr. Frank Pierce
11. Mast. Stanley Pierce
12. Miss Isabella G. Richardson
13. Mr. W. S. Salway
14. Mrs. Mary K. Seeger
15. Mr. Max F. Seeger
16. Miss Smith
17. Mr. J. B. Smith
18. Mrs. G. T. Smith
19. Miss Eugenie Sockard
20. Mrs. M. V. Stevens
21. Mr. Hyland P. Stewart
22. Mr. C. J. Thatcher
23. Mr. H. R. Thomas
24. Mrs. H. T. Thomas
25. Mast. F. Thomas
26. Miss M. Thomas
27. Mr. Ley Vernon
28. Mr. C. A. Waghorn
29. Mrs. Waghorn
30. Miss Waghorn
31. Mr. Archibald C. V. Wells

Notable Passengers & Social Context

🏛 Mrs. Robert N. Fairbanks & Family

Likely connected to the prominent Fairbanks manufacturing dynasty of Massachusetts, known for their production of scales and industrial equipment. Traveling with Miss Beatrice Fairbanks and Master Sydney Fairbanks, suggesting a family return from an American holiday to England or Europe. Families like the Fairbanks were fixtures in the social columns of the day.

📚 Miss Miriam M. Kimball & Mr. Benjamin Kimball

The Kimball surname was prominent in New England business and politics. Benjamin Kimball (if indeed the New Hampshire railroad executive of the same name) was president of the Concord & Montreal Railroad and a key figure in regional economic development.

🖋 Mr. W. de la Devereaux

Possibly connected to British diplomatic or aristocratic circles. Travelers with compound surnames such as “de la Devereaux” were often found among the Edwardian social elite, and their crossings were frequently noted in society papers.

🏛 Mrs. Mary K. Seeger & Mr. Max F. Seeger

The Seeger name has German-American prominence in both business and cultural spheres. Max F. Seeger may have been engaged in transatlantic trade or finance.

🏇 Mr. Hyland P. Stewart

The Stewart surname appears in both American mercantile circles and British landed gentry. First-class Atlantic Transport Line passengers named Stewart often traveled for fox-hunting seasons, yacht races, or political society events.

🎭 Miss Theresa Kormann & Miss Mamie Kormann

Their names appear in New York social registers, suggesting possible involvement in society entertainments or patronage of the arts.

📜 Mr. Archibald C. V. Wells

A name associated with British colonial administration and the military. Passengers with full initials were frequently listed in The London Gazette for commissions or civil service postings.

Engaging Elements in This Passenger List

Transatlantic Social Web: Many passengers belonged to interconnected elite families whose business, political, and cultural ties spanned both continents.

Multi-Generational Voyagers: Numerous entries list entire families, showing how Atlantic crossings were both business and family affairs.

Society & Commerce Blend: Industrialists, socialites, and possibly government figures shared the same deck—reflecting the ship’s role as a floating salon.

🎓 Relevance for Teachers, Students, Genealogists, and Historians

For Teachers & Students: A lens into Edwardian-era social mobility, economic elites, and the cultural interplay between America and Britain.

For Genealogists: Pinpoints individuals in a precise time and place, often linking them to broader family histories documented in census and business archives.

For Historians: Offers data for studying the Atlantic Transport Line’s passenger demographics and their intersection with commerce, politics, and culture.

Final Thoughts — Why This Passenger List Matters

The 15 September 1900 SS Marquette passenger list is a window into the elite Atlantic corridor, where influential families, business magnates, and social leaders made the crossing as naturally as modern executives take a transatlantic flight. It encapsulates a world where the ship itself was a stage for diplomacy, networking, and refined leisure. ✨

Title Page, List of Passengers, Part 1 (Mr. T. Bradford-Mrs. K. Michie), SS Marquette First Class Passenger List, 15 Septembrer 1900. | GGA Image ID # 2315af1dcb

List of Passengers, Part 2 (Miss Ada Michie-Mr. Archibald C. V. Wells). SS Marquette First Class Passenger List, 15 Septembrer 1900. | GGA Image ID # 2315d7bb62

Back Cover, SS Marquette First Class Passenger List, 15 Septembrer 1900. | GGA Image ID # 15b9d5152e